A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Atami vs. Darwin for Families, Attractions, Food, and Nightlife

Should you visit Atami or Darwin?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Atami and Darwin can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Atami

Atami is a nostalgic, authentic, and overlooked town. And you can't forget about the museums, nightlife, and food.

Darwin

Darwin is a multicultural, authentic, and local town. Visitors also love the food, beaches, and hiking.

Atami and Darwin: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Atami or Darwin?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Darwin than Atami, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Darwin is more touristy than Atami and is popular for its outdoor markets and tropical weather. Also, Darwin is famous for Mindil Beach. Atami is well known for its onsen (hot springs) and sandy beaches.

How is Atami different from Darwin?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Darwin and Atami. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Atami or Darwin?

Visiting museums and landmarks is a fun activity in both Atami and Darwin.

Atami offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. The onsen, or hot springs, have historically been a big draw to this town. Places to experience them include Oedo Onsen Monogatari Atami, Otsuki Hotel Wafukan, and Myoraku-Yu. Other sights around town include Kaminiya Shrine and the MOA Museum of Art.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Darwin. You can check out the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, explore the city's Waterfront Precinct, and spend some time at the Darwin Military Museum.

Is the Food Better in Atami or Darwin? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

There are opportunities to sample the local cuisine at notable restaurants in both Atami and Darwin.

Atami has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. You'll find an authentic Japanese dining experience here, with a lot of seafood due to the city's coastal location. Popular dishes include sushi, dried fish, and fish boiled in broth.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Darwin area. There are plenty of local restaurants that serve seafood or local twists on international flavors. Many restaurants offer Barramundi that is prepared in unique ways. You can try the Barramundi Bibimbap or the Crispy Baby Barramundi.

Is Atami or Darwin Better for Nightlife?

The notable nightlife scene is relatively similar in Atami and Darwin.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Atami. The town was once a place to escape the city and enjoy a fun night out, but these days it's a bit quieter and has more of a nostalgic vibe. Head to Yushima Yugijo Yushima Amusement Center for some of the best nightlife in town.

Darwin has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. You'll find the most bars along Mitchell Street or in the Waterfront Precinct area. There are also some popular nightclubs and music venues in town.

Is Atami or Darwin Better for Beaches?

Both Atami and Darwin are considered to be notable beach destinations.

Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in Atami. The most popular beach in the city is Atami Sun Beach, which is right in town. It's a place to relax in the sun, and there are sometimes fireworks throughout the year.

Darwin offers a nice beach destination. Most people don't swim at the beaches because of the saltwater crocodiles and jellyfish. You can hang out in the sand though and Mindil Beach is a favorite spot for locals.

Is Atami or Darwin Better for Hiking?

Darwin is a very popular place for its hiking trails. However, Atami is not a hiking destination.

Many visitors explore the nearby hiking trails while visiting Darwin. In addition to city walks, there are many national parks that make great day trips from town. Litchfield National Park has many hikes as does Mary River National Park. The town is also known as the gateway to Kakadu National Park.

Atami is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Atami or Darwin?

Shoppers can find a variety of notable stores in both Atami and Darwin.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Atami. You'll find a couple of retro shopping streets in town such as Atami Ekimae Shopping Street, Nakamise Shopping Street, and Heiwadori Shopping Street. There are arcades and food stalls where you can sample local dishes.

Many visitors go to Darwin to go shopping. There are shopping malls, art galleries, and trendy boutiques around town.

Is Atami or Darwin Better for Families?

Darwin is a very popular place for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Atami is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its family-friendly activities.

Because of its large number of kid-friendly activities, Darwin is very family-friendly. Kids will enjoy the many outdoor activities in town and in the surrounding areas. There are wildlife parks and several national parks in the area like Litchfield National Park. For many families, this is a stop off on there way to Kakadu National Park.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Atami. The city is a hot springs area, but you can also head to the nearby beaches and other family-friendly activities.

Is Atami or Darwin Better for Couples?

Both Atami and Darwin are notable destinations for a couple's getaway.

Atami makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. This is a beach and hot springs resort area, and in historic times it was a honeymoon destination. Today you'll find beaches, hot springs, shopping, and museums to explore, but most visitors use it as a base to explore the nearby areas, as the town itself doesn't have a lot to offer.

Darwin is a good town for couples to visit. The beautiful weather means that you can spend most of your time outdoors. Sunset picnics are popular, but for many visitors, it's all about the day trips to nearby parks.

Is Atami or Darwin Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Atami and Darwin are both notable destinations for backpackers.

