Darwin, NORTHERN TERRITORY
Airing Date: Jan 1st, 2002
The capital of the Northern Territory, Darwin has a population of 120,000 and welcomes around 500,000 tourists each year from Australia and the rest of the world.
The city's unique atmosphere, tropical climate and abundance of attractions have contributed to its rapid growth and development over the past few years. One of the latest attractions is Cullen Bay, a new marina development that is quickly becoming a lively hub for tourists and locals alike. The marina is only a five-minute drive from the city centre and the Cullen Bay Serviced Apartments offer great accommodation and a good alternative to staying in the middle of town.Cullen Bay boasts a large variety of great restaurants right at your doorstep. One of the trendiest places to eat is the Buzz Cafi, which draws a flurry of tourists not only for its tasty food, but also for its unique double- sided glass men's urinal. It's well worth a visit.Another great experience is to head into the harbour on a Darwin Pearl Lugger Cruise. Cruises on original Broome pearl luggers leave at around 5pm every day and offer a great opportunity to see a classic Darwin sunset.
If your real interest lies in what's beneath sea level, the Indo-Pacific Marine Exhibition is one of three exhibitions in the world that have successfully established living coral reef ecosystems on land. All the marine life you see is exactly what you'd find in the harbour.
The facts
The three-hour Darwin Pearl Lugger sunset cruise departs daily from Cullen Bay and costs from $44 per person, including drinks and finger food. There is also a four-hour BBQ lunch cruise that costs $55 per person.
Entry into the Indo-Pacific Marine Exhibition costs $14 for adults and $5 for children.
Northern Territory Holiday Centre
Tel: 1800 621 336
Cullen Bay Serviced Apartments
Tel: 08 8981 7999
Darwin Pearl Lugger Cruises
Tel: 08 8942 3131
