Top minimoon destinations and couples' retreats near Darwin in the Northern Territory

Looking for the best mini-honeymoon locations near Darwin? We share some of the most popular couple’s retreats in the NT. And, if you’re not quite sure what a minimoon is, we explain this new wedding phenomenon.  

Longitude 131 | Uluru (Ayers Rock), NT | Image Julian Kingma

Organising a wedding involves a long to-do list, and to ensure they enjoy and embrace this important life stage, many couples are adding one more thing to their wedding planning agenda. Together with booking their wedding venue, florist, photographer and entertainment, and choosing the wedding dress, jewellery and cake, couples are adding a minimoon to the mix to give themselves a chance to relax and reconnect in the lead-up to, or immediately following, the big day. To find out more about this emerging wedding trend, ABIA turned to wedding and travel writer Tanya Bywater to explain what a minimoon is and track down the three best mini-honeymoon destinations in the Northern Territory, from Kakadu to Uluru and beyond.

Bamurru Plains | Kakadu, NT | Image Tourism NT

What is a minimoon?

You might also hear it described as a romantic couples’ getaway, a mini-honeymoon or a micro-honeymoon, but whatever name it goes by a minimoon is essentially a short break intended to allow engaged couples or newlyweds the opportunity to slow down and savour the wedding planning stage, or to recover from the day’s excitement almost as soon as they’ve walked down the aisle.

A minimoon generally takes place a short distance from a couple’s wedding destination or home, to ensure travel time and arrangements are simplified, and lasts two to five days. In keeping with the significance of the occasion most minimoons also take place in luxe, high-end accommodation or in unique lodgings that prioritise connection and escape.

Finniss River Lodge | Rakula, NT | Image Tourism NT

How is a minimoon different to a honeymoon?

As the name suggests a minimoon is, in many ways, an abbreviated honeymoon, but while time is one of the main distinctions, a minimoon differs in that it’s usually a simpler, more immediate getaway. Minimoons can also take place before the wedding date, to allow couples to ‘press pause’ on the business of wedding preparations, and many couples are now taking both a minimoon and a honeymoon for a range of practical reasons.

Longitude 131 | Uluru (Ayers Rock), NT | Image George Apostolidis

Reasons to take a minimoon

Hectic lifestyles, work commitments and limited finances mean that for many marrying couples a minimoon makes practical sense.

• Limited work leave is a reality many couples face, and if you’ve maxed yours out before the big day an extended honeymoon straight away might be out of the question. That’s where a minimoon can mark the moment with a brief indulgent escape, and a longer ‘proper’ honeymoon can be planned for later.
• If you’ve blown the budget on your wedding, a minimoon can offer the perfect interim solution while you save for the honeymoon of your dreams, to be taken at a later date.  
• If you’ve got your heart set on a seasonal honeymoon destination — hello beach, snow or Euro summer — and the timing doesn’t quite correlate, a minimoon can be a great way to celebrate immediately, while you wait for the seasons to change.

Finniss River Lodge | Rakula, NT

Our pick of the best minimoon destinations around Darwin and the Northern Territory

Bamurru Plains Lodge

Mary River, Kakadu, Northern Territory

Image Hels Orr

Couples content to share their nearly- or newly-wedded bliss with a cacophony of birds and a cavalcade of wildlife — think crocodiles, buffalo, bush pigs, wild brumbies and wallabies — should add Bamurru Plains Lodge to their minimoon shortlist.

Located on the fringes of World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, this palatial bush camp is open during the dry season from March to October and comprises ten Safari Bungalows, the upsized Kingfisher Suite and a new two-bedroom private retreat complete with it's own plunge pool, all built on stilts overlooking the surrounding floodplains of the Top End’s Mary River.

Equal parts supreme comfort and considered simplicity, accommodations here blend sumptuous king-size beds, plush cotton robes, cooling fans, spacious ensuites and brass high-pressure rain showers, but are deliberately devoid of televisions, wifi and mobile phone reception — and semi-transparent mesh replaces walls for a fully-immersive experience.

