Darwin Travel Forum

Hi frens,

Have any of you stayed at gecko lodge, wilderness lodge, or youthshack at darwin city? I am deciding between these 3 places. I prefer gecko lodge actually but it seems quite far from the central area.

I am also thinking of staying at banyan tree caravan park before visiting litchfield national park. We would be driving. Have anybody stayed there before?

those places you want to stay at dont have good reviews from what iv heard! im staying at a place called elkes backpackers its very central and clean and is also quiet. :)

As you say there are 3 of you, if you don't mind sharing a room try some of the bigger/nicer hotels (Holiday Inn, Saville, Mirrambeena) as opposed to the hostels. This time of year most of them have 'wet season' specials at around the $99 mark for a room. You will pay 20-30each at the hostels! Works out very nicely if you are travelling in a group. Out of the three you mention though the wilderness lodge is best. Or try Melaleuca on Mitchell or as someone else mentioned Elke's.
In Litchfield try out Monsoon Cafe (google it) which is right in the park and has big comfy permanent twin share tents with good meals included for about $150 for 2, they have a cafe and also have normal camping sites etc. The van park you mention is ok but take my advice and get out there.
In regards to driving around at this time, some of you VT members like to exagerate don't you. You'll be fine!! It is raining nearly every afternoon now but definitely not cyclonic and eases the humidity. 1+1 gave some good advice on the months of the year to be prepared but you really have to be unlucky to get 'stuck' or 'trapped'. This rarely happens and in the years it does it's normally just for a week at most.
VTer's, Come have a look at our wet season or as the tourist commision is trying to rename it 'the green season'. It is an amazing time of year, over rated in difficulty, cheap everything, and best of all very few tourorists.