Darwin, Australia - A Travel Guide
Last Updated: February 21, 2026
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ABOUT DARWIN | SHOULD I GO? | WHAT TO DO | WHERE TO STAY | WHERE TO EAT | WHERE TO PARTY
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At The Top End
Darwin is named after the great Charles Darwin, the 'Father of Evolution' and one of the world's greatest naturalists, explorers, and all-round scientists. Darwin and the surrounding region is known to Aussies as the 'Top End', and serves as capital of the Northern Territories.
Darwin is famed for its links to Asia, especially Indonesia, thanks to its shipping routes from its impressive ports. These ports have also paved the way for the billion-dollar fishing industry, with catches being unloaded almost 24 hours a day.
Back on land, the stunning and diverse National Parks of Kakadu and Litchfield, to name a couple, form mass nature reserves, where, open to only the elements, nature is left to take its true course.
Now, these elements come in the form of sometimes severe weather, flowing as the seasons pass. Monsoons and cyclones are a staple during summer (Dec to March), with staggering lightning shows a regular occurrence, whereas heading into the winter months of April to September rainfall can be hard to come by, as the scorching sun beats down on the arid, dusty expanses of... nothingness.
One Diminishing Bank Balance...
Arriving from Broome with my group of mates, having set off from Perth all those weeks and 4000km ago, we descended in an excitable melee to find our hostel. Having instantly fallen in love with our new quarters, we set out in search of things to do in the city.
And that's when things took a dip. There wasn't much to do at all, other than the usual clubs, pubs, and restaurants. It was a rather small, dull city, and anything worth seeing or doing is either a short drive away or on the coast.
It wasn't all doom and gloom; the marina was beautiful, the sun shone bright, the nights out were wild, and we took a jumping croc tour, which was a real highlight. However, after only three days, we were leaving Darwin having wasted a lot of money on nothing other than food, drink and accommodation. The one comfort was that we were flying out to relax on the stunning island of Bali for a couple of weeks.
Upon our return, we spent a further 5 days based in Darwin, exploring the National Parks to the south, the Darwin Waterfront Precinct and the beaches to the north of the city. It was lovely, but it really was all about the days around the pool and nights on the alcohol.
So Should I Go There?
Honestly, unless you are a lottery winner or looking for work in the fishing or mining industries there is no real point in you visiting Darwin. We left quickly for Bali, which, with flights, food, and accommodation, cost less for the week than just the accommodation in Darwin. And I'd suggest you do the same.
Darwin is a playground for the returning fishermen who use the city as a reprieve from being at sea for weeks or months on end, looking for sex, drugs and more drink than anyone else could handle. Backed up by the miners, their wages combined could buy small cities, and this obviously reflects in the local prices, from food and drink to accommodation, meaning a lengthy stay for us mere mortals may ruin you.
The only reason I can see for staying in the city would be visiting the surrounding National Parks, which lie to the east and south. These are fraught with their own dangers; snakes and crocs lie in wait for anyone who deviates from safety, especially when nearing the banks of the Adelaide River.
What to Do in and Around Darwin
As you may have guessed, I really don't have too many suggestions for you here other than nip down to Flight Centre on Knuckey Street and book yourself a flight elsewhere. If flying isn't an option for you, then consider a few of the below suggestions.
Jumping Croc Tour
The first of two must do's in the city, and my favourite activity around Darwin is the Jumping Croc tour. I have a sick fascination with dangerous animals, the more deadly the more impressive I find them - hence the love for this tour, and cage diving with great whites in South Australia.
Our tour guide, wearing a mightly impressive gentlemen's moustache, picked us up from the city and took us through the wetlands, where we learned about the local wildlife and the nearby national parks. We stopped off for a tour of an old museum, which was alright, but all we really wanted to do was get to the main event. A couple of hours after the tour began we finally caught glimpses of the river, parked up and boarded our cruise.
