Cairns International Airport is Port Douglas' closest port of entry. An important gateway into the Northern Tropics region of Queensland, this facility handles both international and domestic connections. Flights connect Cairns International Airport with Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; Tokyo, Japan; Incheon, South Korea; and Auckland, New Zealand.

This facility is serviced by Qantas, which is one of the largest domestic carriers in Australia. Qantas flies passengers to Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Darwin, Alice Springs and Yulara. Mac-Air, Jetstar and Virgin Blue shuttle passengers to and from Brisbane, which serves as a first stop for many international passengers. Other airlines serving Cairns International Airport include Airfast Indonesia, Continental Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Air New Zealand.

The twin-terminal airport is situated about 37 miles south of Port Douglas and five miles from Cairns city centre. Extensive modern facilities cater for the airport's throughput of three million annual passengers. Regular shuttles take passengers from the airport directly to Port Douglas. Taxis are also easily hailed from the airport for transport to Port Douglas.

Port Douglas operates a small airstrip that handles helicopters and light aircraft only.

The vast majority of Port Douglas' visitors arrive by road, as there are no trains bound for this small town. Virtually all visitors begin in Cairns and then travel north along the coastal Captain Cook Highway. This trip takes slightly more than an hour, and is worth it for the scenery alone.

Many tourists chose to hire a car while visiting Port Douglas. This can be accomplished either at Cairns International Airport or further along the way in Port Douglas city proper. If you're driving yourself from the airport to the city, follow Sheridan street out of Cairns. This road becomes the Captain Cook Highway, and signposts along the way point to Mossman. The turnoff for Port Douglas veers right after Hartley's Crocodile Farm but before Mossman.

There are a dozen or more daily coaches that shuttle passengers from Cairns city centre to Port Douglas. Long-haul coaches are routed through Cairns first, with service from Brisbane to Cairns taking 30 hours and terminating at Trinity Wharf Centre.

While there are no railroads running directly to Port Douglas, Cairns is served by trains from Brisbane. Travel Train, Sunlander and Tilt Train run from Brisbane to Cairns, the fastest of which (Tilt Train) completes the journey in 25 hours.

There is an alternative means of travel between Cairns and Port Douglas. Large, high-speed catamarans ultimately bound for the Great Barrier Reef stop first at Port Douglas where passengers can disembark. These boats depart Cairns' Reef Fleet Terminal twice in the early morning and arrive at Port Douglas 1 hour, 30 minutes later.

Port Douglas is a relatively small town and getting around is straightforward. Virtually all of the downtown sites and accommodation are within walking distance of one another. Many tourists choose to rent bicycles to get around while staying in Port Douglas. A range of bicycles—both road bikes and mountain bikes—can be rented at half- or full-day rates.

Taxis are easily hired for short-haul trips around town, and a number of tour companies arrange transport to Daintree and Cape Tribulation. These services typically pick tourists up at their respective hotels. Avis, Budget and Thrifty all offer car hire in Port Douglas. Keep in mind that daytrips to some of the more remote attractions may require four-wheel drive vehicles.