Australia’s Northern Territory: A Bucket-List Must

Crocosaurus Cove, Darwin

Get up close and personal with some of the most terrifying residents of Australia's Northern Territory at Crocosaurus Cove in downtown Darwin. Brave visitors can pose for pictures holding everything from a baby saltwater crocodile to a snake. If you don't want to get that close to the animals, you can check out the other species there: Crocosaurus Cove claims to have the world's largest display of Australian reptiles (a.k.a. the hall of nightmares for ophidiophobiacs).

Or, visit the 52,834-gallon aquarium, which showcases such awesomely horrific creatures as the freshwater sawfish (basically a shark with a freakin' saw attached to its head), the barramundi (which you'll see offered on many Australian restaurant menus), and the archerfish. Go for the 3:30 p.m. feeding show to see the archerfish use water to shoot food out of the air.

The truly fearless can face off with a crocodile in Crocosaurus Cove's Cage of Death (actual name), which lowers willing victims inside a clear plexiglass tube into the crocodile's tank. The participants can swim in the cage, but as hard as the crocodile tries (and there are scratches and gouges on the tube to show just how hard it tries), it can't get to the tantalizing human snack within. Swimmers get 15 minutes in the enclosure with the crocodile—and don't worry, if yours isn't being sufficiently vicious, the operators will move the tube into a different tank until they find a lively crocodile. (They will also feed the crocodile right in front of the tube for an even-closer-to-death experience.)

Darwin City

Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory and has the distinction of being Australia's only tropical capital, which means that here is where you'll find that sunny, steamy Australian weather you're looking for. It's got a harbor that's bigger than Sydney's, a cosmopolitan restaurant scene (Il Piatto offers surprisingly authentic contemporary Italian dining), vibrant markets, and plenty of World War II heritage sites for history buffs.

Stay at SKYCITY Darwin, in one of the rooms that features swim-up access to the hotel's large man-made lagoon pool.

Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Cruise, Adelaide River

The Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Cruise takes visitors out on the Adelaide River (saltwater crocodiles are misleadingly named—they can live in both fresh and salt water). Tour guides dangle bait off the sides of the boat, and hungry crocodiles that recognize the sound of the boat's engine swim up and jump out of the water to eat. The sound of their powerful jaws chomping on their meals will definitely stay in the back of your mind the next time you're tempted to ignore the warning signs and go for a swim in a Northern Territory river. (Click here to see a jumping crocodile in action.)

Wildman Wilderness Lodge, Mary River Wetlands

The Wildman Wilderness Lodge really gets you into the remote areas of Australia. It's located halfway between Darwin and Kakadu National Park, and you'll have to drive down an isolated dirt road just to get to it. Once you arrive, though, you've got the Mary River Wetlands at your fingertips.

The property is made up of Safari Tents (giant tents with wooden floors, ceiling fans, and en suite bathrooms with running water) and Habitats (free-standing cabins with all the comforts of a hotel, including air-conditioning) set in the middle of a field. Wallabies (they look like small kangaroos), dingoes (which may eat your baby), and even water buffalo (not friendly; steer clear) roam here freely. So it comes as an amazing surprise when you hop on an airboat tour from the lodge and emerge in the lush, green Mary River Wetlands floodplain. The airboat floats over grass-choked water before arriving in an incredible part of the floodplain that is chock-full of water lilies that look like they belong in a Monet painting. (Click here for a video of the airboat ride.)

Airboat tours and nature walks are led by quintessentially Australian guides, who regale visitors with cowboy stories of harvesting crocodile eggs (involving being dangled by a rope from a helicopter and a skirt … seriously) and other colorful tales.

The resort's not all wild, though. There's a chilled swimming pool that makes an excellent viewing platform from which to watch the wallabies come out at sundown (you may even get to see them "box" each other with their tiny arms). Also included in the daily rate: a well-stocked bar, breakfast, and a fresh and locally sourced three-course dinner.

Kakadu National Park

Australia's Aboriginal past is alive and well in Kakadu National Park. Take a tour with local Aboriginal guide (and former park ranger) Victor Cooper, who shares cultural stories and legends about the land and shows you the best places in the park to see traditional rock art. Kakadu is a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its unique ecosystems and its historical value—the area has been inhabited continuously for more than 40,000 years. And at more than 7,700 square miles, it's also Australia's largest national park.

Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park

Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock) is arguably Australia's most iconic natural site. But seeing it in magazines and movies can't prepare you for this profoundly spiritual and beautiful place. The massive rock is more than two miles long and 1,140 feet tall. Uluru is considered sacred to the Aboriginal people of Australia and the land around it is protected by law, so Uluru rises alone out of the desert with none of the usual tourist trappings around it.

Uluru changes color based on the time of day. Visit at sunrise and sunset to see the brown rock blossom into oranges, reds, and purples. You're even allowed to touch it. Lay your hands on it and you'll feel Uluru radiating the sun's warmth.

Kata Tjuta is a lesser-known but no less spectacular site within the park. This series of 36 rock formations is similar to Uluru in its color-changing properties and beauty, but on a larger scale.

Do you want to visit the wild Northern Territory? Tell us why in the comments!

You Might Also Like:

• 10 Best Places to Go in New Zealand
• 27 Places That Will Restore Your Faith in Travel
• 10 Best National Parks Around the World