	Sea kayaking tours at Cape Tribulation - explore the Daintree Coast

happy sea kayakers on a seakayaking tour at cape tribulation

Information on Cape Tribulation

Some info to help you plan your holidays in Cape Tribulation:

How to get to Cape Tribulation:

location of cape tribulation

By car:

Book your rental car online and have it waiting for you at Cairns airport on arrival! The road from Cairns to Cape Tribulation is now sealed all the way so any normal hire car can make the journey, no need for a four wheel drive. Nothing beats the freedom of having your own car and stopping when and where you want.

Cape Tribulation is located 150 km. or 2.5 hours from Cairns, and 80km. or 1.5 hours from Port Douglas. The Daintree river ferry operates continuously from 6 am till midnight and costs $16.- return. All car rental offices in Cairns usually have free maps available.

The road from Cairns to Cape Tribulation is a very scenic drive

RentNewCars.com.au is an Australian company that exclusively distributes Europcar & Thrifty's Australian fleet of 16,000 new vehicles and offers access to over 200 locations around Australia via the RentNewCars web site.

Budget Car Hire needs little introduction, the name says it all: car hire at Budget Prices with a car hire company with an international reputation, and this sites makes it even easier to find yourself a cheap hire car, or anything else with wheels: trucks,buses, campervans, utes, four wheel drives etc.

Thrifty Car Rental is another international car hire business with a reputation for cheap rental cars.

When you book with the above websites you are sure you deal with reputable car rental companies, without wanting to discredit the smaller local companies, we have received some not overly positive customer reviews on Cairns Older Car and Ute Hire.

From Cairns: find Sheridan Street, the main road that goes through all of Cairns, and start heading north, Sheridan St. becomes the Cook Highway.
From Cairns airport or Port Douglas: turn right when you reach the highway and head north.
On the north side of Cairns you will go through at least a dozen roundabouts. On these roundabouts follow the signs for Mossman and Port Douglas.
After about one hour from Cairns you will pass Port Douglas on your right hand side, and another 15 minutes or so later you will pass through Mossman.
Keep heading north after Mossman and following the signs to Cape Tribulation. After 20 minutes or so you will see the sign below, indicating you will need to turn right to the ferry;

About 20 min. after Mossman

Ferry runs 6 am till midnight

Welcome to Cape Tribulation!

Once you are across the Daintree river it is another 36km. to Cape Tribulation, due to the speed limits and winding roads this can take you close to an hour, even without stops.
Keep your speed down to save the wildlife, especially the cassowary.
On arrival in Cape Tribulation you will first see the signs for the Cape Trib shop/info centre, and 500 metre further the sign "Welcome to Cape Tribulation".

By bus:

Several bus companies do the daily run between Cairns and Cape Tribulation.
They usually leave Cairns at 7 am and then another service around 10am, if you arrive later you may have to stay a night in Cairns first. Also take in to account that your return bus will not get you to Cairns till after lunch time, so if you have an early flight you will need to spend your last night in Cairns.
Bear in mind they tend to change their time tables a bit at times so it is safest to check their website and email them to confirm the time table is still up to date.

Country Road Coaches - Phone 07-4045 2794 - This bus does a run all the way from Cairns to Cooktown, so is a good option if you plan to head further north after your Cape Tribulation stay. They depart Cairns at 06.45 in the morning, arriving in Cape Trib about 10.45 but not every day, contact them for up to date info. Visit their website

Sunpalm Coach - Ph: (07) 4084 2626 - Sunpalm Transport operate scheduled coach and bus transfer services between Cairns, Port Douglas, Daintree, Cape Tribulation and Cooktown, they will transfer you door to door to your accommodation in Cape Tribulation. Visit their website

Where to stay in Cape Tribulation:

Click here for more info and reservations

Rainforest Hideaway at Cape Tribulation is not your average B&B, your accommodation is deep inside the world's oldest rainforest surrounded by the Daintree National Park.
This unique jungle style bed and breakfast will give you both comfort and an insight into living in the rainforest on solar electricity and water from the creek, and away from mobile phone reception and hair dryers. Being deep inside the Daintree rainforest also guarantees abundant wildlife; bandicoots, birds, frogs, goannas, and even the famous cassowary visits here!