Our captain, a rotund, bubbly character, set us off upriver, and before we knew it we were surrounded by more crocodiles than we could've imagined. The beasts, some up to 6 metres long, leapt from the water, one almost making his way aboard before beating a hasty retreat and giving us all a shock in the process. It was fantastic to see these killers up close and personal, whilst learning about their lives and how they have evolved into the perfect killing machines. Once back on dry land our guide the Monopoly man handed us a few snakes to be photographed with, finishing off a wonderful afternoon's tour.
What I will say is shop around - there are a number of companies that all offer very similar experiences, with differing prices. I have linked the company that I used, but do some research as to what works best for you.
I would say you'll be looking at a rough price of $100 (£53.50), which should include, pick up and drop off from the city, a tour of the wetlands and museum, followed by a cruise up and down the Adelaide River watching the crocs feed. You can, however, drive to the river yourself, and pay solely for the river cruise which is roughly $45 (£24).
National Parks
The second of the two must do's is a visit to the graceful, effortless beauty of the National Parks, ideally Kakadu or Litchfield.
First things first, when visiting any of the national parks in Australia please be respectful, clean up after yourself, and remember that anything and everything can, and may well try, to kill you, from the weather to the animals, and onto bush fires and the terrain itself. Be careful.
When visiting certain national parks you will need a pass to enter, and Kakadu is one of these parks. You may want to consider pre-booking a pass prior to your trip, however, you can do it whilst in Darwin. The only rule is you must do it prior to arriving at the park itself. Litchfield, on the other hand, doesn't require a pass, and you can drive into it anytime.
The pass for Kakadu automatically gives you access, a guided tour by an experienced ranger, plus a couple of cultural experiences. The pass will cost $25 (£13.50) and can be used within 14 days of the pass start date. To negate most of this hassle though, I would suggest doing Kakadu via a day trip from Darwin. There are a number of companies that will do this, and again, prices will increase depending on the tour, comforts and certain inclusions.
Kakadu is well worth a visit with stunning scenery rolling for almost 20,000 square kilometres covering thousands of species of plant and animal over a vastly differing terrain, from the wetlands to the arid deserts and on to the coast. The scenery, waterfalls and wildlife are something I will never forget.
Litchfield, whilst smaller in stature at nearly 1,500 kilometres squared is just as beautiful with flowing rivers, waterfalls, and pools scattered across its wondrous lands. The wildlife is just as stunning here as in Kakadu and there are superb planned walking routes, which you can use without any assistance and guide. The park has a couple of locations where you can park up and camp, but there are no facilities. So, be mindful of that.
It is safe to swim in some of the rivers, falls and lakes, but already mentioned, be safe and careful as to where you can do this
Mindil Beach
Mindil Beach, to the north of the CBD, is a fantastic location any time of the day (out of monsoon season, that is), with some of the best sunsets in Darwin. During the day this well-kept beach plays host to sunbathers looking to top up that tan, and during the dry season, it becomes a marketplace full of stalls and events.
There isn't really a lot I can say about the beach if I'm honest. I mean, it's nice, but it's not great. It has the sea, sand and sun, so yeah, basically its a beach, and somewhere nice to relax away from the madness of the city centre.
Mindil Beach, ladies and gents.
Deckchair Cinema
My next suggestion appears to be something of a growing trend. It is, and definitely was for me, a unique experience, and that is the deckchair cinema to the south-west of the city in Jervois Park. This wonderful location, open to the stars (not celebrities, but proper stars in the sky) is a perfect place to sit back and enjoy a film, usually with one showing a night, but occasionally two.
Films start promptly at 7:30 pm, so make sure you get there nice and early to get your spot and your meal. The food I had was very good, and the portion size was great. The only issue with having a delicious plate of food outdoors was the unwanted visitors that are drawn in through the bushes by the wafting delights. Possums scurry around your feet, picking at any leftovers and making you jump out of your seat every time they run over your foot.
