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    Head north on this "8 Days Cairns & Port Douglas" package from $2,050pp $1,599pp after member savings:

    • Return airfares *
    • Top-class, central accommodation: 3 nights Cairns and 4 nights Port Douglas
    • 8 days car hire
    • Entry to Australian Butterfly Sanctuary
    • 2-course dinner at a top Port Douglas restaurant

    Save up to 22% off full retail value.

    Palm Cove Esplanade walk
    Palm Cove Esplanade walk

    FULL RETAIL VALUE: $1,794pp. YOU PAY FROM $1,399, SAVE UP TO $395pp.

    BOOKING ENQUIRY

    Trip Highlights

    Relax and get away from it all. Cairns and Port Douglas are perfect for enjoying beautiful sunshine and a relaxed tropical atmosphere. Imagine having these 8 (or more) balmy days just relaxing and sight-seeing.

    Been here before? You know you are going to love it all over again. Want to stay longer? We'll make it so affordable you might want to stay at least until summer!

    Trip highlights:

    • 8 glorious days in wonderful warm weather (September/October or March/April are ideal)
    • Top-class, central accommodation in Caiurns and Port Douglas
    • Enjoy Kuranda's stunning Australian Butterfly Sanctuary and rainforest enclosure
    • Be delighted by first-grade dining at one of the best Port restaurants
    • Walk on Four-Mile Beach, hang around Palm Cove, drop in to a different beach or hinterland attraction every day or do nothing much at all

    * Package price varies according to season and departure city. Standard pricing is based on travel between October and April. Flights are priced from Sydney. Add minimum 50% for peak season travel (May to September).

    Global Escapes Travel

    In the style of most Global Escapes Independent Traveler itineraries, this is a perfect blend of self-guided adventure and forward-planning to ensure that the main elements are organised in advance allowing for plenty of time to relax and take in each place you visit.

    Package Pricing

    FULL RETAIL VALUE

    $1,794pp

    SAVINGS APPLIED

    -$395

    YOU PAY FROM*

    $1,399

    SAVING OFF FULL RETAIL VALUE (UP TO): 22%

    Discover the Travel Club Advantage

    Australian Escapes has been saving members money on their holidays now for over 20 years and we can do the same for you. You can start today for FREE!

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    • No risk free trial, cancel anytime, invest a few dollars to save potentially $'000's.

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    * All prices are per-person on a twin-share basis and bookings are subject to availability. The final price and deposit amount varies according to travel date. All prices are estimates only. A firm quote (travel plan) with payment terms will be submitted for consideration prior to agreement to proceed. Full booking terms and conditions are available HERE...

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    Inclusions

    "A perfect winter escape blending tropical city charm with hinterland and rainforest beauty and the world-famous, laid-back holiday atmosphere of Port Douglas."

    You can swap nights in Cairns for nights in Port Douglas or vice-versa. You can add extra nights from just $120pp including car hire. The idea is to use this package as a starting point for your Tropical North Queensland winter escape.

    This is a first-class travel itinerary that's fully flexible. Want more or fewer days or you want to include a special destination or activity? No problem, we’ll customise a travel plan for you.

    Just one of the special things you will do on this great holiday...

    Video link

    Click/tap to watch this short video and learn about the sights and beauty and that await you.

    "Sapphire" package inclusions:

    • Return, fully-flexible airfares *
    • 3 nights Silver standard hotel or resort accommodation in central Cairns
    • 4 nights Gold standard resort accommodation in central Port Douglas
    • 8 days standard car hire
    • Entry to Australian Butterfly Sanctuary at Kuranda
    • 2-course dinner at a top Port Douglas restaurant

    All packages include:

    • Lonely Planet guide for East Coast Australia
    • No fees to alter the itinerary (you just pay for the adjusted itinerary)
    • Extra nights at industry wholesale price (using GCash travel credits)
    • Google Drive folder with soft copies of all travel documents
    • Comprehensive, printed itinerary
    • Personal travel consultant to help plan and customize your holiday
    • Option for best-in-class travel insurance at member price

    Carefully selected accommodation:

    Hotel standards

    Read about our accommodation rating standards and the methods used to assess quality.

    Fully customisable:

    This itinerary is fully customisable to suit your requirements. Your personal travel consultant is available to discuss changes and additions that will enhance your travel experience.

    Special value:

    Lonely Planet Logo

    Lonely Planet is renowned for its first-hand approach, up-to-date maps and commitment to providing the best information for travelers. Lonely Planet authors are experienced, insightful travel experts. They personally research the places they write about - both in the first and in subsequent editions - and provide essential travel details along with a wealth of insider information and first-hand tips.

    Australia - East Coast

    You will receive this guide to help you gain the most out of your holiday. Recommendation: Take the time to read suggestions for things to see and do before you leave home. Take your Lonely Planet guide with you in your luggage.