More accommodation, from budget accommodation to 4star luxury, can be browsed and booked online at Capetribulation-accommodation.com

Where to eat in Cape Tribulation:

Just because we're out in the wilderness does not mean there will be nothing to eat!
Your sea kayaking tour will no doubt give you a healthy appetite and the restaurants below serve some great food!

WHET - Cape Tribulation

Cape Tribulation's newest restaurant, open all day from champagne breakfast in the morning, to tasty tequila prawns for lunch, sensational dinners till 22.00
Easy to find on the main road between Cape Trib shop and PK's Jungle Village

CASSOWARY CAFE - Cape Tribulation

Also on Camelot Close and directly across from the Dragonfly is Cassowary Cafe, a restaurant in Ferntree Resort. They mainly do pizza and pasta, but there is also steak and fish.Good choice to dine on clear starry nights as many tables are outside.

CAPE TRIB BEACH HOUSE - Cape Tribulation

You'll be tempted each day by a variety of delicious, excellent value and good quality meals. Try the marinated kangaroo. The menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner offers a healthy vegetarian option. Only 20m from the bar, bistro and pool deck is the pristine Cape Tribulation beach.

PK'S JUNGLE VILLAGE - Cape Tribulation

Breakfast is served from 7am to 10.30am. Lunch is from 11am to 2.00pm and costs $5-$9 for burgers, soups, sandwiches, salads & specials. Dinner is from 6.30 - 8pm from a blackboard menu to suit all tastes, including a vegetarian option and priced from $10-$15. Some serious drinking and party games go on here some nights, including the famous cane toad races. Sea kayaking can be a thirsty business on a warm day so a few beers at PK's Jungle Bar will go down well

BOARDWALK CAFE - Cape Tribulation

All the usual take away stuff here at this place just opposite PK's Jungle Village.

CAFE-ON-SEA - Thornton's Beach

Enjoy casual beachfront dining at Thornton Beach with views of the Coral Sea and surrounding rainforest ranges, where the rainforest meets the reef. 20 Minutes north of the Daintree River Ferry and 1 hour north of Port Douglas. Open for Breakfast, Lunch and early Dinner. Good wholesome food with flavour at a great price. Fresh baked cakes, muffins and biscuits for morning and afternoon tea. Lavazza Espresso coffee. Coldest Beer, quality wines by the glass. Meet the locals on the popular weekly thrusday night pizza nights.

WILDERNESS LODGE - Cooper Creek

This is a restaurant in a small lodge so book in advance to avoid disappointment, excellent food in a rainforest setting surrounded by fan palms.

HERITAGE LODGE RESTAURANT - Cooper Creek

Heritage Lodge boasts a fully licensed restaurant and bar whose fine food and fine wines were recognised by Gourmet Traveller in the Annual Guide for 1999. The a la carte licensed restaurant and bar overlook the resort pool and Cooper Creek, offering fine dining in a dense rainforest atmosphere. If you are lucky, extra guests may also visit you at night, such as bandicoots and wallabies.

CROCODYLUS RESTAURANT - Cow Bay

The restaurant serves tasty, home style meals. Start the day with either a continental or fully cooked breakfast, a healthy lunch menu and the dinner menu varies daily with vegetarians catered for.

FANPALM CAFE - Cooper Creek

A small cafe just off the main road, they also have a privately owned boardwalk through the majestic fan palm forest.

COWBAY HOTEL MOTEL - Cow Bay

Provides breakfast, lunch and dinner in the bistro.

DAINTREE ENVIRONMENT CENTRE - Cow Bay

The treetop environment centre has a cafe which does great coffee, sandwiches, muffins etc.

How to get around Cape Tribulation:

Cape Tribulation is small enough to get around on foot to most things, but if you don't have a car you can also hire mountain bikes at PK's.

While you're in Cape Tribulation have a look at the Easter Island Moai, you'll find them at Rainforest Hideaway B&B on Camelot Close, signposted from the main road.