Flights from Nelson to Darwin

What are the best things to do on weekends in Darwin?

Darwin Botanical Gardens

If you purchase flights to Darwin from Nelson during the city’s dry season (May to October), the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens are a fantastic area to visit on weekends. They’re extremely well maintained and incredibly pretty. They’re also right next to Mindil Beach, so once you’ve finished wandering the gardens, you can head over to the famous Mindil Beach Sunset Markets and sample the tasty local cuisine.

Walk the trail from Nightcliff to Casuarina

Visitors with cheap flights from Nelson to Darwin often overlook the Nightcliff to Casuarina trail. The walk is very popular among locals during the dry season and is a fantastic way to see the city’s suburbs and get some exercise at the same time. To start the walk, head to the suburb of Nightcliff. You can get there from the city on the number 4 bus in about 30 minutes, or jump in a taxi, which should only take 15 to 20 minutes. From there, you can follow the trail along the beach all the way back to Casuarina Beach. If you’ve travelled by car and parked at Nightcliff, the trail is about 12 kilometres from there to Casuarina and back again.

Visit the WWII tunnels

Many visitors with flights Nelson to Darwin visit the city’s scenic waterfront but few are familiar with the incredible piece of history that lies underneath them. Near where all of the cruise ships come in at the waterfront are some incredibly well preserved WWII tunnels. For $8 AUD ($8.58 NZD) you can walk through the tunnels, which are lit up and feature pictures and facts about Darwin’s involvement in WWII - a great day out for history buffs with flights to Darwin from Nelson.

Parap Markets

Parap is one of the most popular spots for visitors with Nelson to Darwin return flights, thanks to its convenient central location and lively, bustling nightlife. On Saturday mornings though, the suburb is home to the Parap Markets, a favourite among locals. You’ll find a huge selection of arts and crafts for sale, plus delicious local and international cuisine ranging from grilled barramundi to paella. The markets run from 8am to 2pm every Saturday all year round, so are definitely worth checking out if you buy tickets to Darwin from Nelson during the wet season when other markets are closed.

What should first-time travellers to Darwin keep in mind?

Winter is the best time to travel

Winter isn’t really winter in the traditional sense in Darwin. As a result of its geographical location, Darwin’s temperatures more closely resemble those experienced in South-East Asian countries, so you can expect warm, balmy days when you book cheap flights from Nelson to Darwin anytime from May to October. This is the city’s dry season, making it the most popular time for people booking flights to Darwin from Nelson as well as other areas of New Zealand and Australia.

Drink lots of water

No matter what time of year you book Nelson to Darwin flights, it’s going to be warm. That means you need to stay hydrated when you see all the top tourist attractions, whether that’s the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets or Kakadu National Park.

Swimming in the ocean

Darwin has a reputation for deadly animals and scary crocodiles, which is a big reason many people book Nelson to Darwin flights. That does come with a caveat, however. If you want to swim in the ocean, you should book flights from Nelson to Darwin before October. There are deadly jellyfish in the ocean from October to May (during the city’s wet season) so it’s dangerous to swim in the water.

Visit some of the national parks

Darwin is near several incredible national parks, including Kakadu and Litchfield. Kakadu National Park is 150 kilometres from Darwin, while Litchfield is 120 kilometres away, so think about renting a car when you book cheap flights to Darwin from Nelson if you want to experience all that the Top End has to offer.

What’s the best way to get around Darwin?

Public transport

Darwin’s public buses are operated by Darwinbus. They can be an affordable way to see all the city’s major tourist attractions, including Mindil Beach and Crocosaurus Cove, plus they’ll take you out to suburbs such as Palmerston and Casuarina. A single ticket starts at $3, which lets you travel for three hours on any bus route. Daily and weekly passes start at $7 and $20 respectively. For a little more adventure during your Nelson to Darwin trip, you might want to opt for the TourTub, a hop-on-hop-off tourist bus that goes around the city. Buslink buses can take you from Darwin Airport (DRW) to the CBD when your Nelson to Darwin flights arrive and cost $3 to $7 AUD ($3.22 to $7.50 NZD) per person one-way. The bus ride takes between 60 and 90 minutes.

Taxis, rideshare and rental cars

Taxis and ridesharing services are widely available throughout Darwin. If you’d like to travel outside the city, it might be worth renting a car. While car rentals cost more than public transport, you might be able to save by purchasing cheap flights from Nelson to Darwin. It also makes seeing remote areas much easier and you don’t need to rely on a tour guide. Car rental services including Avis, Europcar, Budget, Hertz, Redspot and Thrifty are all available at Darwin Airport.