Today, more than ever, travellers are making the conscious decision to slow down, take pause and reconnect with themselves, nature and those they are closest to in the experiences they choose while on holiday. If you are looking to enhance your wellbeing and leave feeling revitalised and refreshed, Port Douglas and Daintree offer a wellspring of activities to recharge the body, mind and spirit.
Here are 5 experiences to inspire your personal wellness.
For a healthy dose of the deep blue, immerse yourself in the salty, soul-inspiring wonder of the Great Barrier Reef. The benefits of breathwork for coping with anxiety and calming the mind are combined with the vibrancy of the Great Barrier Reef at Resurface Dive. Whether its conquering fears and mental barriers or promoting a growth-mindset, Resurface Dive offers personalised diving experiences with coaching in breathwork, visualisation and meditation on luxury day charters and superyachts. Breathwork facilitator and life coach Chad Bertram and Haylie Bennett operate from Crystalbrook Marina. Connect with Chad by emailing chad@resurface.net.au.
The aroma of essential oils, serene music and the healing power of touch are a potent combination for calming the mind, boosting immunity and restoring a jaded nervous system. The name says it all at The Healing Waters Spa at Silky Oaks Lodge near Mossman. Inspired by the ancient indigenous beliefs in the restorative power of the nearby Mossman River, among its many nurturing treatments is a 90-minute Silky Spirit balancing body massage and crystal therapy. Deeply meditative, the experience aligns the body’s seven main chakras in a fluid massage using blends of soothing frankincense and sandalwood oils and healing crystals.
The spiritual practice of reiki forms the base of the Energy Works body-mind rebalancing treatment at Niramaya Day Spa. The one-hour session uses Reiki and other healing modalities for balancing and restoring your life energy. For two hours of pampering, the Vie Spa at Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort offers the Earth and Ocean iKou Signature Ritual. It starts with a native aromatic back scrub, followed by a flowing massage, a scalp massage and hydrating facial, refreshing lemon myrtle and cucumber foot and lower leg mask, and a de-stress organic body souffle.
Daintree Eco Lodge honours the power of nature for restoring wellbeing. The local Kuku Yalanji people have named the land on which the Ecolodge sits ‘Wawu-karrba’, meaning ‘healing of the spirit.’ With approval from the local Indigenous tribe elders, each of the Daintree Wellness Spa treatments combine the wisdom of their culture, healing, medicines and spirituality. Like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, the Walbul Walbul (butterfly) signature treatment seeks to transform. Warm oil and a tingling full-body exfoliation are followed by a nourishing scalp treatment while cocooned in warm mud before any remaining stress is washed away with a rain shower and a deeply relaxing massage.
Set your towel on the sand and start your day with yoga on Four Mile Beach. Classes start at 8am daily, come rain or shine, for all levels of ability. There is also the option to take your exercise slow and steady with free Tai Chi under the palms at Rex Smeal Park on Tuesdays at 9am courtesy of Douglas Shire Council. Paid classes are held at Four Mile Beach Park daily, or Tuesday afternoons at the Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre. The classes will quieten your mind and leave you energised, refreshed and ready for a day of exploring.
To balance a high-tech life these days we all need a good dose of a vitamin N. Nature that is. Immerse yourself in the oldest tropical rainforest on Earth, where hugging trees is encouraged and crystal-clear streams create revitalising waterfalls. Just 4km from Daintree village, the 90-minute Cassowary Falls tour takes you to a rainforest waterfall tumbling 15m into a deep, cool, freshwater pool surrounded by lush vegetation. If self-guiding (and hiking) is more your style, just a 10-minute drive south of Port Douglas the Mowbray National Park offers jaw-dropping views that will make your spirit soar. Discover private swimming holes as you climb to the top of Mowbray Falls along the challenging Bump Track.
Explore a deeper spiritual understanding of Aboriginal culture through art therapy. Art is a form of storytelling that enhances self-expression and right-left brain communication. At Janbal Aboriginal Art Gallery in Mossman you can paint a boomerang or small canvas as you learn about the local Aboriginal culture. Renowned Kuku Yalanji artist and gallery co-owner Brian “Binna” Swindley is passionate about sharing his knowledge and Dreamtime stories with people who seek a deeper, more personal understanding of Aboriginal culture.
Tourism Port Douglas Daintree acknowledges the custodianship of the Daintree Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef by the local Kuku Yalanji and Yirraganydji people whose rich cultures, heritage values, enduring connections and shared efforts protect our natural assets for future generations, and we pay our respect to elders past, present and emerging.
