Cairns, Daintree & Cooktown Escape - May 2026 - Hostess Round Up - Kaarie Stephens

What a wonderful time we had in Far North Queensland; so beautiful and sunny. We started with three nights in Cairns to relax and energise, then took the heritage scenic railway to Kuranda in the rainforest hills and wandered around the village. The Skyrail back was fantastic, offering a bird's-eye view above the canopy, where Ulysses butterflies like to fly. Over the following two days in the Atherton Tablelands, we visited volcanic lakes, amazing waterfalls and the wonderful Paronella Park, a must-see. We indulged in the local cuisine with its tropical fruit ice cream, extremely fresh seafood and handmade chocolates. So much fun with our new friends; we laughed and loved our great adventure on the road. 

4 wheel driving, up the Bloomfield track through the Daintree along the coast, we made it to Cooktown! Prehistoric magnificent forest; this is where the rainforest meets the sea. Nowhere else like it on earth! The weather was superb. We were the sunshine girls. We saw crocodiles on our Daintree River cruise and saw the anchor of the Endeavour in the Cooktown museum!! 

We learnt much about the flora and fauna and the history of the far north, and were delighted by our extremely knowledgeable and passionate local guides. The crescendo was staying in Port Douglas for our last three nights with a day trip to Low Isles on the Great Barrier Reef. Some of the sisters snorkelled for the first time in their lives and saw tropical fish swim right past their noses! So many new experiences in the company of friends; we leave with the hope of travelling again together soon.