Our 10 days in Darwin

<b>When we flew to Darwin from the US recently, we were excited to explore a part of the world that has always seemed so exotic. What we experienced was so much more than that, and we were itching to return. Once you see what we got up to in just 10 days, you will want to take a trip there too!</b>

<b>Day 1</b>
Today we went to the impressive Darwin Harbour, and visited the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory ( http://www.magnt.net.au/ ), which features lots of indigenous art. The most shocking was the Cyclone Tracy exhibit which showcased the devastation that the natural disaster caused.

<b>Day 2</b>
We went for a brief walk along East Point Road, which lines the waterfront and is part of a reserve. The views are great and we were also able to go swimming in the salt waters of Lake Alexander – which was very refreshing as you can’t swim in the sea here.

<b>Day 3</b>
Today we went for a tour on the Adelaide River to see the jumping crocs. It was so exciting, and was paired wonderfully with some relaxing in the afternoon on the beaches of the lagoons. In the evening we headed to the Mindil Beach Markets, where we ate at a food stall and enjoyed live music.

<b>Day 4</b>
Today we browsed the Parap Village Markets all morning and picked up some souvenirs. So many, in the end, that we had to send some excess baggage back home to the states using PACK & SEND ( http://www.packsend.com.au/ ) service! There was some delicious food on offer too. We then headed to the Mbantua Fine Art Gallery to see some local and indigenous art.

<b>Day 5</b>
Today was all about more shopping (another reason we had so much extra to take home!). We went to the Smith Street mall ( http://www.darwin.nt.gov.au/live/your-cbd/mall )and had a blast looking at the Star Arcade vintage shops. Later on we had a relaxed dinner in a luxurious restaurant. This was probably our most expensive day of the whole trip!

<b>Day 6</b>
This day was booked for a harbour cruise. There’s nothing like looking back on the city with a glass of wine and enjoying the tranquil waters of a sunny day!

<b>Day 7</b>
It was a long 3-hour drive, but a day trip to Kakadu National Park was well worth the time spent. It’s a beautiful place with wetlands and monsoon forest.

<b>Day 8</b>
We had a great time when we went to Crocodylus Park, which is home to saltwater crocodiles as well as other creatures. You can even feed them by hand – it’s perfectly safe here!

<b>Day 9</b>
For our history day, we headed to the Fannie Bay Gaol historic site, where they still have the gallows up for you to visit. We finished the day with browsing at the Darwin Military Museum to learn about how Australia contributed during World War II.

<b>Day 10</b>
We had to do something seriously adventurous on our last day, so we went for it. We headed to Crocosaurus Cove and enjoyed being lowered into the water in a croc-proof cage! We got up close and personal with barramundi, sawfish, and whiprays as well. Plus there were turtles and other reptiles to see.

We have to recommend Darwin to anyone who is considering it, no matter what kind of city break you enjoy. You can even explore the wilder side of Australia from here, and there are so many choices for day trips too. There’s no way we could do it all in 10 days, so we’ll be back soon!Read more