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■ Population: 113,955 (including Palmerston)
■ Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)
■ Country and city code: +61, +8
■ Tourist info: Tourism Top End Beagle House, corner of Knuckey and Mitchell Streets, Darwin NT 0800
■ tel: +61 (8) 8936 2499
■ Holiday info: 13 67 68
■ email: info@travelnt.com or info@tourismtopend.com.au
■ websites: www.travelnt.com, www.tourismtopend.com.au or www.australianoutback.com
FUN FACT
Darwin is truly a city of contradictions – as well as being Australia’s sunniest capital city, it is also the wettest.
Darwin Wharf Precinct (Stokes Hill Wharf)
With plenty of restaurants serving everything from fish and chips to quality Thai food, the wharf is a great place to sit back and watch the seasonal storms roll in. It is also home to a fine history of pearling museum.
Nightcliff Community Markets (Pavonia Place, Nightcliff)
Spend a Sunday at this great family market with live entertainment, excellent food, craft and clothes stalls. To get there, catch the number 4 bus from the city. Open only on Sundays from 8am to 2pm.
Casuarina Shopping Square (Trower Road, Casuarina)
The territories’ largest shopping centre has over 200 shops, a cinema and heaps of eateries to choose from. Being fully air-conditioned, Casuarina Shopping Square is a good place to cool down as temperatures can reach over 30 degrees during the wet season.
Delaney’s Country and Western Store (2/20 Knuckey Street, tel: +61 (0)8 8981 8144)
A Delaney’s Store has existed in Darwin in one form or another since 1938. This is a great place to pick up some RM Williams boots, an Akubra hat or browse cutting-edge country fashion.
Fannie Bay Super Pizza (Shop 4 Fannie Bay Place, Fannie Bay, tel: +61 (0)8 8981 7324)
Try the “JR” for a taste of pizza perfection at this authentic Italian pizzeria. It is a real Darwin institution, so bookings are recommended, especially on Fridays and Saturdays. $
Garam Masala (Darwin Central Hotel, 1/21 Knuckey Street, tel: +61 (0)8 8944 9120)
Specialising in Indian cuisine, the highlight of this restaurant is the “Buddha Room” where you can stretch out on cushions in your own private space while enjoying a fine curry with friends. Open for lunch Monday to Friday, and dinner from Monday to Saturday. $$
Wisdom Bar and Cafe (48 Mitchell Street, Darwin City, tel: +61 (0)8 8941 4866)
Named after the dental surgery that used to occupy the same space, Wisdom is one of the places to be on Friday afternoon. You can escape the heat inside or sit out under the “beauty leaf” tree and enjoy the antics of the resident possum family.
Cullen Bay Resort (26 Marina Boulevard, Cullen Bay) *
Overlooking Cullen Bay Marina and Darwin Harbour, Cullen Bay Resort has all the trappings you would expect from a four-star hotel. It is close to the main restaurant drag in Cullen Bay and near Darwin’s central business district. Room rates start from AUD120 (SGD159). $$
Melaleuca on Mitchell (52 Mitchell Street, Darwin)
Melaleuca is not your average backpacker hostel – it is a classified as “deluxe”, which means as well as having bunk bed-style dorms, there are also suites, female-only floors, two swimming pools and a giant waterfall spa. Room rates start from AUD105 (SGD137.80). $
BY KIN LEONG
* FOR EXCLUSIVE DEALS, BOOK HOTELS AT www.TIGERAIRWAYS.COMwww.TIGERAIRWAYS.COM” target=”_blank”>
