Aussie spot you shouldn’t ‘holiday’ in - because it’s more important than that
It’s a starry night on Mirrar Country in Kakadu. Locals have been foraging for tonight’s feast collecting waterlily, silverleaf, paperbark, Kakadu plums and green ants. Crocodile, emu, and barramundi are all on the menu.
This is a scene that has been played out for millennia. Except this isn’t Kakadu 2026 BC or even 20,026 BC – this is Kakadu 2026.
I'm visiting Kakadu in the Northern Territory for the Taste of Kakadu Festival. Supplied/John Walsh
John Walsh was Executive Producer of the TV travel series Getaway from 1999-2024. You can follow John on Instagram @thegetawayexpert.
The only difference is the menus are printed, and the crocodile is paired with a nice Madfish Semillon Sauvignon Blanc.
The dinner is part of the Taste of Kakadu Festival that runs every May at the Bowali Visitor Centre. More on that later.
The Aboriginal people have had an unbroken connection to this land for 65,000 years and visiting Kakadu gives you a taste of this living history.
Kakadu National Park is in the Northern Territory about a three-hour drive from Darwin. It is a World Heritage site and the second-largest national park in Australia.
At 20,000 square-kilometres it dwarfs Uluru-Kata Tjuta at 1,334 square-kilometres.
Visiting here takes a bit of effort. You’ve got to fly to Darwin, drive a few hours, then face an expanse of land a third the size of Tasmania. So, is it worth it? Keep reading to find out.
(OK, yes, it is worth it, but please keep reading anyway)
Kakadu National Park is in the Northern Territory about a three-hour drive from Darwin. Tourism & Events NT/@helloemilie
Kakadu covers an enormous diversity of landscape: floodplains, billabongs, eucalyptus forests, tidal flats, mangroves, massive ridges and gorges.
You can fly over it, drive across it, boat through it, and there are over 25 marked walking trails.
Kakadu by air
If you want a literal overview of this enormous expanse, an aerial tour – helicopter or small plane – is the way to go. It’s not cheap, but you can cover a lot of ground quickly and access areas you can’t see any other way.
The plane option is less expensive, but whichever way you go you book the hour flight which will allow you to reach Jim Jim and Twin Falls.
A helicopter flight is a great way to see the area by air. Supplied/John Walsh
I jumped on a chopper flight with Kakadu Air and it was an extraordinary experience. The sight below from this privileged position is ancient and majestic.
You pass over wetlands, floodplains dotted with water buffalo then onto what’s called Stone Country – rugged, rocky terrain with dramatic cliffs and gorges – before flying over the Arnhem Land escarpment for the dramatic reveal of Jim Jim Falls.
This is a sight to behold with its 200-metre drop into a spectacular rock pool below. To see it in full force wet season (November to April) is best, but I went late May and because the wet season was so extreme this year it was still in fine form.
Twin falls from above in Kakadu were spectacular. Tourism & Events NT/Sam Earp
Kakadu by boat
If you can only do one tour on your trip this is the one I’d choose. Yellow Water Cruises is fully indigenous owned and operated. The tours leave from Cooinda and cruise through the Yellow Water Billabong and the South Alligator River system.
What you will see and experience will depend on the time of day and time of year but whenever you go, there will always be abundant birdlife.
Yellow Water Cruises is fully indigenous owned and operated. Tourism & Events NT/@cruising.cat
About a third of Australia’s bird species can be found here so it’s a twitcher’s paradise. Jabiru, Sea-Eagles, Kingfishers, Brolgas, Whistling Ducks and watch out for the Jacana or “Jesus Bird” which dashes across submerged lily pads like it’s walking on water.
The star of the show, of course, is the saltwater croc and whichever time you go you’re almost guaranteed a sighting.
Your best chances of seeing one, though, are on the early morning or sunset cruise when they are most active because it’s cooler. It’s also the best time for humans to be out because conditions in the middle of the day can be very hot.
We cruise through the Yellow Water Billabong and the South Alligator River system Supplied/John Walsh
What I really like about the boat tour is you truly feel like you are in among it, fully immersed in nature from a comfortable vantage point. The local guides are fun and well-informed, too. Shout out to Dennis (two Ns)!
Kakadu by car
This should probably say Kakadu by 4WD. There are miles of sealed roads running through Kakadu that can get you between attractions (we passed dingo, wild brumbies, and buffalo just on the side of the Kakadu highway).
