Darwin accommodation from NZ$85

Are you ready to go north for a change? Yeah, you are. Check out Wotif’s incredible offers on Darwin hotel deals and book your stay today.

Planning the Plan

Your flight has to land somewhere and that somewhere is Darwin International Airport (DRW), 13km from the central business district. There are all sorts of options to get downtown, like taxis, shuttle buses, hired cars (from Wotif, naturally) and public buses.

But if you’re arriving late and just can’t get to the city centre until morning, take a taxi to one of the hotels near Darwin International Airport. Get some rest, because you’ve got a lot of adventure coming your way once the sun comes up.

Stuff Yourself

Raiding the bar fridge in your Darwin accommodation won’t fill you up…besides, it will cost you something like 100 dollars for a chocolate bar. You want real food at a real price, are we right?

Wander down to Cullen Bay’s Marina Boulevard where everything from seafood restaurants to Indian joints and pizza parlours have planted flags. Eat up, you’re on holiday!

Next up, head to the Palmerston Markets and dig into Asian delicacies from Thailand, Vietnam and Korea. Then make your way to the Nightcliff Markets, where there area stands slinging the best crepes this side of France.

Family Fun

Did you bring the ducklings along for the ride? If so, take them over to the Australian Aviation Heritage Museum and check out all the old planes on display. They’ll love seeing the B-52 Stratofortress 92596, Cobra AH-1G and Supermarine Spitfire in residence there. The kids (or you) can sit in the cockpit of the B-52 and pretend they’re on a super-secret mission.

Before tucking the little ones in for the night at your Darwin hotel, herd them over to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, because kids love museums and this place is phenomenal. Show them preserved animals like hammerhead sharks, wedge-tailed eagles and an endless number of insects. But the biggest attraction is Sweetheart, the 5m-long crocodile that developed a bit of a reputation for attacking motorboats in the 1970s. Don’t worry, she’s stuffed and harmless now.

It’s Time for an Adventure

You know what they say: When in Darwin…do whatever you want. Like taking a self-guided walking tour through the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens.

If you’re looking for a huge collection of Northern Territory monsoon flora, this place will be your Shangri-La. And don’t forget to keep an eye out for the rufous owls. These feathered friends once disappeared, with no sightings for two years, but they’re back!

Now that you’re in the bushwalking spirit, go for another one in the Holmes Jungle Nature Park. This place is crawling with local critters, especially down by the banks of Pine Creek. Just be sure to keep an eye out for the gigantic saltwater crocodiles lurking in the shallows. After a long day here, you’ll be ready to kick back at your accommodation in Darwin.

Life at Night

Some of the best places to stay in Darwin are located downtown, which happens to be where some of the most happening nightlife is. Start at the far end of Mitchell Street and slug a Guinness in the Irish pub, have a sake bomb in the Japanese place and then get a craft cocktail in one of the swanky new bars.

When you get to the corner of Knuckey Street, hang a left and check out the fine establishments lining both sides of this thoroughfare. Good luck getting back to one of our Darwin hotels after these nighttime escapades.

Festival Season

Check out deals on hotels in Darwin during August so you can take in the extravaganza that is Darwin Festival. We’re talking 18 straight days of theatre, music, dance, visual art, food, drink and cabaret. Seriously, three weeks of nonstop action. Do you think you can handle it?

Want to know where to stay in Darwin city centre during the end of July? Anywhere near the Gardens Amphitheatre will do, because that’s where the National Indigenous Music Awards are held. You’ll be captivated by the traditional dances of Aboriginal tribes from all across the continent. And just wait until one of them gets out on the stage and holds a digeridoo note for over 15 minutes. Maybe 20 if they’re extra-talented.

If there was anything more to tell you about this city, we’d have a bigger Darwin travel guide for you. But we’re pretty sure we’ve given you all we can. The festivals. The nightlife. The eateries. It’s all right here; all you just have to browse Wotif’s fantastic offers on Darwin holidays and think up the perfect “Out of Office” reply for work.