If I only have time to go to one island, which one would you recommend? Or is there another one I should consider? We will be in the Cairns area so need it accessible from there. Or are we better staying on the mainland in Port Douglas? All thoughts appreciated!

Dunk Island is close to Mission Beach so about an hour's drive south and then a short boat trip to the island. There is an air strip there but hardly worth flying such a short distance. There seems to be more to do there including a 9-hole golf course.
Green Island is about 40 minutes boat ride from Cairns - really not a lot there. Out of the two, I'd go for Dunk.
If you are driving there, consider a short detour to visit Paronella Park - you can check out their website on www.paronellapark.com.au
However, you would probably be able to see more if you base yourself at Port Douglas or Palm Cove.

We were quite unimpressed by Green Island - I can't recommend it.

I love the Mission Beach area from where you catch a ferry to Dunk Island. You can see the island from the mainland, so not far. Even quicker is to get a water taxi across.

It is a far drive though and no reef, snorkelling is not recommended. I am pretty sure daytrippers can hire a boat though to drift around the beautiful waterways.

Also a good hike up to the top for a great view.

A better option than Green Island unless snorkelling is a must. Then green Island does have some remnant coral and loads of fish under the jetty.

I personally prefer the Mission beach area to all other areas but not a lot to offer except relaxing in paradise. As good as that sounds sometimes we need some stimulation!

There is a Mission Beach connection bus that shows a movie to pass the time on the trip. It drops you right at the ferry.

I'll second Neils opinion.
Green Island was the biggest let down of our 1st Aussie adventure...never again will we go to Green.
Sorry I didn't get to any other islands as like you I only had the opportunity to get to one. I wasted it on Green.

Muck

Haven't been to either but thought you should know - Dunk, off Mission Beach, is not an hour's drive from Cairns. Four to five on a bus - maybe 3-4 driving if all goes well.

For islands - much further south is good. Whitsundays - lots of lux resorts and hotels, or you could sail around at any budget that suits.

Around Cairns? The Frankland Island trip is a good day out. Otherwise I would just go for day trips out to the reef.

The bus is actually just over 2 hours.

It would be quicker driving. The bus does stop for morning tea and toilet break for about 1/2 so actual driving time about 1 3/4 hours. About 165 km so just don't go with Alice and a day trip is possible

marg, neil: Just curious as to why you disliked Green Island so much. Was it the quality of the reef, the island's small size, daytrippers, the resort, etc? Did you overnight there? My wife and I spent 5 nights on Green in 1984...apart from the daytrippers (who left the island at around 3 PM), I don't remember any negatives. As I recall the snorkeling was very good then. Wondering what's gone wrong.

Ralph, what's gone wrong is just too many people on the one site on Green Island. Believe me, there's a reef on the eastern side which is still pristine, but you'd need to be a marathon swimmer to get there from the island. There's a small yacht out of Cairns called Ocean Free which will take you to this reef and will drop you over to Green after snorkelling/diving if you feel like it. Otherwise, if staying at the resort am sure they could make a similar arrangement. Also there's a vast difference in staying at resort and daytripping, as you said the daytrippers are gone by about 3pm. It is a lovely resort

.. and to continue, very different to the one of 1984. Because of its proximity to Cairns there are full day and half day trips to Green, from only $59. If I had only short time in area I wouldn't choose it, many local families go there in summer as its stinger-free and very safe for little kids. Also very popular with Japanese tourists who have little time to spare.

Thanks Pat, that sheds some light on it.

Hey Pat, isn't Green owned by a Japanese consortium?
When we were there It seemed like most of Japans newly weds were there too.

The other interesting point with Green is that while the 1000's of day trippers go there every week they are staying away from the other coral and thus protecting it, so I suppose thats good..isn't it?
Probably 20 years ago it was great there as Ralph says, however when anything becomes great you can bet it will soon be spoilt.Usually by us tourists.



Muck

Yes, Mucky - the resort was built by Daikyo about 10 years ago and they hold the current lease for resort land. Its a rather discreet, tucked away resort, so it doesn't dominate and most clientele seem to be well heeled Japanese. Daikyo also owns Cairns International hotel, Paradise Palms Golf Course (near Palm Cove) and Great Adventure cruises - all of which are now for sale as Daikyo is winding up operations here.

You probably went to Green Island on Big Cat which takes 100's and does twice a day trips - what's more they've just enlarged to take about another 80!

Ralph, we were there in I think '95, and as we were staying with friends just did the day trip, so my views may well be more jaundiced than if we'd been staying there. Or maybe we just missed the attractions (as has happened to me before). From memory we had to change our money into "Green Island currency" which we could only spend at a rather overpriced and medioce cafeteria, a few disconsolate-looking tourists were "snorkelling" in waist-deep water, and an army of Japanese day trippers, having been relieved of their yen, were wandering around aimlessly. As for us, we quickly developed a yen to leave. As I say, we might well have had a different perspective if we'd stayed at the resort - although out of curiosity, how did you fill in your five days?

Neil, you must have gone with Great Adventures - they went through a phase of having passengers convert their money into "Island Currency" or whatever, a la Club Med who may or may not still continue this strange practice. Of course it was helpful if the customer forgot to redeem any unspent amounts. Anyway, they were jumped on from a great height and stopped, some years ago.

We made the mistake of overnighting on Green Island. We got a great rate in a beautiful room...on the wrong island.