Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Beach
is an official nude beach. Darwin's swimming beaches tend to be far enough
away from mangrove creeks to make the threat of meeting a crocodile very remote. A
bigger problem is the deadly box jellyfish, which makes swimming decidedly unhealthy
between October and March (and often before October and until May). You can swim
year-round without fear of stingers in the western part of
Lake Alexander
, an easy cycle
from the centre at East Point (
Click here
), and at the Wave Lagoon (
Click here
), the
centre piece of the Darwin Wharf Precinct. Also at the wharf precinct is the Recreation
Lagoon (
Click here
), where filtered seawater and nets provides a natural seawater swim.
Sailing
Darwin Sailing Club
SAILING
( 08-8981 1700;
www.dwnsail.com.au
)
A good place to meet local yachties, and to watch
the sunset over a beer. Although you can't charter boats here, there is a noticeboard ad-
vertising crewing needs and detailing the seasonal race program.
Cycling
Darwin is great for cycling (in winter!). Traffic is light and a series of
bike tracks
covers
most of the city, with the main one running from the northern end of Cavenagh St to Fan-
nie Bay, Coconut Grove, Nightcliff and Casuarina. At Fannie Bay, a side track heads out
to the East Point Reserve.
(
www.nt.gov.au/nreta/parks/find/charlesdarwin.html
)
, 5km southeast of the city, with a few
kilometres of path around the park's wetlands, woodlands and WWII bunkers.
Some hostels hire out bicycles for $15 to $25 per day for a mountain bike, or try:
8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm Sat)
Mountain bikes for $20
a day ($100 deposit required).
Darwin Holiday Shop
CYCLING
( 08-8981 0277;
www.darwinholidayshop.com.au
;
88 The Esplanade, Shop 2, Mantra on the Es-
planade;
9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat)
Mountain bikes per half-/full day $20/25.