Beachfront at Alamanda Palm Cove

Where to go

Palm Cove

Tropical North Queensland’s Glamorous Beach Village

Palm Cove is a tiny enclave of luxury hotels and fine-dining restaurants beside a beautiful palm-fringed beach.

My favourite ingredient is heart of palm from a coconut palm. Its exquisite flavour, sublime texture and relative scarcity make it almost unbeatable. I believe it to be the perfect distillation of the spirit of the tropics

Nick Holloway – head chef, Nu Nu restaurant

colourful shops mission beach

BAREFOOT GLAMOUR

About 30 minutes north of Cairns, Palm Cove is a tiny beachside village centred around an esplanade lined with 500-year-old melaleuca trees. Walk around barefoot, choose a bike instead of a car and buy fresh seafood for a sunset barbecue on the beach. You can hire a kayak and paddle right off the beach or take a tour to nearby Double Island. The Palm Cove jetty is a great fishing spot, with plenty of Spanish mackerel, cod, whiting, stripeys and flathead to be caught.

Reef House

COLONIAL CHARM

Palm Cove may be small (about 2000 people), but it’s home to some spectacular boutique hotels and resorts. The Reef House, built in 1958, is one of Palm Cove’s original properties, a charming colonial beach house with a fantastic pool.

Woman in pool at Alamanda

THE BEACH AT YOUR DOOR

The Alamanda Palm Cove is the only truly beachfront resort in town, sitting right by the sand at the southern end of the esplanade. Quality self-contained apartments are an excellent option for families or the Palm Cove Holiday Park offers caravan and camping sites directly opposite the beach.

Choose your Accommodation

Nu Nu Palm Cove

INNOVATIVE DINING

Dining in Palm Cove ranges from fish and chips on the beach to high-end, award-winning restaurants. Nu Nu serves innovative modern Australian tasting menus with matching wines, Beach Almond does beautifully presented Asian seafood, and Vivo has panoramic views over Double Island.

Tuck into Dining

dog on Palm Cove Beach Cairns

DOG DAY AFTERNOONS

If you like to take your dog on holidays, then Palm Cove is a great choice. There’s a wide range of pet-friendly accommodation and dogs are allowed in several cafes and restaurants. You can also walk them along the beach.

Tips

  • For an unforgettable start to your day, hire a kayak on the beach and paddle out to watch the sunrise from an ocean that’s as smooth as glass.

  • Palm Cove has been dubbed the spa capital of Australia, so take time out to enjoy a massage or treatment at one of the many day spas in town. Many offer specialised menus using native Australian ingredients, and treatments can be enjoyed in serene rooms tucked away in the rainforest or in open-air pavilions by the beach.

  • Palm Cove is also one of Australia’s most popular wedding destinations, with venues ranging from tiny beachfront chapels to rooftop terraces and stylish modern resorts.

  • Be safe in the water. From October to June, marine stingers (including box jellyfish) are found in the ocean off Palm Cove. During this time, swim only within netted areas.

Discover More

Discover all the glamour and gorgeousness Palm Cove has to offer – or escape to the surrounding regions to find the secret spots locals love.

palm cove

Getting here

  • By bus

    Shuttle services are available between Cairns and Palm Cove although, scheduled public services also operate. Shuttle services and private transfers are also available from Cairns and Port Douglas.

  • By car

    Self-drive or hire a car and find your way to Palm Cove from any local port in Tropical North Queensland.

Stay

It’s luxury, luxury and more luxury in Palm Cove.

 

#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR

There's only one #DoubleIsland and it's not hard to see why we love it so much 🌴✨ You can paddle your way from @visitpalmcove to the island at sunrise with @palmcovewatersports or @pacific_watersports_palmcove 🛶🙌

Hot tip: We hear the best time do to it is during summer - don't forget your reef-safe sunscreen! ☀️

📸 @jworrall.photography #exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia #palmcove
From where you’d rather be 🌴 We give you one guess where @visitpalmcove got it’s name 🤔 But pretty palms aren’t the only reason to visit this beachside village – you’ll also find 500 year-old melaleuca trees dotted between restaurants, resorts & day spas. Aussies, who needs a passport when this paradise is only a short flight away? ✈️ 

#exploreTNQ #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia #palmcove #visitpalmcove
If you can think of the perfect place to relax & soak up some vitamin D, we’ll beat it by 10% 😉☀️ Wedged neatly between the Coral Sea & the @wettropicsworldheritage area lies the secluded #EllisBeach, just five minutes north of #PalmCove along the Captain Cook Highway 🐚🚙

Talk about a good place to spend the holidays 🌴 If the relaxed atmosphere is to your liking, stay a while at the Ellis Beach Oceanfront Bungalows & stop in at the @ellisbeachbargrill for a tasty meal (plus cheap oysters on Sundays! 🦪)

📸 @josh_burkinshaw #exploreTNQ #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia #explorecairnsGBR 

[ID: palm trees on the edge of a beach, with a person standing in the distance]
Ahh Palm Cove 😍⛵️ With luxury resorts, delicious fine dining & swaying palm galore it's no wonder this is one of @australia's favourite holiday destinations 🏝
​
​Have you ever visited #PalmCove? 🌊
​
📸 @jacintapink ​#explorecairnsGBR #exploreTNQ #thisisqueensland  #seeaustralia
When you get the chance, this could be your own personal slice of heaven 🌴☀️ Say hello to one of the most beautiful palm fringed beaches you’ll ever see ⛵️🌴 #PalmCove is a tiny enclave of endless luxury beachfront hotels, fine-dining & relaxing spa retreats 🍝 

Will you be visiting soon? 🐚📍
​
​📸 @wherenextnicole  #exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #seeaustralia #thisisqueensland

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