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Things to do in Cape Tribulation

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Cape Tribulation may be small but you will most definitely not be bored. (Although the slightly batty female from my accommodation who opted out of a night walk in favour of watching The Bill on TV may feel differently.) Cape Tribulation is essentially a mini village amongst the Daintree National Park and Rainforest but is increasingly becoming a destination to visit during your time in Cairns.

A word of warning, it’s not a place to get your party on, the emphasis of Cape Tribulation is on relaxation and getting away from it all… That doesn’t mean that you are stuck in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do though.

Best things to do in Cape Tribulation

1. Ocean Safari

Go out and explore the Great Barrier Reef from Cape Tribulation. You’ll be taken to 2 different snorkelling locations where you have the opportunity to see the spectacular marine life up close. Just look at how close this turtle was! Seeing the Great Barrier Reef from Cape Tribulation is a must because it’s way less crowded than trips from Cairns or the Whitsundays. Not that there’s anything wrong with tours from there, it’s just that in Cape Tribulation you really feel the serenity both in and out of the water.

things to do in cape tribulation ocean safair
Ocean Safari Cape Tribulation
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Snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef in Cape Tribulation
things to do in cape tribulation snorkel with turtles
Turtle up close on an Ocean Safari

2. A Night Walk

It may be because I am the long suffering girlfriend of a wildlife geek but wildlife can be quite fascinating. Cape Tribulation has species of all things creepy and crawly that can not be seen just anywhere in Australia and more often that not cannot be seen in daylight. So you need to get adventurous, wrap up warm and grab your flashlight. You can attempt to do your own night walk but unless you know what you’re looking for this can be an argument-inducing experience. Get yourself onto a guided night walk and for 2 hours you will explore the rainforest in the dark both on and off the track. You can try to spot skin-shedding spiders, rainforest frogs, a surprising variety of bugs as well as some rainforest birdlife. It is quite a treat to find out what we share the rainforest with.

Just so you know, running your hand through the back of someone’s hair in the dark is neither funny nor clever, and quite frankly, it’s tough if you get embarrassed by ‘unnecessary’ screaming!

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Cape Tribulation Night Walk!
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Spooky but beautiful night walk

3. The Bat House

Just to make it very clear, The Bat House is the building you walk in to make your donation to and consists of one flying fox. For those expecting a house full of bats this can cause a minor embarrassing situation. However, once you realise what you are experiencing it is quite an awesome little experience. The Flying Foxes that are there come from the nearby Bat hospital for varying reasons and are wonderful and friendly. Sammy, my new friend is a 16 month old flying fox who quite honestly stinks but this is apparently due to his age hitting puberty. I guess we should all count ourselves lucky.

In the half an hour we were there I got to shake Sammy by the hand, in turn he showed me just how much he likes himself… Safe to say, I blushed very awkwardly whilst trying to maintain a conversation with the conservationist. A unique experience indeed but really quite interesting and a good way to give back to the Cape Tribulation community.

4. Explore the Dubuji Boardwalk

With the tropical rainforest being home to many native animals and plants the Dubuji boardwalk was created to help minimise the impact of tourists in the area. The boardwalk gives you the chance to see the rainforest up close without stepping on rare plants or disturbing the creatures that live there. You might even be lucky enough to see a family of snakes slithering together! It’s a really great walk to do and an unmissable Cape Tribulation activity.

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Dubuji Boardwalk Daintree Rainforest Walk
dubuji boardwalk cape tribulation
Stunning Trees and Plants are all around you
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A family of snakes! Eek

5. Jungle Surfing

The other flying fox in Cape Tribulation! Jungle Surfing is a course of 5 zip lines which you throw yourself down, all amidst the Daintree Rainforest. It’s the adrenaline activity of Cape tribulation and is an immense amount of fun. Scream like a girl, laugh yourself silly and tip yourself upside down. Jungle Surfing is just good fun and another cool way to explore the rainforest.

6. Breakfast on Cape Tribulation Beach

At around 8.30 – 9am the beach is void of other visitors and a great place to just sit and enjoy. The Rainforest hits the sand and looks pretty much identical to the set of Lost. This beach is so unlike any other beach you will experience on the East Coast of Australia and will explain why Cape Tribulation is becoming more and more the place to visit. Make sure you spend time walking along the beach and take a look at the stunning mangroves.

what to do in cairns - trip up to cape tribulation
Take a trip up to Cape Tribulation and have breakfast on the beach
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Cape Tribulation – pixabay

If you exhaust all of these options why not just chill out by the outdoor pool at your hostel. Being located in the middle of a rainforest is itself a pretty awesome experience for a backpacker. Whatever your budget or whatever you choose to do make some time to journey your way up to Cape Tribulation. Cape Tribulation offers the relaxation and chill out experience we could all use a little piece of. There’s also heaps of things to see and do on the way up from Cairns too.

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