So, you’re back at work now, huh?
After lazy days filled with late breakfasts, beach trips, restorative retail therapy, cocktails with little umbrellas, afternoon naps, (mostly) uninterrupted
reading time and general slothing, we can hardly blame you for feeling a little low-vibe on your first day back in The Real World.
Now that you’ve unpacked the clothes and uploaded all the #throwback holiday snaps to Instagram, say hello to your new sidekick, the Post-Holiday Blues
- an unfortunate side effect of all that well-deserved fun and relaxation you've indulged in recently. But you know what the best cure is? A mini break.
Just to get you back into the swing of things slowly, you understand. And you know where the best place is for a mini break? Bingo. Port Douglas.
While you’re here and to help chase away that holiday hangover, we’ve put together 6 of the best remedies Port Douglas has to offer.
When returning from holidays and unsure where to start the giant list of ‘getting back into it’, it’s pretty easy to feel as tired and useless as the ‘g’ in lasagne. However, we’re here to tell you no! That’s not the case! The way to perk yourself up is with a good dose of self-care and rest. That’s right – to feel rested, one must rest more. Crazy.
If the backdrop of a beautiful lagoon pool is far too good to pass up, then Paradise Links is just for you. With enough tropical aesthetic to make Tommy Bahama feel under dressed, this luxury locale is the perfect spot for rest and rejuvenation. Prefer a little more nature with your resting? Take a 10 minute drive south to where the coconut palms grow gloriously wild and free and the beaches are as empty as an 80s coming-of-age film set in paradise, then Thala Beach Nature Reserve is probably more your speed. Coconut cocktails – check. Private treehouses – check. Not a care in the world – check, check, check.
Speaking of relaxing, hands up if sailing on a luxury yacht, champagne in hand, watching the sun set over the ocean sounds about right. Add in that mix being on the Coral Sea and that sun setting over the mountains of the Daintree Rainforest… baby, if that doesn’t make you fall in love with the world, someone needs to call a doctor for that cold, dead heart. Live out your ‘I’m on a boat’ fantasies with Tropical Journeys fleet of cruising catamarans heading out every afternoon and jump start that heart.
While burgers, ice cream, wine and chocolate before midday is perfectly acceptable while on holidays, getting back into the swing of things can be a little *ahem* challenging on return… Leafy greens are good for the body and soul and what better way to up your intake that to immerse yourself in the lush greenery of the World Heritage listed Mossman Gorge? Head out on a self-guided wander through the rainforest followed by a dip in the crystal-clear waters, or tag along on the Mossman Gorge Dreamtime Walk adding a good dose of legend and storytelling seasoning to those greens.
Four Mile Beach. Rex Smeal Park. Little Cove. Oak Beach. Pretty Beach. Port Douglas is spoilt for choice when it comes to spots to get your toes sandy. There’s a lot to be said for the benefits of the beach and ocean, and if you’re looking for a spot to uptake your Vitamin Sea with a little more oomph than sandy toes, best get your head wet on a reef trip with Sailaway. Visiting the outer reefs at Mackay and Undine Coral Cays daily, Sailaway is recognised as a High Standard ECO Tourism operator.
Just as we recognise that choosing fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds and nuts is good for our bodies, choosing food for our soul is just as important. Nurturing your soul with all the good things means including locally brewed beer from Hemingway's Brewery harnessing local ingredients like the purest Daintree mountain waters and the sweetest Mossman cane sugars. Alongside awesome beer, Hemingway's snacks are designed to share, filling that soulful cup to the brim.
We’ve all heard how good ‘earthing’ is for the soul, and how communing with animals can soften the toughest of spiritual crises. Combining the two at the Wildlife Habitat sounds like a perfectly good remedy to us! Immerse yourself in the rainforest environment whilst enjoying an orchestral sounds of the birds and other wildlife whilst they wander freely among the humans who are sipping coffees and snacking on delicious treats from the Curlew Café.
Take the rest of the day to wander around the park, taking in the curious emus, the cutest of wallabies and the devilishly wild cassowaries. For the braver amongst us, walk the Predator Plank to get up close and personal (well, as close as you’d want to really) with Babinda the mighty salt water crocodile (and his four girlfriends), then finishing with a koala cuddle. Sorted.
Mini breaks. Can’t live without ‘em.
And with that, the holiday hangover be gone!
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.