Atami is a good town to visit for backpackers. While there aren't a huge number of hostels in the area, and backpackers often skip over this town, prices aren't particularly high so you should be able to find something affordable.

Plenty of backpackers visit Darwin. There are a handful of hostels in town that make this an easy place to spend a night or two for backpackers.

Is Atami or Darwin Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Visitors will find notable public transit in both Atami and Darwin.

Atami has some public transit options. There are public buses, such as the YuYu Bus, which has two routes and passes by many of the town's attractions.

You'll find some public transit in Darwin, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There are public buses around town. There's also a waterfront shuttle.

Is Atami or Darwin a more walkable city?

Atami and Darwin are notable when it comes to walkability.

Atami is a somewhat walkable place. Some parts of the city are more walkable than others.

Darwin is a somewhat walkable town. There are biking and walking paths around town.

For even more information, also check out Is Atami Worth Visiting? and Is Darwin Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Darwin or Atami?

How long in Atami or Darwin?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Atami and Darwin. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Darwin than in Atami. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Atami, and 2-3 days is enough time in Darwin.

Families should spend more time in Darwin than Atami. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Darwin, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Darwin than Atami. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Darwin that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Darwin than Atami if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Darwin.

One day in Atami or Darwin?

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Atami. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

In Darwin, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this authentic destination offers. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it.

A weekend in Atami or Darwin?

Atami is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Darwin. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. Many travelers plan to spend time hiking while in the area. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Five days in Atami or Darwin?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Atami. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Darwin is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the destination of Darwin. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

A week in Atami or Darwin?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the nostalgic destination of Atami. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

You'll find food and shopping around the tropical destination of Darwin. Hikers are also drawn to this area. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Tokyo, The Best 2-Week Tours from Tokyo, The Best Walking Tours in Australia, and The Best Eco Tours in Australia.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Atami and Darwin, we can see that Darwin is more expensive. And not only is Atami much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Atami is in Asia and Darwin is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Atami would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Atami and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Darwin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Darwin than you might in Atami.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Atami Expensive? and Is Darwin Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Atami or Darwin?

Darwin has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Atami. When comparing the sizes of Atami and Darwin, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Atami or Darwin?

Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Darwin is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Atami has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].

Should I visit Atami or Darwin in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Atami as well as Darwin. Most visitors come to Atami for the beaches and the family-friendly experiences during these months. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Darwin because of the beaches, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.

Atami is cooler than Darwin in the summer. The daily temperature in Atami averages around 26°C (78°F) in July, and Darwin fluctuates around 29°C (83°F)in January.

In the summer, Atami often gets less sunshine than Darwinin January. Atami gets 140 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Darwin receives 173 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Darwin. Atami receives a lot of rain in the summer. Atami usually gets less rain in July than Darwinin January. Atami gets 202 mm (8 in) of rain, while Darwin receives 437 mm (17.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Atami or Darwin in the Autumn?

Both Darwin and Atami are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to Atami because of the shopping scene. Also, the hiking trails and the shopping scene are the main draw to Darwin this time of year.

In the autumn, Atami is much colder than Darwin. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Atami in October average around 18°C (64°F), and Darwin averages at about 29°C (84°F)in April.

It's quite sunny in Darwin. Atami usually receives less sunshine than Darwin during autumn. Atami gets 130 hours of sunny skies, while Darwin receives 267 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It's quite rainy in Atami. In October, Atami usually receives more rain than Darwinin April. Atami gets 154 mm (6.1 in) of rain, while Darwin receives 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Atami or Darwin in the Winter?

Both Darwin and Atami during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Atami this time of year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Darwin for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

In January, Atami is generally much colder than Darwinin July. Daily temperatures in Atami average around 5°C (42°F), and Darwin fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).

In Darwin, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Atami often gets less sunshine than Darwinin July. Atami gets 162 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Darwin receives 312 hours of full sun.

Atami usually gets more rain in January than Darwinin July. Atami gets 73 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Darwin receives 1 mm (0 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Atami or Darwin in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Atami and Darwin. Many travelers come to Atami for the beaches. Furthermore, many visitors come to Darwin in the spring for the beaches.

Atami is much colder than Darwin in the spring. The daily temperature in Atami averages around 14°C (57°F) in April, and Darwin fluctuates around 29°C (85°F)in October.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Darwin this time of the year. Atami usually receives less sunshine than Darwin during spring. Atami gets 161 hours of sunny skies, while Darwin receives 291 hours of full sun in the spring.

Atami gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Atami usually receives more rain than Darwinin October. Atami gets 163 mm (6.4 in) of rain, while Darwin receives 76 mm (3 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Darwin and Atami