Back To Top

Palm Cove Visitor Information

Palm Cove is a peaceful tropical beachside Village located just 25 minutes north of Cairns City and Cairns International Airport. This charming beachside suburb exudes luxury and style and has won several accolades recognising its world class spas, clean and friendly beach and award winning restaurants.

The Palm Cove cobble paved waterfront esplanade is lined with luxurious resorts, hotels and self contained apartments, boutique clothing stores, art and convenience shops, day spas, take-away shops and restaurants.  Palm Cove is a popular Cairns beaches holiday destination with a wide range of accommodation,  it's relaxed beachside village atmosphere, and easy access to all the things to do in Tropical North Queensland.

In the morning Palm Cove comes alive with travellers going for morning strolls or runs, sun-bakers marvelling at the tropical sunshine and tour buses collecting happy travellers for their daily adventures to The Great Barrier Reef or World Heritage Listed Rainforest. As the sun dips below the rainforest clad mountains the smell of gourmet cuisines lingers throughout the Palm Cove Esplanade. Soft music, delicious aromas and happy people bring the Palm Cove esplanade to life as the tropical aura of barefoot elegance hangs in the air.

For All Tours & Attractions visit
The Tour Specialists
Logo | By Cairns Holiday Specialists The Tour Specialists Shot

Palm Cove History

Palm Cove was established as a resort destination Village in 1958 when the current Sebel Reef House opened its doors as a restaurant and Guest House. In the 1980's Palm Cove was struck with a tourist boom attracting developers and international tourists from all over the world. When Cairns International Airport opened in 1984 Palm Cove's popularity only increased and in 1986 the Ramada Reef Resort (now Drift) was built on the corner of Williams Esplanade and Vievers Road establishing Palm Cove's largest and very first internationally owned hotel.

From there Palm Cove hotels and resorts have been built to attract the attention of the worlds travelling public thus creating some of the most beautiful resorts and hotels seen in Australia.

Palm Cove Accommodation


Palm Cove features a wide selection of Accommodation including self contained holiday apartments, luxury beachfront suites, family resorts and spacious holiday homes. With the relaxed beachside atmoshpere, great dining, and so many accommodation options in Palm Cove is easy to see why Palm Cove is such a popular beach destination for families, couples, weddings and group holidays.  

With all the infrastructure and tourists that visit Palm Cove each year it has managed to maintain a natural and un-obtrusive presence. All resorts and apartments are low lying and sensitively built as not to disrupt the natural beauty of the area. Palm Cove's sparkling coral waters and sandy beach have been recognised as North Queensland's friendliest and cleanest beach for the third time in the past five years. Palm Cove beach was also awarded North Queensland's litter prevention award recently.

 No matter what the purpose of your trip to Palm Cove may be there are accommodation styles to suite all types. Families holidaying in Palm Cove may choose from spacious private holiday homes, large self-contained apartments or roomy resort suites. The children will keep busy swimming at the life guard patrolled beach, playing on the beachside playground equipment or splashing around in swimming pools.  Every hotel, resort or self contained holiday accommodation in Palm Cove comes with at least one swimming pool.

Couples seeking a romantic holiday in Palm Cove will be delighted at the amount of amenities catering towards those seeking romance and privacy. Some Palm Cove resorts feature suites with amorous options like private Jacuzzi spas, plus the option for couples massages and several of the restaurants are lit up nightly by candlelight and torches creating a seductive ambiance. 
 
Palm Cove Accommodation By Cairns Holiday Specialists

Palm Cove Tours and Attractions

No matter how long you stay in Palm Cove you're tour and sightseeing itinerary will be full. Palm Cove is located right in between Cairns and Port Douglas making it a great central place to experience tours of both destinations. While staying in Palm Cove you can choose to visit the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns or Port Douglas. When visiting the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns you can spend a half day on Green Island via boat, sea plane or helicopter. Alternatively you can spend the day casually snorkelling or sun tanning on Michaelmas Sand Cay or on the intriguing Coral Gardens on the Outer Great Barrier Reef.

From Port Douglas cruise out to Agincourt Ribbon Reef to a permanently moored stable pontoon or aboard a high speed catamaran to see the best of the best coral reef system which is located right on the edge of Australia's continental shelf. Here you will spot vibrantly coloured fish and coral reef structures that will amaze you. From July-September you will see the curiously friendly Dwarfe Minke Whales and the giant gentle Humpback whales as they visit for the birth of their calf in the safe shallow waters of the Great Barrier Reef and to find other mates before migrating south. Low Isles, which is located just off the coast of Port Douglas, is a great day trip to a tropical island for families or those who want to casually snorkel and enjoy a beautiful day on the reef without having to spend too much time on a boat.

