By Liz Lewis
Darwin, Australia is a long way from anywhere and a great place to hide out while you are reassessing your life. Darwin knows all about picking up the pieces, having been reconstructed twice in its lifetime after it was bombed during WWII and after Cyclone Tracey in 1974.
But if you’re planning on going into Exile in Darwin, there are a few things you need to know. First, the weather. Timing is everything with Darwin. Don’t think four seasons, think two - the wet and the dry. Most people visit during the dry season (April - October). If you decide to visit in the wet season (November - March) be prepared for rain (lots of it) and a place where most attractions are shut down.
Second, getting there is not all that simple or cheap. Just getting into your car and driving is not really the answer as it’s a very long, dry and dusty journey. Personally, if I was heading to Darwin, I would arrive in style by train. After all, what’s a better way of starting your exile than standing on the steps of a train The Ghan and waving the world goodbye.
Check into the SkyCity Darwin Hotel at Mindi Beach. Only minutes from the Central Business District, you can exile yourself here for days on end, venturing out to the casino, the beach, and the city only as you desire.
Darwin is a true ethnic melting pot and no better example of this exists than the Mindi Beach Sunset Market just opposite the hotel. Held every Thursday and Sunday evening during the dry season, it is just the place to Exhale all your worries and cares away. It’s quite a sight, watching the locals, armed with chairs, tables, drink, and kids, arrive and settle under the coconut palms.
Make your way there and discover what the locals already know - for pure joy, nothing can beat watching the sunset in Darwin. Follow your nose and wander through a maze of food stalls emitting fabulous aromas.
If you miss the market at Mindi Beach (or decide that markets are your thing), other markets can be found in the suburbs and outskirts of Darwin.: Friday evening (Palmerston Market), Saturday morning (Parap Village Market), and Sunday morning (Nightcliff Market and the Rapid Creek Market). If you head out for the Nightcliff Market, make sure you take your swimsuit and stop at the Nightcliff Aquatic Center (corner of Nightcliff and Causarian Roads), a great outdoor pool right next to the ocean. Perched on a cliff and overlooking Darwin Harbor, this unpopulated pool features shade awnings and a lush tropical garden with amazing views.
