Port Douglas is the perfect place to commit all Seven Deadly Sins and Carnivale is the right time to do it

The leisurely days of a tropical autumn are upon us. Next month, Port Douglas celebrates all that's great about living in paradise with the festival of Carnivale. It's a 10-day flirtation where everyone indulges in one or more of the Seven Deadly Sins.

ENVY
Have a holiday in the Port Douglas and Daintree region and show your work colleagues the photos. They are guaranteed to promptly envy you. The seaside village is not overdeveloped (a bylaw prohibits buildings taller than a palm!) the locals are genuinely friendly - especially at the two Queenslander pubs in the high street - and best of all you can totally chillax here without having to dress up.

PRIDE
Port Douglas makes you proud to be an Aussie. Not only do they have cane toad races regularly and in a licensed venue but they have those sweeping dramatic Australian icons of the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree rainforest. Now there's a new heritage classic on the horizon; the Australian Muster Experience. As they say: "no actors, no show ponies - this is the real deal". Their bull ride spectacular will be part of the Carnivale program this year.

COVET
Your friends will want time out just like you had at Port Douglas. They'll also want a luxury super yacht like Galaxy 1. This is 26m of serious indulgence and, just for you and a dozen of your best friends, the great crew will take you on an unforgettable day to the Low Isles or anywhere else you negotiate. And simply everyone who meets him wants a private helicopter pilot like Bradley King from Skysafari. Skimming over the carpet of the Daintree or the shimmering Coral Sea in his bright yellow heli makes you feel like you've sproutedwings.

LUST
Carnivale is about connecting with sun, sand, sea and passion. Enough said. The talented entrants in the Carnivale Songwriters Challenge have got all the lyrics right. Their inspiration's at their doorstep - Four Mile Beach, Mossman Gorge, sun-kissed bodies, happy smiles and that super relaxed way of passing time that you get from the palm lined entrance to Port.

GLUTTONY
The quintessential sin around Port Douglas. Further encouraged by such Carnivale events as The Sheraton Mirage Longest Lunch (just look at what it's called) and Quicksilver's Food, Wine & A Taste of Port. The chefs here all smile, it's the secret of great fresh produce evolving into deliriously happy restaurant guests. At iconic restaurants such as Il Pescatore and Nautilus Restaurant, chefs Klaus Keller and Robert Cullen just can't wait for us to descend on them. They know there's an oh-so-fine line between gourmet and gourmand and they're tempting us to cross it every single time.

SLOTH
Downtime is very important. You need to work at whiling away those hours. A perfect place to do so is the delightfully private pool at the Peninsula Boutique Hotel, where you'll never meet anyone aged under 16 because they don't cater for them. Another slothful tip is a bliss-out spa treatment at the Hibiscus Resort & Spa. When you come round, just chill out with a coldie overlooking the inlet at The Tin Shed (also called the Combined Club.

ANGER
You will experience this emotion. It will come at precisely the time you realise you leave and go home. Anger directed at having to leave your perfect resort accommodation and re-enter that other world - reality. And you'll wonder why don't you have a pool that sparkles without having to clean it yourself or a breakfast that appears effortlessly?
And the eighth deadly sin? It's called Port Douglas Carnivale.

Port Douglas Carnivale is from May 22-31 visit: www.carnivale.com.au Maree visited Port Douglas with the assistance of Port Douglas & Daintree Tourism and its members. Visit: www.pddt.com.au, ph: 4099 4588. More travel >> cairns.com.au/holidays

SPECIAL DEALS
Transfers // Express Chauffer Coaches offer transfers between Cairns and Port Douglas. Skysafari can arrange helicopter transfers from Cairns to Port Douglas. Visit: www.skysafari.com.au or www.eccportdouglas.com

Peninsula Boutique Hotel // Try the indulgence package for seven nights in a Coral Sea Spa suite, with dinner for two and wine, sunset sailing and all breakfasts for $2590 valid until June 302009. Visit: www.peninsulahotel.com.au

Hibiscus Resort & Spa // 10-day Carnivale package with extras including tickets to events such as the Sheraton Mirage Longest Lunch and the Food & Wine Festival, a Reef trip, rainforest tour, and a two-hour luxury spa treatment from $470 per room per night. Visit: www.hibiscusportdouglas.com.au

Sheraton Mirage // $190 a room, a night including breakfast plus 50 per cent off all food and beverage in the hotel's restaurants. Buy two Longest Lunch tickets and get a voucher for your next stay with the first night at $220 and second night free. Visit: www.sheraton.com/portdouglas

Galaxy Charters // Enjoy a luxury charter boat experience from about $5500 per day including accommodation, cuisine and the best aqua toys. Visit: www.galaxycharters.com.au

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