Explore the Best of Darwin with Cheap Flight Deals

Darwin - A City Guide

Regarded as a tropical paradise nestled on the crest Australia’s Northern Territory (NT), Darwin is a pool of most amazing diversions. The city, with its rambling landscapes, breathtaking nightlife and scrumptious gourmet delights attracts hordes of travelers from all across the world with cheapest flights deals.

Darwin prides itself in its unique and cheerful laid-back lifstyle that blends perfectly with its urbane persona. The city houses some world-class natural and cultural attractions apart from an apulent base of entertainment opportunities to keep you going cheap flights to Darwin from London.

For those who’re planning a trip to the town, here’s our list of places you cannot miss while holidaying here.

6 Best Sees and Dos in Darwin

Aquascene: Witness the abundant nature at the Northern Territory of Australia with a diverse marine ecosystem. You’ll come across stunning waterfalls, rivers, wetlands and bays that allow access to a large variety of fish. You can even come up and close with these adorable sealife at the crystal clear bays of Darwin.

Mindil Beach Sunset Market: The evening markets at the Mindil Beach with their stirring traditional souvenirs, and innumerbale leisure activities is a pursuit no one can afford to miss on a holiday trip to Darwin. Held every Thursday and Sunday night from April 25th to October, these are Darwin’s most sought after weekly markets and a popular hangout spot where you’ll get everything, right from various entertainment activites to a multitude of eateries offering international delicacies.

Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory: Having a remarkable collection of Aboriginal art and the startling Cyclone Tracy display, Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory is another fantastic place to visit in the state. The Cyclone Tracy features a small, dark room where you can listen to a tape recording of the cyclone’s screeching winds that will keep you engaged with its thrilling effect.

Darwin Crocodile Farm: The Northen Territory boasts a wealthy wildlife and one place that adds value to its treasure is the famous Darwin Crocodile Farm. The farm houses more than 30,000 animals and operates as a ranch that protects, preserves and promoted wild crocodiles of the region. People book cheap flights tickets to visit this fascinating site where you can observe these deadly reptiles being fed and pampered in their natural surroundings.

Events in the Town: It’s a good idea to visit Darwin around some of its popular festivals to make most of your holiday in the deistrict. The Darwin Cup Carnival that kicks off in July and the Darwin festival in August are two great oppurtunities to delve into the colorful and vibrant culture of this Asutralian state.

Fishing in Yellow Water: A favourite of the fishing enthusiasts, Darwin houses some gripping fishing spots that are a short distance from the town and offer real treat to both beginners and experts. The Yellow Water in Kakadu National Park or Finniss River near Dundee is places you can head for some barra fishing. 

Photo by kenhodge13 via Wikipedia CC

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Crete, the Largest Greek Island That You Must Visit

Crete Island separates the Aegean from the Libyan Sea. Mountains with many peaks reaching over 2000 m are interrupted by gorges and canyons creating passageways from the northern to the southern side of the island. In the past, Crete Island was covered with dense forests of cypress, pine and sycamore trees. Today, due to the frequent outbreaks of fire, the island is mainly covered with bushes. On the western side the island is covered with olive groves and plantations of oranges. Some people say that Crete Island is the homeland of olives.

Through the gorges, winds can find their way, which can sometimes be really unpleasant. Standing there, while taking pictures of beautiful landscapes, can be a real windy adventure. The roads here are in very good condition and unlike the other islands people here tend to drive much more carefully unless they are on the highway.

First stop, Elafonisi

Elafonisi is a paradise for mind, body and soul, a real feast for the eyes, although the wind was blowing from land to the sea, raising the sand with its strength and speed. This place reminded us of the Caribbean. Everyone needs to visit this. The water is shallow and you can easily find your way to the smaller beaches and coves where the swimming is excellent. It seems that there is no ending of the beautiful scenery with the overflow from turquoise to blue marine color. Here you can easily forget from where came from, where you should go… you simply enjoy in the charming moments of the unreal beautiful scenery. The sand is also quite interesting. When you pick it up it is quite plain but in the water it is with shades of pink color. This really adds to the beauty and charm of this unique place. The water is also shallow far away from the coast and overflow of bright shades from turquoise to blue is unbelievable. If you decide to come, you should definitely spend a whole day here. I promise you will not regret it.

