Darwin travel guide

Culture and exploration in the Northern Territory

Darwin, the capital of Australia's Northern Territory and the country's smallest and northernmost capital city, is a pleasant, albeit quiet place. Its isolated aspect and easygoing locals give it a laid-back feel, and the beaches are good, especially Mindil Beach with its sunset market, restaurants and bars to entertain visitors, crocs and jellyfish notwithstanding. The big attraction (literally) lies outside of Darwin itself. The Northern Territory covers some 1.3 million square miles or, stated another way, more than Spain, France, and Benelux put together. Renowned attractions such as Kakadu National Park, with its aboriginal rock paintings, wetlands, and salt-water crocodiles, and the towering cliffs of the Katherine Gorge spring immediately to mind. The mixture of outdoor adventure and ancient culture in a tropical setting make Darwin and the Northern Territory a first-rate destination.