Summer in Port Douglas at a Glance
Summer, December to February, is the heart of the wet season. Expect temperatures in the low to mid 30s, high humidity and afternoon storms. The town is quieter midweek, the rainforest is at its most lush, and reef tours still run, with stinger suits provided.
“December in Port Douglas: the town is quieter in the middle of the week, the humidity is building, the mango season has arrived and the sea is warm enough to make you want to live in it. Summer here is its own kind of reward.”
Summer in Port Douglas — Wet Season, Warmth and the Lush Tropics
Summer in Port Douglas runs from December through February — the heart of the wet season. Hot temperatures in the low to mid-30s, high humidity, intense afternoon and evening storms, and a landscape that transforms as the rain arrives and the vegetation explodes into extraordinary green. It’s a genuinely different experience to the dry season, and for visitors who embrace it, summer can be the most vivid and alive version of Port Douglas there is.
What Summer Offers
The Daintree rainforest in summer is spectacular — fully green, lush, loud with bird and insect life, and with waterfalls running at full volume. Tropical fruit is in season: mangoes, lychees, rambutans, starfruit and the extraordinary variety of Far North Queensland-grown produce. The sea is warm — 28–29°C — and while marine stingers mean you’ll want a stinger suit for swimming in coastal waters, the water temperature itself is extraordinary. The reef is still accessible and some operators consider wet-season water clarity to be excellent on calm days.
What to Consider
Cyclone season runs from December to April, with February and March the most statistically active months. This is a genuine consideration — cyclones are unpredictable and can disrupt travel significantly. Travel insurance is strongly recommended during this period. Reef tours may be cancelled or modified in bad weather. Marine stingers (jellyfish) are present in coastal waters from approximately November to May; stinger suits are provided by reef tour operators and public stinger enclosures are set up at Four Mile Beach. For more on the wet season, visit our Seasons page or our Best Time to Visit Port Douglas guide.
A Hot Getaways destination. Where Care is Our Compass.
Travel Kindly
At Hot Getaways, care is our compass — and a little kindness makes every journey better. When you visit Port Douglas, we gently ask you to:
- Protect the reef — wear reef-safe sunscreen and never touch or stand on the coral.
- Respect the wildlife — admire the birds, turtles and rainforest creatures from a distance, and take your rubbish home with you.
- Support local — choosing local operators, cafés and guides helps this beautiful town thrive.
- Honour Country — we travel on the traditional lands and sea Country of Australia’s First Peoples, with gratitude and respect to the Traditional Custodians past and present.
- Be kind to each other — a smile, a little patience and a helping hand make the day lovelier for everyone.
Small acts of care add up to something wonderful. Thank you for travelling kindly.