Second stop, Balos

Going to Balos everyone can experience in a different way. Certainly it should be visited but with a good preparation. To get here, first you will have to pass through the greenhouses and fields, than through small villages where the road is like a sidewalk and then you will have to go through the 8 miles of cobble road. Once you are halfway through this road there is a “pleasant” surprise – payment of 2 Euros. No one really knows why you have the pay this fee because the road gets even worse; there are goats on the road, sharp stones and the sense that there is no end of it.

The landscape here is like in such places can only be wonderful. After the road, hiking over the hill follows. There is no question that the sight is beautiful bit is it really worth it? As a reward for this trip we went to Phalasarna for a good swim. The beach is very good, composed of fine sand and with pristine water. A bit chilly but it is a pleasant cooling after a hot walk to Balos. The beach has everything you need for a good bath, refreshment and enjoyment.

Next stop, south central part of Crete (Libyan Sea)

If we are to compare the parts of the island, the ratio of beaches, the sea and everything else, I would favor the whole part of the Libyan Sea. Maybe it is because I like incredibly clear water and calm and peaceful, authentic Mediterranean places. This part of Crete is very different from the northern part. It is more relaxed, with beautiful beaches and what suits me best is the fact that there is no mass tourism like in the area between Rethymno and Agios Nikolaos.

Frangokastello

The beach named after the homonymous fortress. The fortress is from the Venetian period and it is well preserved. The beach lies just below it and it is really a great one, composed of fine sand and with a bit of natural shade. Next to it what you will find is Rodakino and all the beaches in this part are great.

Plakias, the beach that can be seen from the hill of village Sellia is a long stretch of fine sand and it is for every recommendation.

Agios Pavlos

Getting here is not so easy. The road leading to Agios Pavlos is very narrow and there are lots of winding streets. At the entrance you can see the so called Blue Lagoon beach. Agios Pavlos beach is a nice beach that offers umbrellas, showers and on the right side of the beach there is a set of stairs leading to a viewpoint.

Heraklion

Visiting this city is easy no matter where you are on the island of Crete. Heraklion is something like a central point of the whole island. Visiting the Venetian harbor, long walks in beautiful parks, plenty of concerts, shopping at reasonable prices and discounts are only some of the thing you can enjoy here. I sincerely advise you to set aside a whole day for this city. This is the center of the arrival and departure of the majority of tourist by air or by sea.

Here we finally reached the end of our journey. There are still of course a lot of cities, small towns and villages to visit with beautiful beaches and landscapes but it is hard to do sum it all up in one text. My personal advice is that anyone who has not visited Crete Island should definitely come here and I promise you will not regret it.

About the author: Aleksandar Mijailovic, part blogger part marketing manager. He loves to travel, loves sunny days, summer and beach destinations. Aleksadar tries really hard to visit as many beautiful destinations as he can whether they are famous or relatively unknown.

Photos via Flicker Creative Commons

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Guide to Having a Drink in London

Most of the pubs in London and throughout the United Kingdom are tied to a particular brewery and sell only that brewery’s beers. You see the name of the brewery on the sign outside. Independent pubs can sell more brands than a tied pub. Either way, you still have to choose from what may seem like a bewildering variety. The colorful names of individual brews don’t provide much help — you can only wonder what Pigswill, Dogs Bollocks, Hobgoblin, Old Thumper, Pommies Revenge, or Boondoggle taste like. Depending on all sorts of factors — the water, the hops, the fermentation technique, and so on — the brewery crafts the taste of any beer, whether on draught or in a bottle. You can get a few U.S. and international brands, but imports are more expensive than the home-brew.

When ordering beer in a pub, specify the type, the brand, and the amount (pint or halfpint) you want. Asking the bartender to recommend something based on your taste preferences is perfectly okay. Just remember that most English beer is served at room temperature. The following brief descriptions of the most common types of beer will come in handy in a pub:

• Bitter is what most locals drink. It’s a clear, yellowish, traditional beer with a strong flavor of hops. Real ale is a bitter that’s still fermenting (“alive”) when it arrives from the brewery; it’s pumped and served immediately.  
• Ale isn’t as strong as bitter and has a slightly sweeter taste. You can order light or pale ale in a bottle; export ale is a stronger variety.  
• Lager, when chilled, is probably the closest you can come to an American-style beer. Lager is available in bottles or on draught.  
• Shandy is equal parts bitter and lemonade (sometimes limeade or ginger beer); it’s for those who like a sweet beverage that’s only partially beer-like in taste.  
• Stout is a dark, rich, creamy version of ale. Guinness is the most popular brand. A black and tan is half lager and half stout.

