If getting away from it all and heading for the sun is your ideal getaway, then a trip to the northernmost point of Australia's mainland is your perfect destination. But you can also expect a lot more than sun and surf when you get there. Cape York is also home to a fascinating mix of cultures and unique wildlife. And off the coast, the Torres Strait Islands await you. Getting there
Air: You can fly into the region via Horn Island, a two-hour flight from Cairns. This island has the major airstrip, but there is a smaller one at Bamaga.

Sea: Drive your car onto the supply ship at Cairns and spend a leisurely few days sailing up the east coast, docking at some of Australia's most remote coastal communities.
Stand at the tip of Cape York and you'll enjoy panoramic views. On a clear day, you can even see the misty mountains of the islands off Papua New Guinea, just 200km away.

You can approach the tip from the town of Seisia. From here, the trip to the very tip of the Cape will take you through some impressive scenery: from the light vegetation of the Roma Flats to rainforests as awe-inspiring as cathedrals and rugged coastal scrub — all as beautiful as they are unique.

Up a 4WD track at the end of the tip you'll find Frangipani Beach. At low tide you can stroll across the sand then scramble up the rocks to the tip itself. Just 500 metres around from the tip, Crocodile Creek, a tidal stream, provides some of the best black jewfishing in Australia. Also on the menu here are blue salmon, king salmon, mangrove jack, queenfish, trevally, cod, bream, barracuda, and barramundi. Anglers, pack the bait!

FACT FILE This region is the playground for crocodiles, sharks and poisonous jellyfish, so don't ignore the warning signs and stay out of the water unless otherwise advised by a reliable guide. A short drive from Bamaga is the wreck of a WWII DC3, which crashed in 1945 en route to New Guinea, left untouched. There are three Aboriginal communities on northern Cape York — Injinoo, Umagico and New Mapoon. The Injinoo people hold native title to the tip itself. There are two Islander communities on the tip of Cape York — Bamaga and Seisia.

SIDETRACKS Take the old Telegraph Road to the wild Jardine River and Heathland National Parks — you'll need a 4WD — to the legendary Gunshot river crossing, an adrenaline-pumping hair-raising mudslide! Just out of Normanton, on the Burketown Road, is the last camp of the European pioneer explorers Burke and Wills. The "rainbow sands" at Elim Beach in the traditional country of the Thiithaarr clan is a dreamtime story place. Day permits to the area are required and you must stop at the ranger's office. For more information visit: www.cook.qld.gov.au.

Back at Seisia, the town's Red Island Point Wharf is legendary among anglers. Locals come here daily to fish and they're happy to give advice to visiting anglers.

The north region is an angler's paradise, with 138 islands (just 17 of which are inhabited) in the Strait. They sit in five distinct groups: the Eastern Islands, formed by volcanic activity, which lie as close as four kilometres off Papua New Guinea and include Saibai; the Near Western, featuring Moa and Badu, and the Central, among which are Poruma and Yam. The most accessible — and so the most visited — are the Inner islands, Thursday, Prince of Wales and Horn Islands.

Home to around 3000 people, Thursday Island is a laidback jewel in the Strait. Bestowed with a fascinating history and a lot of charm, it's an ideal place to relax and take in the beauty of the region. It offers a range of accommodation. A daily ferry service from Seisia will get you there and take you back to Cape York. Nearby Horn Island has a population of around 650 people. Fishing and pearling are the main activities. Make sure you visit the tiny town of Wasaga and its fascinating museum and art gallery.

Heading inland from the sublime coastal landscape of the Cape's celebrated Tip, it's impossible to miss the crimson colour palette. Red termite mounds. Red creeks. Red mud. From its coastal colours of blue sea and white sands to the rich, earthen colours inland, Cape York's north and the Torres Strait is a region of spectacular contrasts. Take a tour: Cape York and the Torres Strait cover a big area. Tours can be a great way to see as much as possible.

Resort Bambaga: At the tip, have your photo taken next to the stones marking the furthest point of the continent. Resort Bamaga can get you there. They can also organise fishing and hunting safaris. For more information, go to www.resortbamaga.com.au.

Tours To Go: If you're up for an off-beat trip from Cairns, then why not go on a mail run? Go to www.tourstogo.com.au. Cape York Motorcycles: Bike enthusiasts can test their skills by touring Cape York. For more information, go to www.capeyorkmotorcycles.com.au.

Try pioneer life: From the town of Bamaga, near Seisia, the road to the tip takes you to the historic gardens of Lockerbie Station, planted by pioneer Frank Jardine. Along with horse rides, you'll find a historic display, Saibai souvenirs and a store selling snacks and drinks. Ph: (07) 4069 3000.

