Festivals

If you want to stay right next door to the venue check out the accomodation options at Mindil Beach Casino Resort. 

Otherwise we recommend anywhere in the Darwin CBD. You can easily grab an e-bike or e-scooter to Mindil Beach on the day of Bass to avoid waiting around for taxis and ubers.

To pre-fuel for the big day ahead, head to Parap Village Markets in the morning. If you want to eat like the locals do, grab a laksa from Mary's, Yati's or Purple Lady. Other yummy things you can find are acai bowls, fresh juice, crepes and of course a caffeine fix from Mad About Coffee. 

For your recovery the next day, we suggest keeping cool. Head to INFINITY Mindil Beach Casino Resort (right next to where Bass is held) for a cocktail-sipping beach club experience. 

If you're feeling more adventurous, you could do a day trip down to Litchfield National Park where you can relax in the cool waters of Florence Falls, Buley Rockhole and Cascade Falls.

For the Barunga Festival weekend you've got different options for accommodation. 

You can camp in the Barunga community itself, which we think is a pretty special way to experience the festival. You'll be surrounded by gorgeous Country and will be right on the doorstep of the festival.

Alternatively, you can stay in nearby Katherine where you'll find a bunch of different accomodation choices. From there, you can drive to Barunga each day for the festival. 

The Katherine region is packed with things to do, so spend a bit of time exploring the area while you're there. 

• Explore the top pools at Edith Falls (Leliyn)
• Check out Mataranka Hot Springs or Katherine Hot Springs 
• Discover Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge - jump on a cruise, canoe your way or walk the trails along the top of the escarpment 
• Learn about the region's history at the Katherine Museum
• Get a glimpse into outback life at Katherine Outback Experience

If you want to be close to the Darwin Festival, we recommend staying somewhere in the Darwin CBD or Darwin Waterfront. 

Some recommendations include:

• Ramada Suites Zen Quarter Darwin
• Adina Darwin Waterfront
• Mantra Pandanus 

The Darwin Festival action typically happens in the evenings, so you can pack your days with lots of fun activities. 

• Day trip to Litchfield National Park where you can relax in the cool waters of Florence Falls, Buley Rockhole or Cascade Falls
• Explore Darwin's morning market scene on the weekend, including Parap Village Markets on a Saturday and Nightcliff and Rapid Creek Markets on a Sunday 
• Have a jetski adventure on Darwin Harbour with 007Seven Adventures
• Soak up an arvo of poolside cocktails at Mindil Beach Casino Resort 

A great accommodation option close to the Hidden Valley Raceway is Hudson Barrimah - an apartment-style hotel. 

There's also several holiday parks nearby that offer cabin style accommodation. 

Alternatively, you'll find lots of great stays in the Darwin CDU and surrounding area. 

In between the racing action, take your time to explore the Darwin and surrounds region. 

To keep with the theme of adrenalin-pumping action..

• Explore the coast of Darwin on a jetski with 00Seven Adventures 
• Swim with crocs at Crocosaurus Cove 
• Go on an off road motorbike adventure with Bike You
• Reel in a big one on a fishing charter

If you're keen to chill out..

• Spend a day relaxing at the Darwin Waterfront of Mindil Beach Casino Resort Infinity Pool 
• Stroll through the local markets, including Mindil Beach, Parap, Nightcliff and Rapid Creek
• Grab coffee and brunch at one of Darwin's many tasty cafes - we love Laneway, Sweetbrew and Ray's Cafe and Patisserie

The Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair is held at the Convention Centre at the Darwin Waterfront. The Darwin Waterfront offers a variety of accommodation options, but you could also opt for something in the CBD or surrounding area. 

If you love art and culture, here's a few other things to consider doing while you're in the Northern Territory:

• Stick around for the annual Darwin Festival, which typically starts around the same time as DAAF
• Download the Darwin Streert Art app and do a DIY walking tour around Darwin CBD
• Make a trip to Kakadu - learn about Aborginal culture by visiting the Warradjan Cultural Centre, explore ancient rock art sites and soak up the incredible landscapes of this World Heritage Listed park

If you want to be close to the racing action, we recommend staying at Hudson Parap. This apartment-style hotel is just a short walk from the Darwin Turf Club. Hudson Parap is also right across the road from the Parap Village Markets on a Saturday so you can fuel up before the carnival. 

The Darwin Cup Carnival is in peak dry season, so there's lots of things to do that make the most of the gorgeous dry and sunny weather. 

• Go on an airboat tour
• Day trip to Litchfield National Park
• Explore East Point Coastal Reserve - just a 5 minute drive from the Darwin Turf Club
• Do a sunset cruise on Darwin Harbour 
• Have a crack at blue water fishing on a Darwin Harbour fishing charter