See also: The Best Museum of London

The Best of London’s Performing Arts

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London's Urban Charms

London is one great city that has actually gotten better over the years. In deference to the millennium year 2000, the city dusted itself off and spruced itself up in ways that have benefited residents and visitors alike. The best museums of London, such as the Great Court in the British Museum, have been revamped with stunning results, and new museums, such as Tate Modern, have opened. Sleek, new bridges now span the Thames, and riverside areas have seen a flurry of development. Trafalgar Square has been joined to the National Gallery, making pedestrian access a breeze rather than a chore. All in all, London has shaken off its old mantle of hidebound traditionalism, has embraced multiculturalism, and is now high tech and cutting edge.

But the old fabric of London still remains and invites exploration. Despite all the improvements in public transit, London remains a city where walking is a joy that reveals no end of simple urban pleasures; Let me tell you about the best.

London is blessed with marvelous parks. You may have heard of them: Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, St. James’s Park, Green Park, and Regent’s Park. These carefully groomed havens, where you can stroll beneath stately trees, lounge on the grass, watch ducks in a pond, or admire the color of the springtime daffodils, were former royals-only hunting grounds. Now they’re part of every Londoner’s life and life’s blood, the green lungs of an otherwise congested city.

What could be more fun than just wandering around London’s streets? Try it. Pick a neighborhood — the City, Soho, Chelsea — then just stroll at will, taking note of the wealth of architectural styles, the curious reminders of days gone by, and the array of local sights, such as the blue, “famous-person-lived-here” plaques on house fronts. On some streets, you can almost hear the horses’ hooves clopping on the cobblestones as they did up until about 1915.

The South Bank and Southwark areas on the “other” side of the river have been opened for pedestrians and show off an ancient area of London that’s been completely revitalized. You can enjoy a waterside walk with city views from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge.

The variety of architectural styles adds to the beauty of the city. Because the Great Fire of 1666 burned down most of medieval London, the building and house styles that you see tend to range from the sober neoclassical of the early 18th century, to the more elegantly light-hearted Regency style of the early 19th century, to the heavier and less graceful Victorian period of the mid- to late 19th century. The human scale of London streets, with their long terraces of attached brick, stone, and stucco homes built around leafy squares, gives the city a charm and character that intrigues and delights the eye. London grew from a series of villages, and you can still find that village like character in many London neighborhoods.

See also: The Best of London’s Performing Arts

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The Best of London’s Performing Arts

London is a world capital, and that includes being a world capital of the performing arts. When the sun goes down, the curtain comes up.

Theater

For many visitors, going to the theater is reason enough to go to London. When actors of the highest caliber are on the boards — as they always are in London — you don’t need to think twice about going to the theater; you just go. The London theater scene is phenomenal, and prices are lower than in New York. Take your pick:long-running international-hit musicals, light comedies, hard-hitting dramas, new works in “fringe” venues, everything from William Shakespeare to Oscar Wilde to Neil LaBute, the modern musicals and beyond.

Opera

Opera buffs appreciate the fact that London has two major opera companies. International stars appear at the historic Royal Opera in Covent Garden, where operas are performed in their original languages. A few blocks away is the English National Opera, where every opera is sung in English by mostly British performers and the productions tend to be more adventuresome.

Classical music 

Every night, lovers of classical music have an embarrassment of riches to choose from. London is home to several world-class symphony orchestras. The London Symphony Orchestra plays at the Barbican Center, where good seats cost as little as £15. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performs at Cadogan Hall and the Royal Albert Hall. The newly refurbished Royal Festival Hall is home to four resident orchestras: the London Philharmonic, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the London Sinfonietta, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Other renowned U.K. and European orchestras perform regularly in the city, as do internationally known chamber music ensembles. A summer highlight is the Proms concerts at Royal Albert Hall, featuring an international roster of the best orchestras and soloists in the world.

Ballet 

Dance aficionados can enjoy an evening at the Royal Ballet and/or the English National Ballet, both of which have regular London seasons. Smaller dance companies, from traditional to cutting edge, are at home in venues throughout the city.

See also: The Best Museum of London

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The Best Museums of London

If you’re a dedicated museum maven, London’s selection will keep you going for days, weeks, months, even years. This city is loaded with every conceivable kind of treasure from all over the world. And, amazingly enough, entrance to all the great national museums is free.

