1. At festivals, markets and on the harbour In Darwin, the action happens outside - in markets, parks, by the beach or on boats. You can join the locals with a crate and a plate of sizzling satay at The Mindil Beach Sunset Markets from May to October. Or watch them build boats out of beer or soft drink cans at the annual Darwin Beer Can Regatta in July. At the Deckchair Cinema from April to November you can watch movies under a canopy of stars with a drink from the bar and a picnic dinner. Soak up Darwin's tropical weather with a harbourside dinner at Cullen Bay Marina or a sunset harbour cruise complete with a history lesson.
Sep 20, 2028 - Darwin
Darwin
Soak up Darwin's balmy weather and the melting pot of food and cultures in the city's many outdoor festivals and markets. Then explore the region's dramatic history - from World War II air raids to Cyclone Tracey - in the museums and galleries. Sail Darwin harbour at sunset, cruise next to crocodiles and bushwalk through monsoon forest. Swim in the crystal-clear waterholes of Litchfield National Park and visit the colourful communities of the Tiwi Islands. This vibrant, tropical capital has a youthful energy you'll find hard to resist.
Five ways to discover Darwin and its surrounds:
1. At festivals, markets and on the harbour In Darwin, the action happens outside - in markets, parks, by the beach or on boats. You can join the locals with a crate and a plate of sizzling satay at The Mindil Beach Sunset Markets from May to October. Or watch them build boats out of beer or soft drink cans at the annual Darwin Beer Can Regatta in July. At the Deckchair Cinema from April to November you can watch movies under a canopy of stars with a drink from the bar and a picnic dinner. Soak up Darwin's tropical weather with a harbourside dinner at Cullen Bay Marina or a sunset harbour cruise complete with a history lesson.
2. With wildlife and in tropical parklands
Cycle past orchids and bromeliads and traditional Aboriginal plants in George Brown Botanic Gardens. Swim, have a sunset barbecue and explore sacred Aboriginal sites at Casuarina Coastal Reserve. In Berry Springs Nature Park, you can spot birds in monsoon forest and fish in the crystal clear swimming holes. Get up close to fish, birds-of-prey, nocturnal animals and reptiles in the Territory Wildlife Park, a 45-minute drive from Darwin. Have a close crocodile encounter at Crocodylus Park, the Darwin Crocodile Farm or on a crocodile cruise along Darwin's coastal fringe and rivers.
3. Hot on the heels of history
Learn more about Darwin's rich Aboriginal heritage in the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Here you can also relive the tragic Cyclone Tracy which hit Darwin on Christmas Eve in 1974. See the Chinese Temple it nearly destroyed in Litchfield Street. Darwin endured 64 Japanese air raids in World War II, and you can watch dramatic footage of the bombings and visit the bunker where Top End defense strategy was planned at East Point Military Museum. See original B52 bomber planes at the Aviation Heritage Centre and a network of walking trails leading to World War II oil tunnels around the Wharf Precinct. In Myilly Point Historical Precinct you can see some of the few surviving cottages designed by architect B.C.G Burnett in the colonial style popular before World War II.
4. Under the waterfalls of Litchfield National Park
Make time for a day trip to the waterfalls and plunge pools, wildlife and birdlife, ranges and rainforest of Litchfield National Park, a one-and-a-half hour drive from Darwin. Swim in the crystal-clear swimming hole at the base of Florence Falls and bush-walk through monsoon rain-forest to Walker Creek. Picnic next to roosting fruit bats at Wangi Falls and see sweeping valley views at Tolmer Falls. Take a wildlife cruise on the Reynolds River, part of a working cattle station. Explore this Tarzan landscape with traditional Aboriginal owners the Wagait people or peer into a pastoral past in the ruins of Blyth Homestead.
