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4 Day CNS - TSV
4 Day TSV - CNS
5 Day CNS - CNS
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Island Adventure
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11 Day DRW - BME
11 Day BME - DRW
Across the Top
12 Day CNS - DRW
12 Day DRW - CNS
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Discovery Cruise
13 Day AKL-ZQN
13 Day ZQN-AKL
Papua New Guinea
13 Day CNS - RAB
11 Day GUR - RAB
13 Day RAB - CNS
11 Day RAB - GUR
South Pacific - Melanesia
14 Day NOU - RAB
16 Day CNS - NOU
14 Day GUR - NOU
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Guide to:
Cairns
Townsville
Darwin
Broome
Guide to Darwin
Northern Territory, Australia
| This port town (pop. 78,000) on the Timor Sea in the Northern Territory (pop. 150,000) is very isolated and small; nevertheless, it's the urban center of the far northern region (locally dubbed the "Top End"). Darwin has national coachlines arriving and an international airport servicing daily flights from around the country and overseas. |  Darwin - Smith St Mall (80KB) |
Darwin is a good place to lie on the beach, but make sure the water is safe before swimming (sharks, salt-water crocodiles and deadly jellyfish have been known to swim offshore).
 Downtown Darwin (48KB) | Tour the Reptile Farm, War Cemetery, Government House (built in 1869), Chinese Temple and Doctor's Gully (to watch the fish feeding at night). Other attractions include the botanical gardens and the Fannie Bay Gaol (jail). The Darwin Harbour Ferry leads to beaches and fishing in Mandorah. |
Half-day trips will take you to the Magnetic Anthills, the Marrakai Plains (to view buffalo herds) or the Yarrawonga Wildlife Park (to see wallabies, crocodiles and more).
Darwin is also the jumping-off point for tours and safaris to Litchfield, Kakadu and Katherine Gorge national parks.
810 mi/1,300 km north of Alice Springs.
"The Outback" refers to the vast and mostly desolate interior of Australia. It's perhaps best appreciated at one of the three national parks most easily accessible from Darwin.
Kakadu National Park can be seen as a day trip from the city, though we highly recommend at least two nights there. It's a 19,000 sq km wilderness reserve whose swamps are filled with crocodiles and innumerable species of birds and other wildlife. It has Aboriginal paintings, too. (The park provided the perfect location for the film Crocodile Dundee.) Hire a boat to tour the billabongs (lakes), which expand in the wet season and shrink during the dry. It's best to visit in March to mid-October; many roads are impassable during the wet season, around Christmas. No matter when you go, don't forget to bring insect repellent! 125 mi/200 km east of Darwin.
Rugged Katherine Gorge National Park has 13 sandstone gorges filled with Aboriginal paintings and wildlife (such as emus and dingo). The gorges are usually seen by boat, but there are also many trails. Highlights are the Swallows Cave, Butterfly Gorge and the Hanging Gardens (pretty ferns). 217 mi/350 km south of Darwin.
Litchfield National Park is a favorite area among Darwin outdoor lovers. 360,000-acres/146,000-hectares largely untouched with monsoonal rainforests, Tabletop Range, Escarpment, large groves of cycads, spring fed creeks and historic tin mines. Day tours there include a tea break in an abandoned tin mine, visits to waterfalls, hot springs and termite mounds 10 ft/3 m high, and a chance to see lots of kangaroos, parrots and cranes. 62 mi/100 km south of Darwin.
Blue Travel offers:
 | Coral Princess Cruises |
|---|---|
 | Apollo Australia |
 | KEA Campers |
