Cape Tribulation Transport

The nearest major airport to Cape Tribulation is in Cairns. Dozens of international and domestic flights arrive and depart daily from a select number of regional destinations. At Cairns International Airport, the domestic and international terminals are separated by a covered walkway which takes about five minutes to traverse. Both terminals have all the amenities a visitor needs to get started. ATMs, banks, money exchange kiosks, and a number of places to eat and shop are onsite.

Australia’s national carrier Qantas operates direct flights several times each day from Brisbane and Sydney to Cairns, making these two cities the most reliable international connections. Several international airlines also directly serve Cairns from cities in New Zealand and around Asia.

To get from Cairns International Airport to the city, passengers can take the Australia Coach or Sun Palm Express Coach to reach their destination. Taxis are also available outside the Arrivals area of each terminal, and all major car hire firms have offices in both terminals.

There are smaller airstrips in Port Douglas and Cow Bay if you are flying your own plane or taking a small charter flight. Although these are rarely used by the average traveller, if you need the get to Cape Tribulation in a hurry, Daintree Air operates flights between Cairns and Cow Bay, which has a private air strip.

Cape Tribulation is easy to reach from either Port Douglas or Cairns via rental car or coach service. Country Road Coach Lines, Sun Palm Coach, and Coral Reef Coaches are the three main bus companies running regular service from Cairns and Port Douglas to Daintree. Cairns is as far as the Queensland train service operates, from where you can catch local onward transport to Cape Tribulation. If you are arriving from far away, Greyhound bus service may be the best travel option.

The best way to travel around this remote region of Australia is by car. Car rental firms are located in Cairns and Port Douglas, and the drive up the Captain Cook Highway is one of the most scenic drives in the world. If you plan to travel farther north than Daintree, make sure you rent a four-wheel drive vehicle. To get around Port Douglas, there are taxis which can also be hired to take you farther north.