RuthieC

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the Australia forum although a lapsed regular on the Africa forum.

We moved to Adelaide earlier this year on a 4 year work assignment & want to make the most of our time by seeing as much of Australia as possible.

We've just booked a trip up to Northern Queensland staying at Cape Tribulation & then Palm Cove. Flights & hotels are booked so now we're wondering on the best way to get from Cairns Apt to Cape Tribulation (we land around lunchtime on a Thursday). We've enquired on transfer prices and were quoted over $300 for one-way which seems crazy. So are we better off hiring a car to go up to Cape Trib even though we probably won't use it for the 3 nights we stay up there?

Also we're interesterd in booking some 1/2 and 1-day tours while up there - please recommend the best of the bunch.

Thanks, Ruth

pat_woolford

Ruthie, have you checked Sun Palm Express or BTS Tours and Transfers, they both pick up from Cairns airport to Port Douglas with connections to Cape Tribulation.

$300 transfer is an absolute rip-off, is this a quote for a limo to door?

You could pick up a rental car at Cairns airport for far less - the road is sealed all the way to Cape Tribulation and as you're arriving around noon it would be easy driving, with a chance to stop enroute - much of that drive is exceptionally scenic.

There's a couple of reef trips out of Cape Trib which don't carry the crowds of Port Douglas or Cairns; if you do a search here you should find rainforest and nature trips which pick up at Cape Trib - your accommodation there would also be able to recommend and book for you.

pat_woolford

Correction - BTS now doesn't handle transfers from Port Douglas on to Cape Tribulation. Sun Palm Express's last connection to Cape Tribulation leaves Cairns airport at 10.30am and connects at PD at 12.30pm for Cape Trib, so too early for you. As is Coral Reef Coaches.

Rental car would definitely be my choice.

chimani

Pat is the expert but $300 is a lot to pay for a car you may not need again.

Can you swap the order of your stays?
Easy to get from the Airport to PD, and then early in a day from there to Cape Trib. Alternatively, stay a night in Cairns and then head on.

Cairns is not a bad place for a night!!

RuthieC

Thanks Pat & Chimani for your replies.

I think we will have to go the Hire Car route because the other options sound very limited and we don't want to change the order of the trip.

On the bright side, it means we will have a lot more flexibility and we're quite independent so will get out and about on our own more.

Can't wait to go - it's been so cold in Adelaide so I'm looking forward to some sun on my face.

Ruth