Dive With Crocodiles
Still to do
Get lowered in a clear acrylic tube into the water with a full-grown saltwater crocodile, right in the middle of Darwin.
The adventure
Darwin lives alongside saltwater crocodiles, and at Crocosaurus Cove on Mitchell Street you get to meet one on its own terms. You climb into a clear acrylic cylinder, the lid closes, and the crane swings you out over the pool and lowers you into the water. Then you wait, and a shape that looked like a log on the bank slides in.
Seen from inside the cage, a big saltie is all scale and muscle: armoured back, pale throat, a mouth full of interlocking teeth and eyes that track every move you make. Salties are the largest reptiles alive, and when one swims straight at the acrylic, the few centimetres of plastic between you suddenly feel very thin. Most of the time the croc simply hangs in the water, which is somehow worse. You come up shaky, grinning and with a new respect for every river warning sign in the Top End.
Why it’s epic
- Saltwater crocodiles are the largest living reptiles, and big males can grow beyond 5 metres long.
- You share the water with some of the biggest saltwater crocodiles in captivity, separated only by clear acrylic.
- An hour from Darwin, jumping-crocodile cruises on the Adelaide River show wild salties launching out of the water.
- Kakadu National Park, around three hours' drive away, adds wild crocs, wetlands and ancient rock art.
What it is
At Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin, you're lowered into a crocodile enclosure in a clear acrylic 'Cage of Death'.
How to do it
Book the Cage of Death at Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin city centre.
Top tip
Book the earliest slot to see the crocs at their most active.
Need to know
- Cage of Death sessions are limited, so book ahead, especially in the dry season from May to October.
- Never swim in Top End rivers, billabongs or beaches unless they are signed safe, as salties live in fresh and salt water.
- The cage runs all year, but Darwin's wet season (roughly November to April) brings heat, humidity and storms.
- British visitors need an eVisitor or ETA before travelling to Australia.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £750 to £2,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Best time to go
- All year
- Fly into
- DRW airport
The cage session itself is affordable; getting to Darwin from the UK is the real expense.
Make it happen
Some of these are affiliate links: if you book through them I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. More about this.
Why it’s on my list
The Saltwater crocodile is one of the biggest reptiles on earth.
The chance to experience the thrill of sharing the water with Saltwater crocodile is one I definitely want to experience.
To marvel at their size and their prehistoric features is sure to get the adrenaline pumping.
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