Visit The Top End
Thick hedges of bougainvillea and frangipani, gigantic arching rain trees and swaying palms add a tropical languor to this park-filled city that juts out on a peninsula in the Arafura Sea. Built on the traditional lands of the Larrakia Aboriginal people, the city is far closer to Asia than the rest of Australia, and this influence can be felt at every turn. Its colonial style is deceptive as it was completely flattened by Hurricane Tracey three decades ago and had to be rebuilt, but its airy architecture is coloured by the diverse influences of ethnic groups that range from Chinese to Greek and enlivened by restaurants and markets. Highlights include Mindil Beach sunset market that takes place each Thursday, the open-sided Tour Tub trolleybus that tours the city sights and the Aboriginal artifacts of the Museum and Art Gallery. It is worth spending time here before dashing on to the national parks.