If I'm honest though, they add to the mood of the place. My mates and I had a fantastic time here and loved the experience, and for $16 (£8.50) it was the cheapest night out we had in the city. It really is a hidden gem of Darwin, however, this only runs from around mid-April to November, so please check before attending.
Cullen Bay
Cullen Bay and the marina make for a lovely walk, with stunning boats on display showing off the wealth of the city, whilst beautiful restaurants don the bay for those who want to eat outside the city centre. If you have the money, I wouldn't blame you.
The area I would like to something of out a romantic film, with well kept, tree-lined streets, beautiful views, and grass perfectly trimmed to within the nearest half-mil, making for the most wonderful relaxing, yet downright annoying part of town. I want it, and yet know I will never be able to afford the view, let alone the properties.
The only thing you will have to keep an eye on is the occasional unwanted visitor or two that crawl from the seas to bask in the sun's rays.
Darwin Precinct
The area to the south of the city that encompasses Darwin Precinct and the artificial public beach seems to be the 'hangout of choice' both day and night. The safety of the artificial beach, which is just like the sea but minus every animal trying to kill you, is great. The blissful gold sands shimmer whilst the surrounding grasses make for the perfect sunbathing traps if you can secure yourself a spot.
The crowds descend here, especially on weekends, so pick your time to visit in the week if possible. The area is also blessed with a wave pool and an abundance of wonderful cafes, bars and restaurants, all of which combine to create a fantastic ambience as the evening draws in.
Bicentennial Park
Lastly, I would suggest a stroll along the western cliffs of Bicentennial Park, taking in the views out to sea, and the lapping up the number of memorials and lookouts that fill the cliff tops, such as the USS Peary Memorial. There's not much more to say about this. It's a park on some cliffs. Enjoy.
Where to Stay Whilst Backpacking Darwin
Darwin has so many styles of accommodation scattered across the city, ranging in price, comfort levels and standards. In truth, there are so many places to stay, that I'm surprised there are locals left in the area.
I stayed in a YHA, which as of March 2025, is known as Mom Darwin. This hostel is not only how I expect a hostel to be run, but it far surpassed anything I had ever imagined.
The hostel had helpful, friendly and kind staff who had undoubtedly travelled before, and knew the drill of arriving in a city and just wanting to get things done. Cue amazing rooms, facilities, atmosphere and a rooftop pool and bar, with banging tunes and laughter throughout.
Having left Darwin for Bali, there was only one place I was returning to upon my return.
If the cost of living in the city wasn't so high, I would have been more than happy to spend my days relaxing here. There was a real community feel, and large groups of us would cook for each other, look out for each other and so on. It genuinely was a family away from home.
A night at the YHA will cost you around $25 (£13.50), but you can be sure to add a fair whack on top of that $25, as you'll not want to leave the bar area too early. It all adds up, but hey, it's still cheaper than going out.
Where to Eat When Backpacking Darwin
Darwin is full of restaurants and small shacks dotted here, there and everywhere. But just because they are there, doesn't always mean a good meal, and in Darwin, there is only one place I am going to start and finish with, and that, my friends, is Outback Jack's Bar and Grill.
Those of you lucky enough *cough cough* to have met me, or have read into the 'More on Greg' section will know, I am not the largest of gents, but I am a massive foodie, and I cannot resist good food or a food challenge. Outback Jack's threw down a challenge of a kilo steak, 2 portions of thick potato wedges, and a couple of portions of veg, all to be eaten in a slender 30 minutes. Easy, I thought. Difficult, it was.
Like most Aussie restaurants it's all about the meat, and the meat comes in all shapes, sizes and forms from a number of animals, and the bigger the better. I took up the challenge as above, and finished it with less than 5 minutes remaining, which came as a bit of a shock to the staff, who looked me up and down as I ordered, and said: "I don't think this one is for you". They were even more wide-eyed when I asked for the dessert menu after. My only regret came as we boarded the flight a few hours later and I got a horrendous case of the meat sweats.
