Darwin Locality Guide

"Man it's hot up here! But be careful not to just jump in the water!"

Darwin in the Tropics is almost at the Top of Australia

This city right on top of Australia is set on the edge of the Timor Sea, a modern city with an enormous moving population with people coming from all over the world to visit. Many also come up from the 'southern' states, visiting the 'top end' as the northern half of the Northern Territory and Western Australia is known.

There is a wet season that lasts from November to April and the dry season from May until October is usually Darwin's hectic time. Darwin is known for its sunshine and fantastic sunsets and has an average year round temperature of 32 degrees Celsius. There is a wonderful lively night life with great hotels and nightclubs, live music and other attractions like the museums, parks, art galleries, beaches and historic buildings. There are numerous outdoor activities to be enjoyed as well with plentiful walking and bike tracks, picnic areas and the unique open-air cinema where the patrons bring their own deck-chairs along with an evening meal to enjoy while sitting back and taking in the show.

Darwin Regional Guides

Accommodation

Eating Out

Entertainment

Tourism

Services

Shopping

There is shopping in abundance and the plazas or malls are air conditioned for the comfort of shoppers as it can get hot and steamy in Darwin. There are a good number of cheap places to eat and the restaurants offer fine dining moreover Darwin is also known for its great variety of fabulous foods. Being the gateway to Asia and with a strong Asian heritage it would be expected to feature Oriental cuisine, but a slice of buffalo, crocodile or kangaroo is adventurous and surprisingly tasty, along with the local seafood delicacies like mud crabs, prawns and barramundi.

There are the open-air markets at Nightcliff and Mindil Beach to visit where the stalls are full of unusual and unique products. These markets come alive with street musicians, performers, traditional Aboriginal art works and culture. Throughout the year there are numerous cultural events and visitors can even try their hand at whip-cracking!

There are dozens of tours and guide operators ready and waiting to explore the sub-tropical top end with the Kakadu, Litchfield and Katherine Gorge National Parks nearby. A nice way to see Darwin is from the water, and there are a number of great harbour cruises. It is a little known fact that Darwin sits on a Bay larger than Sydney Harbour which is a jumping off point for the many islands close by in the Timor Sea like Melville Island and the Tiwi Islands.

Other ways to see the spectacular scenery is by small plane scenic flights or by a helicopter flight tour. There is much to see and explore in Darwin, and many people come to spend many weeks of the year here where the winter temperature is still so enjoyable to those who like the warmth of the sun.