National Gallery

The National Gallery houses the nation’s greatest collection of British and European paintings from the 13th to the 20th centuries. Here, you find works by Italian masters, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael; canvases by every great French Impressionist; a stunning Rembrandt collection; and paintings by great British artists, such as Turner and Constable.

British Museum

The venerable British Museum, with its unparalleled collection of antiquities, comes out on top — the magnificent Parthenon sculptures (formerly called the Elgin Marbles) understandably hold pride of place there, but you’ll be amazed by the superlative Egyptian and Roman collections, as well as the ancient treasures found in England.

National Portrait Gallery

If you tire of the great Western European masterworks hanging in the National Gallery, you can walk next door to see images of pop icons like Elton John and Princess Di in the National Portrait Gallery. Here, you’ll find a visual who’s who of every famous Brit in history, captured in paint, stone, bronze, and photographs.

Victoria & Albert Museum

Keen on decorative and applied arts? Then head over to the Victoria & Albert Museum, a linchpin in the cluster of great South Kensington museums. The V&A, as it’s called, houses wonderfully decorated period rooms, a comprehensive fashion collection, Italian Renaissance sculpture, and acres more.

Natural History Museum and the Science Museum 

The other two outstanding museums in South Kensington are the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. Animatronic dinosaurs, including a hungry T. rex, are the cold-blooded stars in the Natural History Museum’s famed dinosaur exhibit, but while you’re there, check out the mind-boggling collection of gems. In the Science Museum, you come face to face with legends from the world of science and technology.

Tate Modern

London’s South Bank is buzzing with the addition of the stunning Tate Modern. Housed in a former power station on the river, the museum exhibits an international roster of contemporary greats.

Tate Britain

Tate Britain holds the world’s greatest collection of British art. Wander through rooms filled with works by William Blake, Turner, Hogarth, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Constable, and all the pre-Raphaelites.

Museum of London

London lovers will love the Museum of London, probably the world’s most comprehensive city museum, which features an amazing collection of Roman antiquities (the museum incorporates part of a 2,000-year-old Roman wall) and tells the fascinating story of London through the ages.

Spencer House, Apsley House and Hertford House

You can also enjoy masterpieces in museums that were built as private palaces, such as Spencer House, former home of Princess Diana’s family; Apsley House, home of the first Duke of Wellington; and Hertford House, home of the Wallace Collection, a national museum.

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India: The Holy Varanasi

This is India. Brace yourself. You’re about to enter one of the most blindingly colourful, unrelentingly chaotic and unapologetically indiscreet places on earth. Varanasi takes no prisoners. But if you’re ready for it, this may just turn out to be your favourite stop of all. 

Also known at various times in history as Kashi (City of Life) and Benares, this is one of the world’s oldest continually inhabited cities and is regarded as one of Hinduism’s seven holy cities. Pilgrims come to the ghats lining the River Ganges here to wash away a lifetime of sins in the sacred waters or to cremate their loved ones. It’s a particularly auspicious place to die, since expiring here off ers moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death), making Varanasi the beating heart of the Hindu universe. Most visitors agree it’s a magical place, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. Here the most intimate rituals of life and death take place in public and the sights, sounds and smells in and around the ghats – not to mention the almost constant attention from touts – can be overwhelming. Persevere. Varanasi is unique, and a walk along the ghats or a boat ride on the river will live long in the memory. 

The old city of Varanasi is situated along the western bank of the Ganges and extends back from the riverbank ghats in a labyrinth of alleys called galis that are too narrow for traffic. They can be disorienting, but the popular hotels and restaurants are usually signposted and, however lost you become, you will eventually end up at a ghat and get your bearings. You can walk all the way along the ghats, apart from during and immediately after the monsoon, when the river level is too high. Most places of interest, and much of the accommodation, are in the old city. Behind the station is the peaceful Cantonment area, home to most of the top-end hotels. 

Thought to date back to around 1200 BC, Varanasi really rose to prominence in the 8th century AD, when Shankaracharya, a reformer of Hinduism, established Shiva worship as the principal sect. The Afghans destroyed Varanasi around AD 1300, after laying waste to nearby Sarnath, but the fanatical Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was the most destructive, looting and destroying almost all of the temples. The old city of Varanasi may look antique, but few buildings are more than a couple of hundred years old.

See also: 5 Ideas for India

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