I will say the first half of the challenge was a delight, the food tasted great, the steak cooked perfectly, and the flavours danced around my mouth like a performance from Swan Lake. Towards the end, none of that mattered. It was a case of 'I am completing this', as money was running low and I didn't want to pay the $40 (£21).
Everyone else loved their meals, as they had chosen sensibly, and had gone for something a little less, well, challenging. Overall, we had to give respect to the restaurant; the meats were cooked to perfection, and if I returned to the city and had the money I would be coming back to Outback Jack's in a heartbeat. Just this time, I would look for something a bit more relaxing.
Other than the wonderful success story of Greg vs Food there isn’t much to discuss in regards to meals out in the city. Yes, the streets are full of bars and restaurants but honestly, we couldn’t afford to eat out. All of our meals were either, and I am ashamed to admit it, McDonald's or Hungry Jacks (not to be mistaken for Outback Jack's), or a quick run-down to Coles (other supermarkets are available, apparently) and grabbing whatever they had on offer that remotely went together to form a meal.
Where to drink and Party when Backpacking Darwin
When it comes to drinking in the city there are enough bars and clubs to get you beyond pissed every night and not have to return to the same bar for a month. That said, it is more a question of one: would you want to go to them? And two: could you afford to go to them?
If you answer 'Yes, I can afford to go' you probably will not want to, and if you do want to go, then, like us, you may have to answer no because you cannot afford to drink there unless you take out a mortgage first. Or sell a kidney. Have I mentioned Darwin is expensive?
Conundrum hey? No, not really. Just get smashed at the hostel bars. Honestly, I recommend the YHA rooftop pool bar, it was always buzzing, full of fun and games, and people who just want to have a good time, with deals on jugs and mixers which, let's be honest, is just what we are looking for.
Other than that, you have a few options depending on your paycheck or what you’ve managed to catch out at sea/excavated from under the earth’s crust.
If your thing is clubbing into the early hours and you don’t have Elon Musk’s travel budget, Mitchell Street is for you, with the likes of Monsoons serving steaks and parmi’s during the day and cocktails by night, opening until 4am every night of the week. Although that is when the fun and games end - it is full of lechy guys who outnumbered the girls 15 to 1 some nights, and my god it was awful. Drinks were cheap and nasty, the atmosphere was terrible and only a couple of girls made it to the club without reversing straight back out the door, whilst the rest were swarmed by a ton of horny dudes who'd spent the last month either at sea or in a pit.
Don’t worry, it gets worse. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights you have the abysmal Discovery, and well, that’s enough about that particular delight, only to be followed by the shambles of Opium.
Overall, clubbing in the city is the cheapest way to drink. However, its watered-down drinks, freebies are thrown out at you like garbage on bin days, and staff don’t give a damn. All I can say is, if this is the route you want to take, you may want to get a check-up in the morning from the doctor, you never know what you might catch after spending an evening with this much seamen.
If, however, you are a cultured, suave, and sophisticated kind of person (or you just don't enjoy being puked on), you will want to head away from the mayhem and madness, away from the hairy bikers in thongs and vests covered in sick, drink and last night's dinner, and drink at the bars where you can converse over a flavoursome concoction put together by trained bar staff.
Get off Mitchell Street, save yourselves, and head down to the artificial beach where you will find the likes of Fiddlers Green and the Oyster Bar, both serving up great drinks and what looked to be amazing foods (not that we ate there, but hey). There is a real sense of pride and passion from the staff, and this flows into the vibe and attitude of the customer too. Whilst I didn’t drink here every night, as I would have been bankrupt, I did sink a few early evening drinks with friends, watching the sun go down on a couple of occasions. Both of these options would be my recommendations for a nice relaxing drink before heading back to your hostel bar to get truly shitfaced.
What You'll Need to Blend In
Either a winning lottery ticket, or a ticket out of here
A degree in weather forecasting
Sun Cream
A love for deadly animals
A wallet bigger than Bill Gates' (That's you Jeff, only you...)
