Aussie backpacking! Heres a guide for Darwin! - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

Bluegem · 09-04-2005, 12:14 AM

I just got back from my trip to Darwin and loved it. Im from melbourne Australia and didnt know what to expect when i got off the plane.

Accomadation.
Theres 3 things you can do in Darwin regarding accomadation.
1. Book ahead and suss out the hotel you like.
2. Get off the plane and get a shuttle bus (about $6-$9) to Mitchell St in Darwin. This is the 'backpacker street' where all the joints maily congregate. Alot of them are open 24 hours and you can just go up and ask for a room no sweat.
3. Get off the plane and head straight for the info kiosk and they can ring around and find you a place to stay for a small fee. This is what i did and they basically threw in the shuttlebus for free.

You can expect to pay $19 (8+ person dorm with very basic facilities) to $40 a night.
I stayed in the Darwin YHA ($25 a night) which is right next to the bus station, pub, food strip and scooter hire.

Food.
If you go out everynight and never cook you could easily live off mcdonalds and KFC for about $6 a meal. A bowl of oats in the morning will set you back $3.90, most bottled drink will be about $2.50-$3.50. If theres one place that is value for money you cant go past the Casino. Its about a 20 minute walk from most of the backpacker joints but you can get all you can eat/drink...

Breakfast - $9.95
Lunch - $11.95
Dinner - $24.95

What do do while there.
- Check out litchfiled national park. It will cost you about $100 to do a day tour. This is what i did and this included a jumping croc tour where you go down a river and they make the crocs jump out of the water. Lunch (salad sandwich's are provided) and you can swim in some beautiful waterfalls, rock hole and things.
- Check out Darwins harbor at night and get a meal. Will set you back $10.90 for a grilled Barramundi fish, callamari, chips and salad.
- A day trip to Kakadu will set you back about $150 as its a bit further away then Litchfield national park. Kakadu is very cultural with aboriginal paintings, majestic waterfalls (only accessible by 4wd) and bird swamps.
- Wander round to the pubs and clubs and check them out. The whole town is just about backpackers. Its amazing.

Work.
There is always plenty of work on fruit farms picking fruit from about August till December. You can expect to be paid about $15 an hour. Every waitress, hostess and most of the business's i went to were all backpackers. If you want work in this town bring your resume and you will get it.

Other things.
Movies = $15 for an adult
Hirecar to Kakadu for 2 days = $300
Scooter hire for the full day (8am-4pm) = $50 + 150 security deposit
Fuel for scooter = $4.80 for the whole day
Indoor Rockclimbing = $25 fo all day including equipment
Pizza for one person = $11
Pizza for two people = $18
A glass of beer = $4-$6
Premix drinks = $7+
Jug of beer can be had for $8

Any questions feel free to ask me.

danny · 09-05-2005, 02:26 AM

Just to add to a great post about Darwin

Backpackers
Melaluccas on Mitchell, Chillis and the Cavenagh are the best party atmosphere places if you want a place a bit more quiet try the opposite end of Mitchell St there are two other backpackers joints down there or Frogs Hollows backpackers.

Pubs-Clubs
The best one by far is the Vic Hotel huge backpacker scene with no attitude. Cavenagh has a pool everyone sits by to drink. Shenanagins,Rorkes Drift, Pig and Whistle are great sit down pubs with live entertainment. Top end Hotel,Lost Arc,The Deck bar and Ducks nuts are upper class establishments (for Darwin). Then there is Discovery basically the bouncers are dickheads and there is a lot of attitude there.Throb is a gay club (all right if your into that kind of thing) Basically there is around 30 pubs/clubs in the Darwin/Palmerston and Casurina area.

Things to do
Night Markets at Mindil Beach on a Thursday night awesome sunset and a place for everyone to hang out. Also if you are into a bit more extreme sports go Diving in the harbour there are lots of wrecks there from WW2 when the Japaneese bombed Australia really cool to look at but a few dangerous creatures around to watch.

**urOZm8** · 09-05-2005, 04:39 AM

Thanks and well done on the reviews guys!

ev

**Diorama** · 09-05-2005, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Pubs-Clubs
The best one by far is the Vic Hotel huge backpacker scene with no attitude

Haha...The Vic...Good times,Good times..

I entered one of their infamous contests and ended up being on stage wearing boxers from an American Navy Man...(Part of the contest involved me getting underwear from a guy in the bar....gotta love the Navy!)

Darwins cool, but bloody hot...Make sure you go in the right season.

danny · 09-07-2005, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Diorama Posted Yesterday, 07:36 PM
* QUOTE
Pubs-Clubs
The best one by far is the Vic Hotel huge backpacker scene with no attitude

Haha...The Vic...Good times,Good times..

