How to visit Darwin in 1 day? Ideal base point for exploring the national parks of the Northern Territory (Litchfield National Park, Nitmiluk gorges, Kakadu National Park…), the city of Darwin is often forgotten or neglected by tourists. And as unfortunately I did not have enough time to visit the national parks, I decided to take an interest in this city which knew how to surprise and seduce me. This is how I visited Darwin in 1 day.
How to visit Darwin in 1 day?
Darwin is not a city very rich in architectural heritage, but there are still some cool places to visit. The only problem is that these places are all very far from each other… The agglomeration of Darwin is very large. I quickly understood that it would be impossible to visit everything on foot in 1 day. And since we only had 1 day to visit Darwin, we chose the solution of Big Bus Hop on - Hop of tourist bus Darwin Tour. Indeed, his route and its stops met exactly what I was looking for a optimized tour of Darwin (last step of our 3 week trip to Australia).
This way of discovering Darwin by tourist bus allowed us to see in 1 day all the essentials without necessarily stopping or visiting them all. In addition, we were able to visit at our own pace and eat where we wanted, at the time we wanted. No constraints since we could take the next bus as soon as we were done.
Tourist bus to visit Darwin in 1 day
To buy the tickets and take the Big Bus Hop on - Hop of tourist bus Darwin Tour, we went to stop # 7 at the Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory. Indeed, it was the closest stop to our hotel (10 minutes walk). So, no need to take a taxi to go downtown. Ditto for the return, we got off at stop n ° 7 (too practical !!!).
Tourist bus route map
Stages of the route Tourist bus
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- Tourist Information Center - Corner Smith & Bennett Streets
- Crocosaurus Cove - 79 Mitchell Street
- Doctor's Gully, Aquascene Fish Feeding - 107 Mitchell Street
- Cullen Bay Jetty - 69 Marina Boulevard
- Cullen Bay Apartments, Myilly Point Heritage Precinct - 68 Marina Blvd
- Casino, Mindil Markets, Botanical Gardens - 73 Gilruth Avenue
- Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory - 19 Conacher Street
- Parap - 46 Ross Smith Ave (request stop only)
- Stokes Hill Wharf - 45 Stokes Hill Road
- Waterfront Precinct - Kitchener Drive
- Fort Hill Wharf (Cruise Ship Terminal)
- Anchorage Court
Darwin in 1 day - Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory
It is stop n ° 7, our point of departure and arrival very close to our hotel. Of course, we took the opportunity to visit the exhibitions. Especially since the visit is free and AIR CONDITIONED !!! We discover all the animals and insects of the region stuffed there, collections on the culture of Oceania on maritime history, natural sciences, indigenous culture and contemporary art. One room is devoted entirely to Cyclone Tracy, which ravaged the region in 1974.
Darwin in 1 day - Smith Street
This is the starting point of the bus, thestop n ° 1. In the heart of Darwin, this charming shopping street is Darwin's main thoroughfare! Very lively, its tourist attraction is linked to the presence of pretty little traditional aboriginal art stalls. There are also fashion boutiques, souvenir shops and a few bars and restaurants.
Darwin in 1 day - Graffiti district
By taking, a little at random, a small dead end, we come across the Darwin Graffiti District. What a good surprise ! We find ourselves walking the streets to discover magnificent murals, some of which are gigantic. FYI, this open-air art gallery is located on Austin La Street.
Darwin in 1 day - Mindil Beach
You can't go to Darwin without going to Mindil Beach! This beautiful sandy beach gave us the urge to swim that we quickly gave up. Indeed, the signs in front of the beach are quite dissuasive ...
My favorites Darwin
Just 2 little addresses to let you know if you are looking for a good plan to eat peking duck (6 € the dish) and feast on big, good, high-calorie pastries:
Our hcheap hotel in Darwin
A Darwin, I had booked 2 nights in a comfortable and fairly well located hotel for its low price: the Paravista Motel Darwin (71 Euros per night).
Rooms are air conditioned and feature free Wi-Fi, a private balcony, fridge and tea and coffee making facilities. It is dated but very clean and quiet. In short, it was a good plan!
Its location turned out to be perfect because we were able to find everything we wanted nearby (restaurants, shops, etc.) and the famous stop n ° 7 of the tourist bus which we used as a taxi.
Le value for money was unbeatable for Darwin: 71 Euros per night !