See the sea: Head around five kilometres west of the northern tip of Cape York to the Punsand Bay Camping Resort. Here, with its 10km beachfront, you can see the sun rise over the Coral Sea and set over the Arafura Sea. Ph: (07) 4069 17 22. www.punsand.com.au.
Feathered friends: Birds on Cape York can be remarkably retiring during the day. However, a mix of tropical rainforest, a variety of coastal habitats and open scrub means there should be enough to satisfy the keen birdwatcher, including the sunbird, yellow-billed kingfisher, parrots, the fawn-breasted bowerbird, riflebird and trumpet manucode and two Cape York endemics, the golden-shouldered parrot and the white-streaked honeyeater. For information on birdwatching tours, go to www.seafaris.com.au.

Torres Strait Islands: Catch a fish: There is a whole lot of water here, from rivers and estuaries to headlands where huge barramundi slip around oyster-covered rocks. To find out the best time to fish for each species, including barramundi, mangrove jack, queenfish, trevally, mackerel and tuna, go to www.fishingcairns.com.au. >

It's Thursday any day: At the Gab Titui Cultural Centre on Thursday Island, learn about the early days of the region's pearling industry. There's also an amazing collection of antique Dari, the traditional feathered headdress unique to Torres Strait. Ph: (07) 4090 2130. Go to www.tsra.gov.au and follow the links.

Soak up history: Take the Forgotten Island tour on Horn Island. Vanessa and Arthur (Liberty) Seekee operate the Gateway Resort here, but they also know everything about the wartime history of the second most bombed place in Australia during WWII.

Get in tune: Drop into the Wongai Hotel on Horn Island. It's a stamping (and singing) ground of Seaman Dan (Gibson). Seaman Dan, a former pearl diver, scored an ARIA Award for his CD Perfect Pearl, on Hot Records.

Where to stay You'll find a mix of accommodation, but pre-book to avoid disappointment. Horn Island: check out the Gateway Torres Strait Resort. Ph: (07) 4069 2222. Thursday Island: There's the Jardine Motel Ph: (07) 4069 1555. Seisia: The Seisia Holiday Park, is a resort and camping ground. Ph: 1800 653 243. Bamaga: Resort Bamaga Ph: (07) 4069 3050. There are also some great heritage hotels. For more information about accommodation in the region, go to Tropical Australia and follow the links.

Getting around The track to the tip is 4WD territory. The best time to drive is straight after the wet season, when the ground is still moist and the corrugations haven't formed. Peddells Ferries: The Strait Magic takes an hour to ferry visitors to Seisia from Thursday Island. Ph: (07) 40691551. Cape York Helicopters: Take in the pointy end of Australia from above. Flights last from 30 to 75 minutes. Ph: (07) 4069 2233 or (07) 4093 0250. Tony's Island Adventures: Aboard the Madam Dugong you find your sea legs with trips to the pearl farm on Friday Island, the shipwreck off Goods Island and some of the more remote sandy beaches of the northern Cape region. Ph: (07) 4069 1965 or 0428 514 193.

Get festive! June-August is the season for traditional local festivals including the Torres Strait Cultural Festival (the next one is in 2008) and the Torres Strait Music Festival (the next one is also in 2008). Every June 3, feasts and cultural performances are held commemorating Mabo Day in honour of local Eddie Mabo who won a High Court judgement recognising his traditional land ownership. On July 1, Thursday Island bursts into life, with 'The Coming of the Light' festival celebrating Melanesian hospitality, religious faith and islander culture. Each July the town of Normanton hosts the raucous Normanton Rodeo, a real outback experience!

Last drinks: It could be Australia's first pub — or last pub — depending on which direction you're coming from, but have a drink at the Torres Hotel in Douglas Street, Thursday Island.

Last rites: Visit Australia's most northerly cathedral (also the world's smallest) on Thursday Island. It features intriguing stained-glass windows honouring the 200 passengers lost on the Quetta shipwreck and rare indigenous artworks illustrating biblical scenes.

Island bazaar: Mona's Bazaar on Thursday Island sells locally-made island clothing. During festivals, they sometimes stock traditionally-woven baskets. Unique to the Islands, they are impossible to buy anywhere else.

Remote paradise: Lushly tropical Poruma Island boasts an award-winning resort. It is also home to the Saltwater people who are happy to show visitors traditional fishing methods and island crafts. Go to www.poruma.com.

Get precious: Visit the pearl farm on Friday Island, but if you can't get there, visit Saranealis House, 62 Douglas Street on Thursday Island. This gallery was established back in 1896 and there you'll see what beauty those little bivalves can create. The gallery stocks art including the nationally recognised lino cuts of Joey Laifoo. Ph: (07) 4069 2401. Go to www.saranealishouse.com.au.