Darwin, capital city of the Northern Territory, is the smallest of all
Australian capitals. With a population of approximately 130, 000 (which is half of the entire Territory) it has had considerable growth in the last couple of years. Situated on the Timor Sea, you can see from the
map that it is surrounded by water on three sides. You'll sometimes hear Aussies refer to this area as the 'Top End'.
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| City of Darwin |
Now is the best time to visit Darwin, during the dry season, which typically runs from about April to October. The wet season brings some spectacular lightning shows along with cyclones and monsoon rains. Keep this in mind when planning your travels as you can expect up to 420 mm (approximately 16 inches) in a single month! Of course, these rains are essential to keep the Kakadu wetlands teeming with wildlife.
Darwin is a major access point for
Kakadu National Park and Litchfield National Park. You have lots of different options of day tours, overnight tours or multi-day tours of both of these areas from Darwin. Have a look at our
Darwin activities and tours page to give you some specifics and plenty of links to book your travel plans.
When you're looking for
Darwin hotels to book, you've got quite a few choices. If you're going to incorporate Kakadu into your plans (and why wouldn't you??) then I suggest staying right in the heart of it - in Jabiru (about 250 km [150 miles] from Darwin). Click on the
map link to get an overview of the area. Are you one of those people who think that pretty much all Holiday Inns look the same? Think again!! The picture below is the
Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn. Obviously you don't get the same perspective from the ground, but I think the aerial view is pretty cool.
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| Gagudju Crocodile Hotel |
The Northern Territory in general is rich with Aboriginal history and culture. Consider a visit to the Tiwi Islands just north of Darwin to submerse yourself in culture and indigenous artwork. There are many festivals, markets and events throughout the year, including the Darwin beer can regatta in August. Aussies do love their grog! For the history buffs, a visit to the Northern Territory Museum and Art Gallery is in order for a multi-media display on the WWII Darwin air raids.
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| Aboriginal Art Work in Kakadu |
Whilst you're in the neighbourhood of Darwin, it's not far to hop a flight down to Uluru Ayers Rock to visit one of the most recognizable Aussie icons. I'll save that for another post. Stay tuned!
