Thank you to those that posted to my Ayer Rock question for kids. We've decided to forego Ayers Rock (expense factor). Would love to take 6 months and go everywhere myself!

Now, we're trying to decide if we go to Darwin (Kakadu park) or spend all that time in GBR.

We're 2 adults and 2 children (boys 5 & 9)

Here's our itinerary:

Days 1 - 5 Sydney
Days 6 - 17 Perth and surrounding (visiting family)
Days 18 - 22 GBR
Days 23 - 26 Brisbane
Day 27 Leave for home

My question is should we try to squeeze in Darwin after Perth? Perhaps shortening the Brisbane stay. Doesn't seem to be an option to shorten the Perth leg as my husband wants 2 weekends to spend with family.

Thanks to all! Any accomodation or tours recommendations are also appreciated!

We actually really enjoyed our time in Darwin and Kakadu - it seemed uniquely 'Australian' (whatever that means!). On the other hand, we had been to the GBR on a previous trip. You're going to be doing a lot of travelling - flying all over, so maybe with 2 kids, it might be a bit much.

When are you going? That would be another consideration.

Runks,

We really enjoyed Kakdu and spent 4 nights out at the Park : 2 nights at Jabiru at 2 at Coiinda. The drive out from Darwin ids beautiful and we stopped at a few wildlife refugees on the way. We stayed at Lakeview Park in Jabiru, which is owned and managed by the local Aboriginal community. We had a tent cabin which was cheap and fun. Ther is an excellent bakery in town for breakfast and lunch stuff and after a swim at the Olympic size community pool we took our dinner at the Jabiru Social Club where we became temporary members. Took a great day trip w/ Lord's to Arnhemland and got to seee superb rock art. Also cruised up one of the misnamed Alligator Rivers w/ an entertaining aAborigine fellow and lady as guides.

I'm not abird watcher, but the dawn bot tour at Yellow Water wouild have knocked my socks off if I had been wearing any. We also went out w/ an anglo aussie and aboriginal lady guide team to hunt up roots and grubs and leasrn something about bush life on an aborigine owned water buffalo farm.

One of the (many) highlights of our trips

AndrewDavid

ps all of this would be wonderful for adults as well as kids of all ages

Hi Runks,
Not sure how flexible you are able to be with your schedule - but it might be useful to have a look at the Qantas website's route map to give you an idea of distance/ flying times etc. http://www.qantas.com.au/content/dyn/routemaps/au/index

Just thinking that, unless you're really committed to 3 days in Brisbane, you might be able to just make it a transit point (or leave it out altogether) and either go to Darwin & Kakadu or Ayers Rock. Qantas, Virgin Blue and a Qantas "cheapie" subsidiary, Jetstar, all offer lots of specials which might make any of these legs more attractive for you. Flying times can be longer than you might expect - 4 hrs Syd - Perth; 2 1/2 Sydney - Alice.

On your GBR leg, are you flying into Cairns? I've been to Darwin & Kakadu and to Alice - Ayers Rock and personally, I think you need 2 - 3 days to really experience everything Kakadu has to offer. Darwin's a very interesting city too, and well worth a day on its own. You could, on the other hand fly in & out of Ayers Rock within 24 hours and have a very good look around. (Flight schedules permitting, of course).

In Darwin, Billycan tours are absolutely sensational. If Wes Elems is still one of their guides you will be truly blessed!
www.billycan.com.au . Something like this would be wonderful: http://members.iinet.net.au/~holiday...n/k2dbilly.htm

If you do go to Darwin there's a great "hop on/ hop off" open sided small bus (bit like a Bali Bemo or a Thai Tuk Tuk) that provides an excellent tour around all the sights. Go to the Yacht club (v. casual & good value) for a meal - kids v. welcome. Mindil night markets are on the beach near the casino and a wonderful cultural mix of tastes, aromas & goods.
Buy something to eat & drink - watch the sun sink slowly into the ocean as you sit on the beach listening to a good local band playing at the markets behind you. The Novotel has a hotel right on the park overlooking the ocean, is v.reasonably priced & within walking distance of most things.