    * All prices are per-person on a twin-share basis and bookings are subject to availability. Price and deposit amount varies according to travel date. If flights are shown as included then a flight cost provision (allowance) applies and is based on travel from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. Travel can be arranged from any other major centre and for any number of people. All prices shown are estimates only. A firm quote (travel plan) with payment terms will be submitted for consideration prior to agreement to proceed. Total price after member discount (using Getaway Cash travel credits and Australian Escapes Free Flights Vouchers if applicable) is generally payable as follows: Deposit on booking, balance 120 days prior to departure. Packages can be priced for families and groups on request. Standard price and full retail value comparisons are with similar packages offered elsewhere or what we estimate would be payable by a non-member for the same or similar package and may include a value we define for specialty travel agency services. Travel insurance if included is a provision only and may be declined on requestTravel insurance pricing if stated is based on comprehensive travel insurance for two travellers aged 69 years or less as at the date of departure from Australia. No recommendations or advice are given in regard to travel insurance suitability. * Airfares are priced from Sydney. Travel Directions Pty Ltd (t/as Australian Escapes Holiday & Travel Club) standard booking terms and conditions apply to all booking enquiries and bookings and are available here to view (or visit our website and go to either the "Booking Enquiry" or "About Us" menu item.)

    Your Itinerary

    Cairns is great for nightlife, dining out and shopping. It offers plenty to do even if you are on a tight budget. Port Douglas contrasts well with its relaxed laid back holiday atmosphere where you are surrounded by nature and the small village atmosphere. In between are excellent beaches each with its own character. Plus the Atherton Tablelands is close to Cairns and a must-do destination. The Daintree Rainforest is also within reach and also a must-do destination.

    This itinerary is simply a suggested way of getting the most from your northern escape. Plenty of alternatives exist and you will have Lonely Planet guide to assist in deciding on what to do each day.

    "The pleasure we derive from journeys is perhaps dependent more on the mindset with which we travel than on the destination we travel to" - Alain de Botton

    DAY 1: ARRIVE IN CAIRNS

    You'll arrive at Cairns airport and pick up yourt rental car before heading to your central Cairns accommodation. Depending on what time you arrive you can enjoy the hotel/resort facilities or go for a walk in town and along the Esplanade to the Cairns Lagoon area and find a good place for lunch or dinner.


    Cairns Esplanade lagoon area

    DAY 2 - 3: CAIRNS

    Like all days, your time is yours to spend as you wish. There is plenty to see and do close to your central accommodation and you can venture further out. Use the included free Lonely Planet guide for sightseeing suggestions.

    If you like natural attractions, the Cairns Botanical Gardens is a great place to visit and only a few kilometers out of the city. Here you can stroll around the 38 hectares of native Australian gardens which are maintained to lush standards. Many of the plants here cannot be seen elsewhere else in the world. Admission to the Cairns Botanical Gardens is free.


    Cairns markets

    Each night as the sun sets, Cairns Night Markets come alive. Featuring over seventy retail outlets and home to a myriad of food options, Cairns Night Markets are the perfect place to grab dinner and hunt for a bargain. The hustle and bustle of the market in the open air setting makes for an electrifying shopping experience.

    DAY 4: CAIRNS - PORT DOUGLAS

    This morning you'll head north to beautiful Port Douglas. Along the way you will be spoilt for choice of places to drop in and visit. There are half-a-dozen lovely tropical beaches to see but Palm Cove is probably the most popular.

    Palm Cove is a unique and relaxing village where centuries old “paperbark” Melaleuca trees line the casual esplanade. Its relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere makes Palm Cove a perfect beach-side place to spend a few hours.


    Included visit to the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary

    A visit to Kuranda Village is also one of the top things to do. This quaint rainforest village in the mountains behind Cairns is home to Barron Falls and one of the prettiest railway stations in the country. Kuranda is also where you will visit the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary. This sanctuary is home to over 1500 butterflies including the local rainforest species such as the electric blue Ulysses, the majestic green and yellow Cairns Birdwing and the Monarch butterfly.

    There is so much to see and do in Kuranda you may even wish to explore the village over two days or even head further into the Atherton Tablelands so you can do some of the rainforest walks and river cruises.

    DAYS 5-7: PORT DOUGLAS

    The tropical town of Port Douglas, roughly a one-hour drive north of Cairns, has it all: the aquamarine waters of the Great Barrier Reef, the breathtaking canopy of the Daintree Rainforest, the crystal creeks of Mossman Gorge, and the palm fringed golden sands of Four Mile Beach. It is the only place on Earth where two World Heritage-listed sites – the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest – meet.

    You will be staying either in Macrossan Street, the main street, or very close to it. That puts you within walking distance of everything you'll want during your stay including one of the most beautiful, palm-lined beaches in the world - Four Mile Beach.


    Daintree Rainforest

    The Daintree Rainforest is an essential destination while you are here. It is the oldest, and arguably most scenic, living rainforest on Earth. Its beauty provided inspiration for the Hollywood blockbuster Avatar and it is just a 90-minute drive from Port Douglas.

    The Daintree Discovery Centre is a key attraction in the Daintree and is the best way to discover the wonder and amazement of the oldest continually surviving rainforest on earth. With a range of exciting activities and built-structures that make experiencing the rainforest even more fun and interactive than usual, the Daintree Discovery Centre is a favourite for both locals and tourists alike.

    Included in your package is dinner at one of the top restaurants in Port Douglas. This is a perfect way to enjoy some of the local seafood and other dining options.

    DAY 8: PORT DOUGLAS - CAIRNS - HOME

    Unless you have extended your stay (and why not?) then today is your last day here. We guarantee you will want to turn around and go back for more but, like all holidays, it must end sometime.


    Port Douglas Sunday markets

    Depending on flight time (best to depart as late as possible) perhaps you would like to enjoy breakfast at your new favourite cafe or visit the beach one more time before heading back to Cairns, returning your hire car and checking-in for your return flight home.

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