Palm Cove - Queensland’s Cleanest Beach
I was sitting down on the soft white sand captivated by what was before me when I felt my phone vibrating in my bag. “You would be so jealous if you knew where I was right now”, I said to my partner who was calling me on his lunch break from work. “I don’t want to know” he replied. “Well, I’m sitting on the softest white sand on a deserted beach that’s lined with palm tress. There’s a sparkling turquoise ocean straight ahead and not a cloud in sight”.
Well, I probably shouldn’t have teased but relaxing on Palm Cove was certainly something to gloat about. Maybe I had just captured it on a good day, but the scene was something I imagined existed solely as a PC wallpaper.
Palm Cove, located in Tropical Queensland, was a pleasant 20-minute drive north of Cairns. I reached the resort by Sun Bus – a local service which I boarded at Cairns town centre. Although just a short drive, Palm Cove instantly felt a world away from the souvenir shops and backpacker culture of bustling Cairns.
It was soon evident that a stay at Palm Cove could range from an indulgent week, to a half-day visit. The promenade shone with plenty of luxury accommodation options - just a row of palm trees stood between spacious balconies and the temping blue ocean.
The resorts at Palm Cove also cater for those looking for peaceful spa breaks or even the chance to have your special day on the golden beach. Not only does Palm Cove have plenty of attractions itself, but the area offers itself as a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest area.
Palm Cove noticeably prides itself on having one of the cleanest beaches in Queensland. For people like myself who can’t resist taking a refreshing dip, the beach has a lifeguarded stinger net during the summer season. As enjoyable as the beach was, after a couple of hours I was ready to take cover from the intense heat. The shaded beachside promenade provides shelter with plenty of shops and restaurants to suite any taste.
From the shaded path I noticed a tanned, middle-aged fisherman casting a line off the edge of the pier. His demeanour assumed a story of a fisherman who had been fishing in the same spot his whole life. The scene was one only a postcard could capture. I couldn’t resist asking the fisherman what he was hoping to catch and soon discovered my fisherman friend lived just half-an-hour from my hometown in the UK. Although the gentleman wasn’t a local, it was an amusing reminder of how small the world can be!
It came as no surprise to learn that Palm Cove has been rated one of the top ten beaches in Australia. Ideally, I would have chosen some idyllic accommodation and spent a week appreciating the beachside resort. Even with plenty of attractions to keep me busy, I can guarantee that with a stay at Palm Cove, I’d be perfectly happy doing nothing.