Stays include all bush-inspired meals, unlimited beverages and guided safari programs, that take in the surrounding pristine wilderness with the likes of airboat safaris, crocodile-spotting cruises and open-top game drives. And, at day's end, there’s a wet-edge pool for couples to cool down and delight in the dramatic red-and-orange-glow of a Northern Territory sunset.

Images courtesy Bamurru Plains

Finniss River Lodge

Rakula, Northern Territory

Image courtesy Finniss River Lodge

Couples seeking calm before or after the fervour and fuss of wedding planning may find their ultimate minimoon getaway on a remote working cattle station in the Northern Territory. A 90-minute drive, or 20-minute flight or helicopter ride, delivers couples from Darwin to the luxury oasis of Finniss River Lodge, where the pace slows amid an agenda of isolation, tranquillity, nature immersions and evening canapés.

Here a total of six suites — each boasting wetland vistas, king-size beds, walk-in-robes and ensuites with deep-soak tubs, separate showers and brass fixtures — provide for private escape, while a communal long-room, furnished with comfy leather sofas, a well-stocked bar and a designated dining zone, cater for lounging pursuits and the fine-dining fare included with each stay.

Twice-daily experiences — ranging from walkabout safaris to airboat adventures — are included too. More can be arranged by request, though the infinity pool, overlooking the vast panoramic wetland expanse, tends to amply satisfy those looking to relax and recuperate.

Image Tourism NT

Image courtesy Finniss River Lodge

Tourism NT

Longitude 131°

Uluru, Northern Territory

Just a short flight from Darwin, or most major Australian airports, there is an ethereal enchantment exuded by the rust-red sand dunes and vast expanse of space that draws bliss-seeking minimooners to Longitude 131° in Central Australia. The luxury campsite, with uninterrupted views of Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), is a veritable desert oasis, comprised of 16 tented-pavilions, each combining custom furnishings, local Indigenous artworks, ensuites with rain showers and ambient fireplaces. Floor-to-ceiling windows and a private deck both afford breathtaking vistas of Uluru’s renowned colour changes, and an outdoor daybed — almost as comfy as the one inside — offers couples the chance to sleep under the endless star-filled sky, if desired.

All dining and beverages — including French Champagne — form part of the package inclusions here, as do a host of signature experiences, which range from guided visits to Uluru at sunset to tours of Kata Tjuta and Walpa Gorge at sunrise, and strolls through the illuminated art installation ‘Field of Light’.

At onsite Spa Kinara, couples can discover indulgences that combine the best of native beauty products and indigenous wisdom, and dotted throughout the camp they’ll find ‘help-yourself watering holes’, outdoor lounges, private dining pods, a swimming pool and plunge spa for the ultimate in outback relaxation.

Images George Apostolidis

For more minimoon ideas around Australia, click through to discover ABIA's favourite mini-honeymoon spots in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.

If you're planning a wedding in Australia you'll also want to check out ABIA. As one of the most-trusted wedding planning platforms in the country, ABIA presents engaged couples with more than 600,000 reviews and ratings collected from newlyweds, to help those planning a wedding anywhere across Australia. With just a quick search in the ABIA Directory you can find a plethora of wedding services and wedding vendors in your local area, including ceremony and reception venues, celebrants, photographers, caterers, decorators, florists, planners and coordinators, transport providers, hair stylists, make-up artists, videographers, cake designers,  live music and even dance teachers and photo booth hire. The website is also loaded with wedding inspiration, ideas and articles on topics like finding the perfect wedding dress, choosing wedding flowers, sustainable wedding suggestions, destination wedding venues and multi-day wedding planning, together with links to the best honeymoon destinations in Australia. An online wedding registry is also included, offering guests a great way to help pay for your chosen holiday or experience in place of traditional wedding gifts.