Queensland is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Australia, and for good reason. The incredible weather, the huge array of activities and experiences on offer, and of course, the amazing scenery, like two of the world’s most stunning natural attractions – the Wet Tropics and the Great Barrier Reef, all play a big part in this.
Well, another piece of the puzzle is the gorgeous stretches of idyllic beaches that line the coast of Far North Queensland. Any visit to this area would be incomplete without, at the very least, a short beach walk.
With Queensland being blessed with over 1700 beaches and a fair share of these being in Far North Queensland, it might seem overwhelming when trying to decide which beaches deserve your time? To help you with this dilemma, we’ve put together a list of the beaches that we think are unmissable in Tropical North Queensland.
As there are so many beaches to choose from, we’ve narrowed our list down to beaches that are within 50km of Palm Cove – with a couple of exceptions.
So, keep reading to discover some of the most amazing beaches you can visit when you’re in Far North Queensland.
13 of the Best Beaches in Tropical North Queensland
1. Clifton Beach
The first beach on our list is a bit of a local secret – Clifton Beach, a small, secluded beach that is only 3km south of Palm Cove.
This is a great place to start your day from with a sunrise viewing on the unspoiled beach strip. It’s also a popular option for those who fancy a BBQ lunch or dinner, with cooking facilities available. You can buy lunch or dinner supplies from the nearby supermarket in the Clifton Beach village or pack a picnic basket and ride your bike from Palm Cove.
There is a dedicated bike trail and walking path between Clifton Beach and Palm Cove, and the flat landscape makes the journey quite easy.
Over the summer months, the beach has a stinger net, due to stinger season, and a lifeguard also patrols the area, so while it’s a somewhat secluded beach, you’re also in safe hands.
It’s the perfect beach refuge to escape the crowds.
2. Ellis Beach
Head in the opposite direction, and north of Palm Cove, you’ll find another gorgeous beach strip, known as Ellis Beach.
Offering you a completely picturesque view at every turn – yes, even inland, Ellis Beach is a popular destination for surfers and locals due to the tempting swells nearby and the lack of holiday apartments and high-rise buildings.
From the shore you can see Double Island in the Coral Sea waters, and if you turn to face inland, you have unspoilt views of mountainous rainforest land.
To compliment that laidback atmosphere of the area is the Ellis Beach Bar and Grill, which offers delicious food and beverages.
All of this is less than 5km of Palm Cove.
3. Kewarra Beach
Located only 7km south of Palm Cove, you’ll find Kewarra Beach. It’s actually the next beach south from Clifton Beach and offers a great amount of privacy and seclusion, but also a little bit of entertainment is on the cards here, courtesy of The Beach Shack.
The water in this area is very gentle as the area is protected by the Taylor Point headland. The beach is also patrolled and has a stinger net during the stinger season, making is a safe and calm swimming area.
Live music and cold beverages while you watch the sunset is the perfect way to end your day.
4. Trinity Beach
Just a little further south from Kewarra Beach, you’ll find Trinity Beach (about 9km from Palm Cove).
This beach is one of the more well-known beaches of the area and is beloved by both visitors to the area and locals.
The reason it is loved so much is that the Trinity Beach area has a lot of accommodation options, as well as restaurants, cafes, and bars, so when you’re done with swimming or sunbathing, you can pack up and replenish yourself.
Another reason people like this beach strip is that the patrolled and stinger protected swimming area is nestled between two large headlands, making the waters quite calm and relaxing.
And if you’re not into swimming or beach activities, you can still appreciate the view of the area from the nearby walking trails – we recommend walking north to the Taylor Point lookout and marvelling at the view of both the Coral Sea and the beautiful Queensland coastline.
5. Yorkeys Knob
Situated 15km south of Palm Cove, Yorkeys Knob Beach stretches for around 1.5km. Unlike some of the other beaches on the list, the Esplanade isn’t lined by bars and restaurants, making it feel like a slightly secluded beach that is all about the water.
As it’s located about halfway between Palm Cove and Cairns, Yorkeys Knob is a popular place to stay and spend some time.
If you’re only visiting for the day, we recommend a walk or swim at the beach and then lunch at the Yorkeys Knob Boating Club. Ridiculously beautiful views of the turquoise waters far and wide will greet you from the vantage point of the Boating Club and will keep you captivated.
If you want to try your hand at Kite Surfing, this is the right area for it as lessons are offered, as well as kite surfing competitions being held regularly.
6. Holloways Beach
Heading further south still, you’ll find yourself at Holloways Beach. This sleepy seaside village is about 19km from Palm Cove and 11km from Cairns.
This beach is quite narrow but still an enjoyable place to take a dip in the gentle Coral Sea or from which to cast a line.
If you’re in the area on the second Sunday of the month, you could visit the Holloways Beach Markets, discover the talents of the locals, and enjoy some delectable food.