Other tours that can be enjoyed from Palm Cove include white-water rafting, horse-back riding, rainforest adventures to either Kuranda, the Daintree & Cape Tribulation Rainforest or the Atherton Tablelands Rainforest and waterfalls circuit, helicopter reef and rainforest air touring, bungee jumping, sky-diving and several Australian animal based attractions like Hartley's Crocodile Adventure, Rainforestation in Kuranda, Swim with a Crocodile at Habitat in Port Douglas.  Learn more here about tours, sightseeing and attractions in and around Palm Cove.

Restaurants in Palm Cove

The Beachfront Esplanade is lined with restaurants of all types. Depending on your current craving you can enjoy a gourmet seafood dinner or a casual fish and chips meal wrapped in newspaper and enjoyed under a palm tree on the beach. In the morning stroll the streets and order bacon and eggs, a breakfast sandwich or healthy fruit and muesli at one of the beachfront cafes. Lunchtime grab a quick freshly made sandwich, baguette or burger and fries or alternatively have a leisurely lunch while watching the boats on the water and sipping on some renowned Australian wine on the balcony of a fancy Palm Cove resort.

Dinner offers a range of options in Palm Cove. Every resort features its own restaurant with expansive alfresco decks offering dreamy Coral Sea Views. All cuisine types are catered for and Palm Cove has a selection of some of the best Italian, Seafood, Greek, Steak house, Asian, French, Thai and Mod oz cuisine food in all the Tropical Far North Region and most restaurants also have healthy menus for the little ones. 

The Climate in Palm Cove

The Dry Season and The Green Season are the two main seasons of the region. The Dry (May - December) is generally characterised by low humidity, low rainfall and temperatures ranging between 24 and 29 degrees Celsius. The Green Season (January - April) is characterised by higher temperatures, between about 30-32 degrees, more evening rainfall and higher humidity although generally days are dry followed by spectacular thunderstorms in the evenings providing a year round sunny destination.

Nightlife in Palm Cove

The nightlife that is in Palm Cove is elegant and tasteful. During dinner some of the restaurants have a one or two piece band that play a bit of music during dinner and guests stay late to enjoy cocktails, wines and conversations under the stars in the cooling ocean breezes. If you are out to enjoy something a bit more livelily where you may like Rattle n Hum Palm Cove, The Palm Cove Tavern has a sports bar where sports enthusiasts and gamblers can gather enmasse and watch the featured games on the big screen whilst enjoying a few drinks and a substantial meal and at the same time have a try at the poker machines. Apart from these options Palm Cove is a very laid back rest and recharge destination that people come to relax and get away from those late nights on the dance floor.

Shopping in Palm Cove

Palm Cove has several fabulous privately owned boutique shops along its beachfront with casual tropical ensembles with shoes, belts hats and handbags to match. Palm Cove boutique shopping prices are nowhere near as expensive as the big cities so be prepared to pick up some bargains. You will find women's, men's and children's apparel, shoes, jewellery and various sporting garments in the Palm Cove Shopping Village upstairs in the centre of the Williams Esplanade. There are also a handful of art galleries and opal shops on Palm Cove's Esplanade. Palm Cove has two convenience stores where all your basic food and amenities can be purchased, a post office, internet, hair salon, bottle shop and The Tour Specialists Information tour desk located right in the centre of Palm Cove's Esplanade downstairs of the Palm Cove Village Shopping Centre.

Day Spas in Palm Cove

Palm Cove has been awarded the title of "The Spa Capital of Australia" as seven of Palm Cove's Spas have won numerous international awards. 

Palm Cove spas offer various relaxation and remedial treatments seven days a week all year round. The Angsana spa specialises in ancient Thai treatments with therapists specially flown in from Thailand and sponsored by the resort to provide the best authentic massages, wraps, exfoliations, scrubs, and facials available in freshly mixed organic oils and blends. The Sebel Spa features Litya products that include some Australian native plants and ingredients that incorporate the earth and have no animal by products, artificial colours or fragrances. A number of spas have luxurious Vichy showers and other hydro-therapies. Dual treatments rooms and couples spas are also a speciality in Palm Cove Day spas. Enjoy your spa therapy treatment overlooking the beachfront, pool or in a peaceful serenity veranda. Palm Cove is certainly the best place in Australia to visit if you are a spa junkie want to indulge and invigorate your mind, body and soul in a beautiful location such as Palm Cove.

The Location of Palm Cove

Palm Cove is centrally located right in between Cairns and Port Douglas. From Cairns drive 25 minutes north on the Captain Cook Highway and make a right hand turn on Vievers Road and you have arrived to the beachside community of Palm Cove Australia. From Port Douglas drive 30 minutes south and take a left hand turn on Warren Street and follow it down to the esplanade or if you miss this turn off turn right into Vievers Road and you have arrived. Palm Cove is only 25 minutes north of Cairns International Airport.

Palm Cove Australia is the perfect location for you to experience everything Tropical North Queensland has to offer the discerning traveller.

 


View Larger Map