Five warm places to spend winter downunder

In the southern hemisphere the nights and mornings are getting cooler and, if you’re like me, it’s a little tougher getting out of bed! I don’t know about you, but I’m always in search of something warm to do when winter comes around.

So with that in mind here are five really warm places you could spend winter in Australia this year (and in our next blog we’ll do the same for New Zealand):

Wildlife in Kakadu. Pic: Joanne Lane, http://www.visitedplanet.com

1. Go troppo – Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is one of the most laid back capitals in Australia. And given it’s usually pretty humid most of the year, the winter really is the best time to go. Take a few days to see the city and experience the history of the town in the WWII and Cyclone Tracey damage, then head out to national parks such as Litchfield and Kakadu. Kakadu needs little introduction – aboriginal rock art, amazing landscapes, plenty of wildlife (including the croc variety) and terrific waterfalls. Litchfield may be less well known but is equally fantastic. It’s still warm enough to swim at the park’s many waterholes and waterfalls and those that have a healthy respect for crocs will be pleased to note it’s safe for swimming.

Best winter festivals in Australia

Wild camel races, bush poetry, film festivals and waterless boat events are just some of the activities taking place this winter around Australia. Here’s 10 of the upcoming festivities you should consider visiting if you’re in the land down under.

Alice Springs Camel Cup

1. Alice Springs Camel Cup (NT), 10th July
If you’ve never seen the cantakerous and smelly camel take to the race track you should head to Alice Springs next month for a day of dusty entertainment.

Bear Grylls makes it downunder

Adventurer Bear Grylls was in Australia this month filming two new episodes for his Man Vs. Wild show.

With promises of Bear wading through croc infested waters and dealing with sharks it promises to be huge, although the episodes won’t be available until 2011 on the Discovery Channel.

In the meantime you can see one of his other Australian episodes, this one filmed in the Kimberley via this YouTube video.

If you’re planning to head into the Kimberely or the outback anytime soon, it could be worth checking out. Happy travels!

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Hope you’re enjoying the VIP Backpacker’s Travel Blog. There’ll be an update added every other Friday, so keep tuning in to keep your travel dreams alive! If there are any travel topics you want covered feel free to contact me, Jo, at blog@vipbackpackers.com

Best places to spend the autumn downunder

Okay so it’s getting a little chilly now in parts of Australia and New Zealand as winter approaches. But that doesn’t mean you should head home just yet! Here’s a few places that are particularly enjoyable at this time of year.

Cairns, Queensland
Up in the top end of the country, the winter onset is much later. And come June it’s also the official end of the stinger season, those nasty and often fatal jellyfish that roam Australian waters and keep you out of the sea, although do note Cairns has stinger nets anyway. There’s an absolute smorgasbord of choice for VIP accommodation in Cairns and any number of activities you could enjoy also. For example you could scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef, visit the amazing Daintree Rainforest or enjoy the wonders of the Atherton Tablelands. And most importantly you’ll be warm! Even in winter maximum temperatures are up to 25 and 26 degrees.