To celebrate Darwin’s status as one of Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Must Visit Cities in 2012, Tourism NT and Territory Discoveries have announced the ‘Darwin: Hot Right Now’ holiday package. Only available this year, the special deal gives Aussie and international visitors a chance to experience the ‘hip’ city as featured in the travel publisher’s annual Best in Travel 2012 publication.

“Darwin is a vibrant, multicultural city with a diverse range of attractions and events that celebrate an outdoor lifestyle, including our famous markets, the Deckchair Cinema, world class indigenous art galleries and of course, Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks and the Tiwi Islands on our doorstep,” said Tourism NT Acting Chief Executive Officer Angela Collard.

“The new holiday package shows off Darwin’s best offerings to great effect. We’ve officially entered the Dry Season in the Top End, with average temperatures of 32 degrees Celsius and next to no rain until September.

“The average rainfall for July has been less than 1mm for the last 10 years, so there really is no better time to visit Darwin.”

To highlight the perfect tropical weather conditions they are currently enjoying, residents of Darwin participated in an Umbrella Amnesty on Saturday 23 June, donating their unused umbrellas for distribution to Australia’s southern states for the winter. Darwin umbrellas will be distributed to commuters in Sydney and Melbourne on rainy days during July.

“Many Australians are currently enduring a very wet, cold winter, so in the spirit of mateship we’re offering them our umbrellas. We’re also letting them know that Darwin is the perfect place for a winter escape right now.”

For those looking for a short mid-winter break, the ‘Darwin: Hot Right Now’ holiday package offers an ideal solution. The package takes the guess-work out of where to stay, what to do and when to go, ensuring that travellers get the best out of their trip to Darwin and its beautiful surrounding areas for just $384 per person twin share.

Available from now until the end of the year, the ‘Darwin: Hot Right Now’ package includes two nights’ accommodation at the city-central Palms Spring Resort, an afternoon Darwin City Sights Tour and a one-day tour of the plunging waterfalls and rugged sandstone escarpments of Litchfield National Park, where nature truly is king.

Travellers who purchase the ‘Darwin: Hot Right Now’ holiday package will also go into the running to be one of 10 lucky winners to receive their holiday package for free, plus return economy flights from any major city in Australia for two people.

Whether experiencing the best of Darwin and its idyllic surrounds or just enjoying the tropical weather, visitors are encouraged to plan their trips around upcoming events such as the Darwin Blues Fest (June 28-30); Darwin’s iconic annual Beer Can Regatta (July 15) and the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair which is part of the Darwin Festival, where indigenous-owned art centres showcase their works (August 10-12).