5. On a trip to the Tiwi Islands
Join in the excitement of the Tiwi Islands Grand Football Final, held every March in Nguiu. Browse and buy Tiwi art, distinctive for its strong design, decorative features and vivid colours. Take billy tea and damper tea with Tiwi ladies as they demonstrate traditional weaving and painting. Then watch them perform a traditional dance and a smoking ceremony to clear bad spirits. Catch big barramundi on a fishing tour on the Tiwi coast. You'll find a warm welcome and a lush landscape of rainforest, beaches and rock pools on Melville and Bathurst Islands, together known as the Tiwi Islands. Explore them on a day or overnight tour, traveling a 20-minute flight or two-hour ferry from Darwin.
Sep 21, 2028 - At Sea
Sep 22, 2028 - Pulau Nai
Sep 23, 2028 - Misool Island
Sep 24, 2028 - Gam Island (Yenwapunor)
Sep 24, 2028 - Kri Island
Sep 25, 2028 - Pulau Swande
Sep 26, 2028 - Kwatisore Peninsula
Sep 27, 2028 - Aishandami
Sep 27, 2028 - Pulau Rouw
Sep 28, 2028 - Pulau Biak
Sep 29, 2028 - At Sea
Sep 30, 2028 - Vanimo
Oct 01, 2028 - Ali Island
Ali Island is located northeast of Aitape Town, and the island is easily reached by a 30-40 minute boat ride. The island is known for its peaceful atmosphere and the hospitality provided by the islanders. Locals are always interested in meeting tourist, and showing them local hot spots and cultural traditions.
Oct 02, 2028 - Madang
Madang is a port on the northeastern coast of New Guinea lying on Astrolabe Bay near the mouth of the Gogol River. It is the centre for a large timber industry based on the Gogol forest about 25 miles (40 km) inland. Nearby is an island studded lagoon, coral reefs and a rainforest with fruit bats. Abandoned by the Germans in 1899 because of the prevalence of malaria, it was occupied by the Japanese from 1942 to 1945. Kalibobo lighthouse at the harbour entrance commemorates the New Guinea coast watchers who aided the Allies during WW2.
Oct 03, 2028 - Garove Island (Witu Islands)
Garove Island is the largest of the Witu (Vitu) Islands, and contains the Garove volcano, which has a three mile caldera that opens to the sea.
Oct 04, 2028 - Rabaul
Rabaul and it's Harbor is to the New Guinea islands as the Metro is to Paris. Tokua airport is the gateway to the islands region. Rabaul is surrounded by friendly native villages and the local dialect is called Kuanua and its people are called Tolai's.
Oct 05, 2028 - At Sea
Oct 06, 2028 - Kennedy Island
Kennedy Island (also fondly called plum pudding island) is best known for being the place where former US President John F. Kennedy was shipwrecked during WWII. The island is very small but offers some of the best fishing, snorkeling, diving, and kayaking around. The island is surrounded by clear blue waters, coral reefs, and a variety of tropical fauna.
Oct 07, 2028 - Mbili Island
Oct 08, 2028 - Santa Ana Island
Santa Ana Island is a small island in the archipelago of the Solomon Islands. It is also known as Owaraha, this destination holds a lot of cultural treasures to discover. The water is crystal clear and the locals are very welcoming and friendly.
Oct 09, 2028 - At Sea
Oct 10, 2028 - Champagne Beach, Vanuatu
Champagne Beach is located on the island of Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu. This beach was named "Champagne Beach" because of small gas bubbles continuously rise from the volcanic sea floor creating a unique underwater display, which with a combination of crystal clear water and extensive marine life is perfect for snorkeling and diving.
Oct 11, 2028 - Ambrym Island
Called the 'Land Before Time' - Ambrym is one of the few places on Earth where you can see the seething active lava lakes in the heart of twin volcanoes, for Ambrym Island is the remains of a huge volcano plunging into the surrounding Pacific Ocean.
Oct 12, 2028 - At Sea
Oct 13, 2028 - Lautoka
Lautoka is sited in the western side of Viti Levu, the largest island in Fiji, and approximately 250 km from Suva, the capital. The city is surrounded with the blue Pacific Ocean on the western side and green gold sugar cane together with pine trees on the other sides. This side of the island is more diverse. One of the prime shopping areas nearby is the town of Nadi.