Fancy a tropical escape this summer? Look no further than the lively city of Darwin. Ride the swell at the Wave Lagoon, swim in the infinity pool overlooking Mindil Beach or relax and recharge at one of the waterfront restaurants. Make your way through laneways of locally inspired street art to visit interactive museums. End the day with a sunset cruise on Darwin Harbour before heading back to your private villa for a swim under the moon.

For a uniquely Australian summer, you can’t go past Alice Springs. Alice is the perfect base for exploring the natural wonders of the outback, including Uluru and the waterholes of the MacDonnell Ranges. But there’s also plenty to do in the town itself. Learn about Australia’s oldest cultures and Aboriginal traditions. Discover desert wildlife and sample flavourful bush tucker. And as the sun sets over your rural retreat, watch in wonder as the land changes colours around you.

Summer in the Top End isn’t complete without a visit to Litchfield National Park. Just a 60-minute drive south of Darwin will see you plunging into waterholes and relaxing under spring-fed waterfalls—and you don’t need a 4WD to get there. If you have one, though, you can venture even deeper into the Park to discover natural pools surrounded by monsoonal vine forests. Stop off to see the massive termite mounds on your way home to your nature lodge immersed in the rugged bushland.