Helicopter Pub Crawl Darwin

​I have had some adventures in my time – but this was probably one of the most indulgent and unusual experiences to date.  A helicopter pub crawl from Darwin, Northern Territory.
 
The Northern Territory is a unique place to visit.  The land is red and sparse and not very densely populated.  A lot of the townships are isolated and the humid, tropical, weather makes it a tough place to live. 
 
It is a unique destination where it is laid back, locals are very casual and they love a cold beer to beat the heat. 
 
The helicopter pub crawl allows in one day to visit a number of unique local pubs that would otherwise take hours to reach by land. And who otherwise would not receive very many tourists. 

The helicopter air strip was located approximately a 45-minute drive out of Darwin and on arrival we were met by a young pilot and what I considered a rather small helicopter! 

Up we went and over the sparse red land we flew travelling at some 200km per hour to reach our destinations. The scenery was diverse and spectacular – we saw wild buffalo roaming, crocodiles on the riverbanks and miles of harsh red land.

The locations for our visit were Crab Claw Island Resort, Darwin River Tavern, Goat Island Lodge and the Noonamah Tavern.
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Upon arrival at the remote pub locations, we were greeted by the locals who – at whatever time we landed – seemed to be already drinking cold beer – and by bar staff who were happy to share a yarn.

The most unique destination on the itinerary was a stop at Goat Island.  Owned by an eccentric Danish man who goes by the name King Kai! He lives alone on the island with his pet crocodile Casey and his dog. Signs at the property entrance warn that “You are now entering a politically incorrect area” and King Kai makes up his own rules on this island.
 
Despite the isolated location of Goat Island, and the amazing fact that our pilot managed to land on the tiny island, there were cold beers waiting to be drunk and stories to be told.
 
The helicopter pub crawl is essentially a taxi service – the tour includes the transportation, all drinks and food for the day were at our own expense. We booked through Heli Fish.
 
It was a magical day out – a completely unique experience – and one I would highly recommend when visiting the Top End. 
 
Penny
Itchy Feet Family

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