But if you want to get off-road and access Stone Country, including Jim Jim and Twin Falls, you will need a high clearance 4WD. Don’t risk the unsealed roads in your 2WD rental, you are likely to void your insurance.
A 4WD is the better option for these roads. Supplied/John Walsh
If you don’t have a 4WD you can join a 4WD tour with someone who knows what they are doing. Remarkably you can get pretty close to Jim Jim Falls by 4WD, but it is 60 kilometres one way and a return trip will take about four hours.
You need to be mindful of the sandy sections and observe the speed limit. From there it’s a 900-metre clamber over rocks and through rainforest to reach the plunge pool for a well-earned dip at the base of the falls.
Reaching Jim Jim falls on foot requires a 900-metre clamber over rocks and through rainforest. Tourism & Events NT/@aswewander
Kakadu by foot
Of the 25 designated walks in the park, here are some of the best:
- Ubirr and Burrungkuy (Nourlangie): Probably the two best art site walks with paintings going back 20,000 years through to contact with the first explorers. Both walks are very accessible.
- Bubba Wetlands: A great one for bird watchers and nature lovers.
- Jim Jim Falls and Maguk: Two good ones for rock pool swimming but like swimming anywhere in Kakadu check for warning signs and pool closures because of croc sightings.
Cooinda Lodge has caravan and camping sites, to glamping tents, lodge rooms and premium villas. Tourism & Events NT/Kakadu Tourism Cooinda Lodge
Where to stay in Kakadu
There is only one proper town in Kakadu and that is Jabiru which is the only town in Australia built inside a national park.
There is a full range of accommodation options here including the famous Kakadu Crocodile Hotel and services including a medical centre, supermarket and service station.
Cooinda Lodge is about 30 minutes from the town Jabiru. Supplied/John Walsh
I stayed another 30 minutes away at Cooinda Lodge because, among its other features, it’s only three minutes in a shuttle to Yellow Water Cruises.
Cooinda has everything from caravan and camping sites, to glamping tents, lodge rooms and premium villas. There are two swimming pools, a kids’ playground and two dining options: Mimi’s which serves lunch, dinner and a surprisingly good buffet breakfast and the al fresco option near the pool, the Barra Bar & Bistro.
It also has the smallest BP station I’ve ever seen. A very handy inclusion in a place light on filling-up options.
The smallest BP I've seen. Supplied/John Walsh
Taste of Kakadu
This was a highlight of my trip, but you have to time your visit to May to catch it.
It’s a food and cultural festival celebrating bush tucker and local traditions including arts and craft, dance, music, and storytelling.
I sat in on a men’s only Didgeridoo workshop that ended up being more myths and moral tales than music as the guys running the group shared some personal anecdotes and insights into their culture.
The Taste of Kakadu Festival brings the whole community together. Supplied/John Walsh
During the day there were also weaving and traditional painting workshops, a bush spice workshop, reptile encounters, and a traditional dance performance all leading up to the community feast at the end of the day.
A ground oven spread featuring slow-cooked buffalo and vegetables that had been roasting for eight hours. This was all free by the way – all the workshops and dinner. And everyone was invited; the local community and visitors sitting together enjoying the food, the company and the music in a clearing of spear grass.
Slow-cooked buffalo and vegetables roasting in the ground oven. Supplied/John Walsh
The night before there was a posher paid dinner I made a reference to at the top of the story called Kakadu’s Dinner Under The Stars.
It featured a fine-dining menu consisting of locally-sourced products put together by Ben Tyler from Kakadu Kitchen and top WA chef Paul “Yoda” Iskov of Fervor.
The degustation menu included paired wines plus the best non-alcoholic drink beverage I’ve ever had called “Conscious Drink”, which is made from natural rescued or foraged Australian fruits and botanicals.
The event is a joint venture between Kakadu Kitchens and Oz Harvest. Supplied/John Walsh
It’s a joint venture between Kakadu Kitchens and Oz Harvest Ventures – the latest enterprise from rescue food legend Ronni Kahn who was on hand for the celebrations.
Keep an eye out for 2027 dates on kakadutourism.com for the event’s 10th anniversary.
It doesn’t sound quite right recommending a “holiday in Kakadu.” It doesn’t really do it justice.
If you want to fly ‘n’ flop, Hamilton Island sounds more like a holiday. This place is a travel experience.
It’s still fun, and it’s still relaxing, but it also feels important somehow. It will help you understand Australia a little better and hopefully linger with you a little longer.
John Walsh travelled as a guest of Tourism & Events Northern Territory.
