Darwin, named after the famous naturalist, Charles Darwin, is Australia’s most northernmost state capital. Its tropical climate and proximity to Australia’s northern neighbours has attracted many Asian immigrants, which in turn has helped turn this once rough-and-ready frontier town into a multicultural city beside the sea.

Though it’s relatively small, and very relaxed, Darwin has suffered from a turbulent history. During WWII, Japanese bombers raided the city 64 times, killing around 900 people and destroying 77 aircraft and several ships. Then, on Christmas Eve 1974, the city was almost entirely wiped out by Cyclone Tracy, which dealt out the highest wind speeds ever seen on the Australian mainland.

Darwin is dominated by two distinct seasons. The wet season, known locally as ‘The Wet’, runs roughly from early November to the end of March, and the dry season, or ‘The Dry’, which generally lasts from April to October. Expect torrential rain lasting a couple of hours a day during the wet season, and very high humidity. The dry season is characterised by cool crisp nights and warm days perfect for shorts and T-shirts.

Darwin is the ‘gateway’ to the world-famous Kakadu National Park, the gorgeous Litchfield National Park, dramatic Katherine Gorge, and the red crags of the Kimberley region.