What would I do? Drop Brisbane & take Darwin & Kakadu in a heartbeat!

Imagine floating silently through a sea of wild lotus flowers while your guide points out tiny red legged birds walking on the lotus leaves right beside your boat - and a pair of Eagle sentinels on a bare ghost gum tree off to your left. Ssshhh - see that log over there? It isn't .... it's a croc sunning itself (and no - it's not the SLIGHTEST bit interested in you!).

Later on you'll walk up onto a craggy plateau, peer into a cave - and there will be Aboriginal paintings depicting the Dutch & their boats long before the Brits arrived. Up here you’ll see where “Crocodile Dundee” stood & pointed out “his land” in “THAT movie!” Further on, bit more walking, and there's a swimming hole fed by a waterfall. Hop in, it's just SO cool, clear & refreshing. Some of the local kids come by, swing out on vines hanging from trees & drop into the deep water, shrieks of laughter ringing around the rocky amphitheatre.

See a field of Termite nests 7’ tall & find out about their clever “air-conditioning” strategies.

Camp that night will be set up for you (permanent tents - forget the "motel" option ... you can do that anywhere). Enjoy a real outback BBQ and share stories & laughs with a small group of fellow travellers. Still, velvety night envelopes the landscape as you listen to the "silence", lie on your back as you did when you were your boys' ages - and lose yourself in the stars that form a canopy above.

On the way back to Darwin ask if you can call in at one of the Artists' workshops and see authentic Aboriginal art in the making. To paraphrase that infamous Crocodile D… character … “Kakadu ….That’s an experience to remember”. There’s a saying “You’ll never, never know if you never, never go” and “NT - it’ll never leave you,” used very effectively by the NT Tourist board. It’s true. It’ll also be a great contrast to everything else you’re doing.

Hello. At last, information from someone who has actually been to Darwin! We have a relative who is considering a job opportunity there. We are wondering the best way to get there for a vacation should he take the job. When he went over for an interview it took 40 hours of flying time - he ended up going from Atlanta to LA, through Melbourne, Sydney, Adalaide and then up to Darwin. Is there a better route? Would it be better to go to Honolulu, Bali, Singapore or someplace like that?
Also, just how WET is THE WET? Is it typically Monsoon around Dec. 25? When is the ideal (weather) time for us to visit.
thanks.

You might consider visiting the Daintree Rainforest north of Cairns instead of adding another flight for Darwin. I'm not sure how it compares to Kakadu.

Geckolips, can't answer your first question because have only flown Cairns-Darwin and Bali-Darwin. It is a tropical city and is subject to moonsoonal weather in summer wet season, the city itself is pretty well re-built after it was devastated by a cyclone (hurricane) back in the 70's. There's a strong SE Asian influence in parts so you can always eat well.

To give you an idea of temp. - today (early winter) the forecast max temp in Cairns (which some find too hot) is 27C (cloudy and windy) - in Darwin today it's 32C - fine and sunny. Have family living there - my daughter hates the summer heat and humidity, my son-in-law thinks its well putting up with as he enjoys the weather so much for rest of year.

I'd spend less days in Brisbane (or none?). It is a nice city. But you'll be seeing a lot of city with Perth and Sydney so you could best spend the time visiting Kakadu. It is a truly amazing place.

For Geckolips:
Here's a link that will tell you something about Darwin weather. I guess it depends on your tolerance (LOL) - if you've been to Bali in October/November, you'll cope with Darwin! They're very close and share similar weather.
http://www.billycan.com.au/topend.htm
(Billycan also operate a really good tour company)
If you Google Darwin, NT, there are quite a lot of sites which might be worth a look.

Try: http://www.ourdarwin.com and http://www.totaltravel.com.au/nt/topend

It looks as if your "relly" was on a real "milkrun" coming down here. I'm sure there's a better portal through Asia. Have a look at the Qantas website & you'll see some more direct routes that might work for you. I'm sure there will be other carriers flying into Darwin, too.

See how you go with this and let me know if I can help with anything else. (Not that I know much (LOL) but, being a "local" it might be easier for me to find things for you).