I entered one of their infamous contests and ended up being on stage wearing boxers from an American Navy Man...(Part of the contest involved me getting underwear from a guy in the bar....gotta love the Navy!)

Darwins cool, but bloody hot...Make sure you go in the right season.

There are so many stories from that place like that it just goes off and no one cares what really happens great pub

Also season to come to Darwin is the dry around May-October cause the wet is beautiful but bloody humid. Hotter than Bangkok in March-April

**TERI** · 09-07-2005, 04:01 PM

That has got to be some of the best informed posts i've read on here!

now how many types of dangerous creatures are we talking about? Just sharks? How often are there shark attacks? I heard something about jellyfish. How serious is a sting from one?

I should be in Darwin in January or Febuary. But if that's the worst time to be there I could change my schedule and route plans a bit.

Thanks, for the great info guys.

**omisan** · 09-07-2005, 04:11 PM

Here's what I got from http://www.northernterritory.visitorsburea...itors_info.h tml

Quote:

A number of potential dangers lurk in waters around the Northern Territory coast in the form of marine stingers, stone fish, blue-ringed octopus and other creatures, all less obvious than the crocodile but capable of inflicting a painful bite or sting. While swimming on Darwin beaches is considered safe at the right time of the year, swimmers are urged to be keep their eyes open at all times for the presence of unwelcome visitors. The most prevalent threat is the deadly Box Jellyfish. The effect of a Box Jellyfish's long and poisonous tentacles brushing past a swimmer causes excruciating pain and has caused death, particularly among children, in a number of cases. On occasions, saltwater crocodiles have been spotted cruising close to some Darwin beaches on their journey to the series of mangrove creeks that feed into Darwin Harbour. These creeks are well away from the popular beaches and unlikely to be visited by tourists unless they're on a fishing trip. They are certainly not recommended as swimming spots.

I know that if i decide to explore the GBR in the summertime, what with all the box jellies, I'm going to have to don a stinger suit - it's like a lycra wetsuit with velcro surfacing that keeps the stings from killing you if they wrap you with their tentacles. Apparently, while it'll save your life, you'll still be left with welts/scarring. A bit scary, if you ask me, but what the hell...

Bluegem · 09-08-2005, 03:20 AM

once you see a croc you will not get in the water anywhere up there! i was even scared to get in the bath!!!

**urOZm8** · 09-08-2005, 03:26 AM

^ I swam in the same waters as crocodiles to get to some awesome waterfalls in Kakadu National Park!

ev

danny · 09-08-2005, 05:42 AM

Quote:

now how many types of dangerous creatures are we talking about? Just sharks? How often are there shark attacks? I heard something about jellyfish. How serious is a sting from one?

Don't worry about what is up here as the Northern parts of Aus are among the deadliest animals in the world the chances of anything bitting you are bugger all you probably have more chances of being hit by a car back at home. However listen to local advice as there have been a few fatal croc attacks up here since i lived here 3.5yrs. (mostly tourists) In the harbour and esturaries quite a few crocs get pulled out of there every year i think around the 100's. But saying this i go diving in the harbour all the time and i have never been attacked by anything but a box jellyfish which if you were the protection suit (small 3mm wetsuit) you are okay.

Out the bush there are lots of spiders, snakes and feral pigs listen to the guides as they hopefully should know what they are talking about.

Having said all this during Jan or Feb it is wet the storms are amazing cool electrical and rain storms and the territory is beautiful everything is green. Also it is one of the colder parts of the year due to the rain. If you come to Darwin you have to see Litchfield park waterfalls they are awesome so much water and practically no crowding cause it isn't tourist season.

Having said all that Darwin is probably one of the most unique places in Aus and is really worth seeing

**benna2** · 09-08-2005, 06:55 AM

I definately want to make sure to see Darwin when I make it to Australia! It sounds like a great place...

**LiveFreeorDie** · 09-08-2005, 09:15 AM

Quote:

know that if i decide to explore the GBR in the summertime, what with all the box jellies, I'm going to have to don a stinger suit - it's like a lycra wetsuit with velcro surfacing that keeps the stings from killing you if they wrap you with their tentacles. Apparently, while it'll save your life, you'll still be left with welts/scarring. A bit scary, if you ask me, but what the hell...

Omi - luckily, the GBR is far enough off shore not to have a problem with jellies of any variety. It is only close to shore, say at the beach, that the jellies are an issue. When I was in Australia last year, many of the beaches had jelly fish nets as well that they would put up and around certain parts of the beach.

If you head out for a day trip or a liveaboard out on the GBR, you shouldn't have any problem with jellies or sharks (the Great Whites are down in Southern Australia) while snorkeling, diving, etc.....just make sure you do not get left behind when the boat leaves............