Beyond The Tropic Of Capricorn, Top Five Experiences In Darwin And The Far North Of Australia

Having lived in Sydney and explored the popular east coast during a working holiday, when Sarah Haines returned to Australia she wanted to see a different side of the country. Far north of the Tropic of Capricorn, Sarah flew into Darwin where she started her trip through the Northern Territory and far north of Queensland to Cairns. Here are a few of her favourite experiences...

Best View:

Jim Jim falls in Kakadu National Park is not an easy place to get to, it involves a very bumpy hour long 4X4 drive and an hours trek which our guide described as ‘a bit bouldery’ through what is best described as a small canyon. It is most definitely worth it when you get there and you can be rewarded with a cool dip in the waterfall. Swimming underneath the waterfall is an amazing experience; you can really feel its true power. Finally warming up on the perfectly white sands on a small beach a 2 minute swim away or a 10 minute walk across the boulders is the perfect place to warm up after the cold water!

Best Shopping experience:

Mindle markets is an absolutely great way to spend a Sunday in Darwin. A buzz of people all making their way round perusing an array of jewellery and clothing shops. You are also able to purchase your obligatory authentic Australian mementos such as a didgeridoo or a boomerang, while grabbing sustenance from local, fresh, superb looking and tasting food stalls. I avoided the ‘Road Kill Café’ though, despite their polite tag line saying ‘you kill it, we’ll grill it’ being so tempting!

Best Sunset:

At the beach next to Mindle markets on a Sunday in Darwin, where you can still hear live didgeridoo from the markets can still be heard. What appears to be the population of Darwin makes easy work of relaxing, eating, drinking and socialising on the beach. Some people had tables and chairs, some brought blankets, and some were in the ocean. All were gathered to watch the sunset over the sea, and watch the sky turn red to burnt orange to gold, applaud when the sun finally disappears behind the sea, and then watch the starry sky encroach onto the horizon.

Best Experience:

White water rafting on Cairns Tully River with Raging Thunder is one experience that should not be missed. With experienced staff doing a great job of staying in control despite the aggressive rapids, they help you feel confident in their abilities and enjoy the experience. The heart racing, intense thrill of rafting is juxtaposed beautifully with the stunning rainforest scenery and you can also enjoy a bit of butterfly watching!

Best Encounter:

After 5 minutes of being in Darwin you will discover that they are very proud of and love their crocs! The best place to come face to face with these deadly predators will be at Crocosaurous Cove, where I did the ‘Cage of Death’ - a cage that is submerged into small pools with 4 of the largest crocodiles that have ever been captured. The enormous scratch marks on the outside of the cage do make you to feel extremely nervous as the cage is mechanically pulled further towards their enormous jaws!