Car Hire Darwin - Mini guide to Darwin

The northern-most capital city of Australia, Darwin is somewhat isolated from the rest of Ausatrlia, but has much to offer, including stunning natural scenery and a relaxed, easy-going atmosphere.

The highlight of a visit to Darwin and the ‘Top End’ is to view crocodiles at close quarters. In Darwin, the best location for this is the exciting Crocodylus Park on McMillans Road. The park is centered around an enormous lagoon and you can get up close to huge examples of these fearsome creatures and witness their feeding activity during one of the regular meal sessions held daily. Guided tours can be arranged, and there is an excellent museum with fascinating exhibits. On the way back to the city proper, be sure to stop at the interesting Aviation Heritage Centre.

Elsewhere around the town are several attractions. Cruise the world of the mangrove forests in the Charles Darwin National Park, and explore the Fanny Bay area, with its trendy Cullen Bay Marina, picturesque beaches, acclaimed Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, and the sinister Fanny Bay Gaol Museum.

Darwin has plenty of first-class accommodation and several excellent restaurants. The nightlife is varied, with bars and discos scattered about the small town centre. Darwin is also a great place to shop for aboriginal souvenirs, such as digeredoos and dot art, being the concentration point of this native ethnic group.

Nearby, head out to the East Point Reserve to observe wallabies, swim in Lake Alexander and explore the mangrove boardwalk. Further afield are the incredible national parks of Kakadu and Litchfield, which are the chief reason visitors find their way to Darwin. Litchfield is the closest and most accessible of the two, with some magnificent waterfalls, but it’s Kakadu, a World Heritage Site, which boasts an incredible diversity of wildlife and plant life among its swamps and plains. Access in the wet season is limited however.

Darwin’s international airport serves regular direct flights from all major Australian cities and a few regional Asian cities, transportation into the city is frequent and reliable.

The major suburbs in Darwin are: Bayview, Cullen Bay, Fannie Bay, Larrakeyah, Ludmilla, Parap, The Gardens, The Narrows, Stuart Park and Woolner.