This is What Winter Looks Like in Tropical North Queensland

For a large portion of Australia winter means rugging up in your thermals, thick socks on at all times, and the heating working overtime. Well, here in Palm Cove and throughout the Tropical North Queensland region, winter looks very different.

There’s a reason lots of people flock to this part of Australia during this time, actually there are plenty of reasons. During “winter” in the far north, temperatures sit very comfortably in the mid-twenties, the humidity is down, and the sun is shining.

For the locals, the typical winter experience still involves plenty of time spent outdoors. For visitors to the area, winter in the tropics means you can enjoy not only the warmer temperatures, but it also means explorations of a kinds is on the cards.

If you’re planning to escape your winter blues, don’t bother heading abroad, instead, head to Tropical North Queensland, because there is a lot to see, do and experience, and we’re going to tell you all about it.

This is how you can experience winter in the tropics

As if the weather alone isn’t appealing enough, when you visit this part of Australia, you’re in close proximity to a wide range of attractions, including National Parks and World Heritage Listed destinations, so as you can imagine, there is a lot that you can experience.

Whether you’re after a holiday of tropical of relaxation or one that is filled with experiences and adventure, when you visit in winter you can holiday however you like.

Here are some of our favourite activities that are even better in winter.

Laidback local exploration

The pleasantly warm winter days make the perfect climate for visitors to the area to just discover the local village at their own pace. There is something about these gentle tropical temperatures that make you want to get out and about and just be outdoors.

Palm Cove itself was made for peaceful meandering. The locals are friendly and welcoming, the village is flat and easy to walk or ride a bicycle around, and the location couldn’t be any more picture perfect.

With the Coral Sea lining the shore and palm trees along the beach, basically every turn in Palm Cove greets you with such beauty that you’ll find yourself constantly questioning whether a place this gorgeous could even be real.

For many visitors to Palm Cove, spending time enjoying the laidback atmosphere and gorgeous weather while you explore the town is time well spent.

Hiking

With the world’s oldest rainforest only a short distance from Palm Cove, you better believe that there are some amazing walking and hiking trails at your disposal.

And no matter your fitness level, there is an option for you.

The Wet Tropics – a World Heritage Listed region that is also home to the Daintree rainforest – is ready and waiting to be explored. The Wet Tropics covers an area of around 9,000 square kilometres and is filled with flora, fauna, waterfalls, and history that you can see for yourself.

You can take part in hiking tours, you can explore some of our recommended walking trails and hikes, you can go on a multi-day adventure where you camp in the wilderness, you could climb the highest mountain in Queensland, or if you’re short on time, you could take a Dreamtime walk with a local indigenous guide at Mossman Gorge.

The warm but not too hot temperatures and lack of humidity in the tropical winter makes a hiking adventure a lot more pleasant and realistic – especially for those who are not regular hikers.

Freshwater swimming

We mentioned waterfalls as being one of the sites you can enjoy when you hike in TNQ, and along with waterfalls, you’ll also find plenty of freshwater swimming holes where you can cool off from the warm weather.

Imagine hiking through a luscious green tropical rainforest to find yourself watching the cascading waters of a stunning waterfall and being able to step into the water to cool off from your hike. Throughout the wet tropics there are more swimming holes than you can imagine. Some are tucked away deep within the rainforest, while others are daily hangout destinations for the locals.

Either way, a dip in a freshwater swimming hole is an amazing experience that you wouldn’t normally be able to have in winter.

Discover some of the amazing waterfalls near Palm Cove here.

Great Barrier Reef experiences

Wintertime in Australia is a great time to discover the majesty of the world’s largest reef system – the Great Barrier Reef.

Made up of more than 3000 reefs and covering an area of more than 348,000 square kilometres, the Reef is easily accessible from Palm Cove, as many different tour companies depart from Port Douglas and Cairns, both of which are within 40 minutes of Palm Cove.

You can get as close to the Reef as you like, with snorkelling and scuba diving experiences. You could take part in a tour that takes you to sand cays where you can walk directly into the Reef waters from. You can also stay dry during your experience and take a glass-bottomed boat ride or a scenic helicopter ride.

Whatever your style, winter is great time to see the Reef as the water temperatures are still warm, and the marine life are out in full force, with some amazing visitors at this time of year too – which leads us to our next activity.

Whale watching

Heading North during the wintertime isn’t just something the people in the southern states do. A journey to the northern waters is also on the cards for the whales who spend a large portion of their time in the Antarctic waters too.

Between June and October, the Queensland coastline comes even more alive with the migration of whales who are heading to warmer waters to mate and birth their young. During this time, you can see whales of all ages and sizes using the Coral Sea as their new playground.

There are various whale watching tours available where you can be taken to renowned whale watching sports, or you might even be lucky enough to spot a breaching whale from the shoreline. And in Tropical North Queensland, it’s during this time that the Dwarf Minke whale makes its way to our waters. The Dwarf Minke whale is a somewhat mysterious whale whose whereabouts outside of this time is somewhat known. But you can actually swim with these whales with tour groups that are licensed to do so.

Learn more about whale watching in winter here.

Beach and Pool Days

Winter in the tropics is the perfect time to make the most of your relaxing setting and spend your day lazing around the pool and truly taking a load off.

If you stay at the Reef House, you can enjoy the two swimming pools on offer, as well as butler service and poolside gelati each day.

But if you’re up for a little bit of adventure, you can also make the most of the gorgeous beaches that line TNQ’s coast – including Palm Cove beach. There’s no sweltering in the sun, rather you can enjoy the warm rays, take a dip if you like, or just have some fun in the sun.

While Palm Cove makes you feel like you’re a million miles away, you’re actually in very close proximity to lots of towns and villages that have amazing beaches waiting for you, your towel, and your book.

Discover some of the nearby beaches you can spend your days at here.

Alfresco dining and outdoor luxury

Spending most of your days outside is not really something you can enjoy in the Southern states during winter, but up here in the far north, you’re going to find it hard to not spend most of your time outdoors.

The alluring weather and stunning sites just draw you in, and luckily, you can enjoy any meal at any time in an alfresco setting where you can really soak in the tropical world around you.

Whether you’re having a morning coffee, a sunset cocktail, or a candlelit dinner, the tropical winter temps are pleasant, while the atmosphere is stunningly relaxing.

While there are many restaurants and cafes to enjoy in Palm Cove, we think you can’t go past the Reef House Restaurant – where you can enjoy fine dining on the deck with gorgeous views of the Coral Sea ahead.

Visit Palm Cove in Winter Today

If you need to escape the freezing temperatures of winter, then joining us here at the Reef House is most certainly one of the best ways to do so.

You can enjoy the five-star accommodation of our boutique beachfront hotel, discover the beauty of Palm Cove, and also plan when you’re going to move here, because you’ll never want to leave.

Escape the winter blues today.