During stinger season there is a net protected swimming area, and the beach is also patrolled.
You can also enjoy a meal at any of the local restaurants and cafes that offer views of the beautiful ocean.
7. Machans Beach
The next beach on from Holloways is Machans Beach. Situated 20km from Palm Cove, it is the closest beach to Cairns.
Less of a swimming and sunbathing beach, Machans is more popular for waterfront walks and fishing, with a rock wall lining the beach.
The area is largely residential, though a great place to visit to admire the beautiful views of the horizon far and wide. A great vantage point to do so from is at O’Shea’s Restaurant along the O’Shea Esplanade.
8. Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
From the Lagoon you can safely swim and take in the beautiful view of the Coral Sea. The water is stinger, croc, and wave free filtered saltwater.
The lagoon is free to use and has barbeque facilities as well as lawns to relax on and fitness stations to get your sweat on.
It’s located in the heart of Cairns, which is about a half hour drive south from Palm Cove.
9. Four Mile Beach
If you head up North from Palm Cove for just over 42km, you will reach another popular tourist destination, Port Douglas. It’s here you will find the next beach on the list – Four Mile Beach.
This beach is essentially the premier beach of Port Douglas and is a gorgeous long stretch of the kind of beach that you would expect to see. Beautiful sand, palm trees, turquoise waters, and a beach that stretches for as far as the eye can see.
Though the beach is only moments from the centre of Port Douglas, when you’re there, you wouldn’t have any idea that you’re even close to civilisation. Beautiful palm trees and hints of the rainforest kiss the shoreline, shielding the town from view.
This beach is the kind of place you go to when you want to try a little bit of everything, you can explore the rockpools and take a swim, you can bask in the beautiful sun on beach loungers, you can paddle out into the waters with a sea kayak, and there’s even beach yoga sessions.
Definitely worth a day trip from Palm Cove.
10. Cooya Beach
If you are planning on visiting Port Douglas and Four Mile Beach, then you may as well head slightly further north to check out the beauty of the Cooya Beach area.
Cooya Beach is set right near the mouth of the Mossman River which snakes its way into the Daintree Rainforest.
While you can always swim, snorkel and boat in this area, one of the amazing experiences you can have is a Coastal and Mangrove walk with traditional landowners of the area.
You can learn about the cultural significance of the area for the Kuku Yalanji people, and even explore the mangroves and try your hand at spear fishing and mud crabbing.
An amazing insight into the indigenous culture.
11. Green Island
Our next beach is a little further than 50m away from Palm Cove, but only because you need to head there from Cairns. Green Island is a beautiful small island located only 27km from the mainland.
It’s a great place to explore the Reef from as you can snorkel and swim in the shallow waters around the island.
The island itself is so small that you can walk around it in around 20 minutes. It also happens to technically be a coral cay and is the only coral cay on the Great Barrier Reef to have a rainforest growing on it.
12. Nudey Beach
And while we’re talking about beaches off the mainland, we must mention Nudey Beach, which is on Fitzroy Island.
Like Green Island, you will need to depart for Fitzroy Island from the Cairns Marina. The journey on the Fitzroy Flyer takes around 45 minutes and is only 29km.
Fitzroy Island is almost entirely National Park and features three beautiful beaches, the most famous of which is Nudey Beach.
To reach Nudey Beach you need to take a short walk which will give you vistas of some pretty diverse and beautiful landscapes. Luscious green rainforests and granite boulders will lead you to Nudey Beach, which is a white coral beach that was named Australia’s most beautiful beach in 2018.
This is the perfect place to spend an afternoon watching the world pass you by. You can also enjoy the beautiful tropical waters and discover the coral gardens of the reef that are only metres away.
The island itself is home to various activities and experiences, like water sports, reef tours and even a Turtle Hospital, and is most certainly worth a day trip when you’re in this part of Australia.
13. Palm Cove Beach
Chances are, if you’ve seen a post card of a Queensland beach, it might just be featuring this one. The palm trees that line the coastline are an unmissable site and in addition to transporting you to paradise, they also provide you with plenty of places to escape the sun’s rays, as well as endless photo opportunities.
For those who aren’t aware, Palm Cove is a charming seaside village that is home to some of the country’s best day spas and most iconic beach front accommodation – like us here at the Reef House. The relaxed pace of Palm Cove is a nice escape from the busier cities of Port Douglas and Cairns and makes you feel as if you are a million miles away from the real world, when in reality, you’re only about a half hour from each of these cities.
You can watch the sunset or sunrise from the beach, fish from the pier, or enjoy the beautiful sites of the palm-lined beach from the restaurants, cafes, and bars that line Williams Esplanade. Once you set your sights on Palm Cove beach, you’re never going to want to leave this slice of paradise.
