Darwin, capital of Northern Territory and named after Charles Darwin. This HOT place in the north of the country is definitely worth visiting! The climate in Darwin is tropical and this is largely characterised by a wet and dry period. If you're not a fan of rain, you might want to pop by from April to October. The city is close to the Red Centre, has a huge harbour and quite a few National Parks; therefore you will always have something to do and see in Darwin.
I don’t want to overwhelm you with all the great things Darwin has to offer you and therefore I made a bucket list of 5 things you should definitely do in Darwin!
1. Mindil Beach Markets
Every Thursday and Sunday locals display all their beautiful and tasty products. Head down there one day and get lost amongst the stalls. The atmosphere is warm and cosy, and you will find yourself among all different kind of people. After you found yourself some great goodies and some nice food, you can enjoy one of Darwin’s spectacular sunsets. There is a reason why this market is so famous and that is why I think it belongs in the top 5!
Image thanks to Wikimedia Commons
2. Litchfield National Park
You might find The Northen Territory a bit too hot to handle. Believe me, I get it when you are also from a bit cooler place (The Netherlands). If you do so, you should definitely visit Litchfield National Park to find yourself a comfortable, cool and refreshing spot. Lichfield is a 75 minutes’ drive from Darwin, not too far if you ask me! After entering this blue and green flooded paradise filled with (crocodile-free!) waterfalls, plunge pools, rivers and creeks, you will find it quite hard to leave again! You have plenty of space to lay down, walk around and swim in the waterfalls!
Image thanks to Wikimedia Commons
3. The Cage of Death
At Crocosaurus Cove you can spend your whole day around crocodiles. You can feed them, pet them and take pictures with them. If you want to go a bit more hardcore, there is also a possibility to cage dive with the second biggest crocodiles in the world! Darwin is the only place in Australia that does cage dives with crocs. The cage of death might sound a bit scary, but also quite badass, so why wouldn’t you? Go on to be introduced to some of the world’s most giant Saltwater Crocodiles and be educated on their amazing ability to survive, their feeding habits and how they have remained relatively unchanged for over 200 million years. If you can’t get enough of the crocs, there is also a possibility to combine the beauty of Lichfield with... jumping crocs! If you are such an adrenaline junky like me, you should go to all.
Image thanks to Crocosaurus Cove
4. The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
If you feel like learning some things and escape nature, beaches and dangerous cages for just one day, then head to The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory! MAGNT was born in 1966, and since then they present a dynamic program of internally-developed exhibitions, carefully curated from the collection, and the best travelling exhibitions from around Australia every year. It is also the home of the annual Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (the most important celebration of its kind in Australia).
Image thanks to Counsil of Australian museum Directors
5.Darwin Harbour
The harbour of Darwin will surely provide you with more than one day fun. There are way too much great restaurants, bars and pubs to go to in only one day. If you have the time just walk around and make a list of which restaurants you definitely want to visit in the period you are in Darwin for. Don’t be shy and just ask the locals what they would recommend, in this way you will end up in the best places! Mitchell Street - this is the main backpacker street typical for having loads of bars, it's not a 'must see' but if you are in Darwin you should pop by there for some nice cafes! Another thing that could be fun to do is the wave pool to fresh up a bit on the hot Darwin days.
Image thanks to Qantas
All together
These are just 5 things you could do, but don’t be afraid, there are a bunch more thing to do of course! If you just can’t get enough, I have some more tips and ideas about what to do in Darwin if you click here.
About the author:
Pleun van Kerkhoff is 22 years old and from the Netherlands. Since she was only four years old, she has been dreaming of Australia. Australia has heaps of adventures to offer, but she hasn't been able to discover them all jet. Adrenaline is the thing that keeps her running and therefore the major thing she is looking for.
