Tiwi By Design Day Tour: Glimpse into Aboriginal Community and their Rich Traditions

Explore Tiwi Islands’ Aboriginal culture with a local guide. Enjoy traditional tea, learn rituals, and join an art workshop. Limited tourism, unique experience.

Duration: 9 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • SeaLink Northern Territory - Servicing the Top end since 2013, SeaLink Northern Territory provides a safe, comfortable and reliable ferry service with state-of-the-art high-speed catamarans and friendly qualified crew.
    Built especially for remote locations, the SeaLink NT ferries are capable of beach landings, carrying large numbers of passengers…
What's Included
  • Local guide
  • On-board WiFi
  • Lunch
  • On-board restrooms
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information

Visit a traditional Aboriginal community on the Tiwi Islands, off the coast of Darwin. Accompanied by a local Tiwi guide, you’ll learn about local history and Tiwi rituals by visiting all the places of interest. Share a traditional morning tea with Tiwi Islanders before taking an art workshop taught by Aboriginal artists. Tourism is limited on the…

Location
Cullen Bay Ferry Terminal
Cullen Bay Ferry Terminal, at the end of Marina Boulevard, Cullen Bay, Darwin. 5 minutes drive from Darwin CBD, free all day parking in off-street carparks.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.5
(144 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Ingrdient
Aug 16, 2024
Warm welcome on country. - I loved this tour. The people of the islands gave a warm welcome and a rare opportunity to experience a smoking ceremony. Islanders shared their dances, culture and humour before morning tea. Local artists helped us screen print a tea towel or t-shirt. Such warm and expert teaching. Lunch was fresh and satisfying and later we visited the museum and the famous Top End Wedding church. It was an opportunity to visit a community where culture and language are alive. Such a wonderful experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oztonto
Aug 6, 2024
Wonderful Experience - The early start from the Cullen Bay Marina was well worth it and the two and half hours ocean crossing to Wurrumiyanga simply spectacular - such vast blue waters. The AAT Kings Tour with Adam (our driver) and Trevor (our tour guide) was fabulous - friendly, amusing, educational, warm and informative. Loved the church (also in Top End Wedding), museum, delicious fresh lunch, art demonstration and smoking ceremony. A truly wonderful day out. Mind you the return ferry trip was a little bumpy but still very enjoyable. All staff on the ferry and tour were truly respectful, helpful and friendly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
David_c
Aug 4, 2024
A day to remember. - We were welcomed with a smoking ceremony and dancing. Vivian, our excellent guide, explained everything in a friendly and easily understood way. Vivian led our guided tour of the small town with its interesting history, he made the history come alive with his knowledge of his people and their customs as well as the war time history. Lunch was fresh and tasty, we were well looked after by the friendly team at the arts centre. We particularly enjoyed the screen printing activity after lunch. The team couldn’t have been more helpful and everyone created work they could be proud of. Overall an enjoyable and relaxing day in a friendly and welcoming environment.
Review provided by Viator
Cristinad730
Jul 27, 2024
An extraordinary journey! - It was an amazing tour in a wonderfull land with really special first nation people. Especially, we met a great guide named Buffy that helps us to discover firs nation tradition, dance, culture and painting practice. Also, reality interesting was the visit to the local church and to their museum. I highly recommend booking this tour and discovering the wonderful land of Tiwi Island with its wonderful traditions!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
P416hbleeb
Jul 12, 2024
Very interesting History of Tiwi Islands - We’ve heard so much about Bathurst and Melville Islands but didn’t realise they were actually part of the Tiwi Islands. We had a long ferry ride from Cullen Bay but it was so worth it. Rocky and Buffy were our guides that introduced us to their Smoko ceremony followed by a trip to the museum, and historical. Lunch was later got but fresh and healthy after which we did some screen printing for ourselves for keepsakes. Some T-Shirts and some Tea towels. All in all, a long day but very informative, cultures we didn’t know and went away far more knowledgeable. Definitely worth a visit.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Riverina54
Jul 8, 2024
Great relaxing trip. - Was an enjoyable trip. Lovely people on Bathurst Island. Remember to take travel sickness tablets beforehand in case of rough waters.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Adelaidenow
Jun 24, 2024
Fantastic experience - We joined the trip today. Buffy and Rocky were great hosts. We really enjoyed the trip and felt we only got to experience a small part of the tiwi Islands. Ideally a couple of days on the Tiwi Islands would be much better and I’m sure we will be back. Not a cheap trip but I’ll remember the experience much longer than I remember the price.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Diaaj2022
May 24, 2024
Many thanks to Tiwi By Design Day Tour - We had a wonderful day at Bathurst Island. The crossing was smooth and we really appreciated our guide Vivian, the smoking ceremony and our walk around the town visiting among other things the museum and historic church. Lunch was scrumptious under the trees in the garden of the Arts centre, and then followed up with choosing a Tiwi Design and being involved with the process of screen printing the design on to a T shirt and a Tea towel for the two of us. It was great!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marietherese_s
Jul 5, 2024
Tiwi in a day! - Wonderful to experience life on Tiwi at Bathurst Islands. Had opportunity to create screen print. Loved the museum and church(site of Top End Wedding). Great day exploring. Sadly the ferry rides weren't too flash but it couldn't spoil the beautiful day for us
Review provided by Viator
Kerrymb138rq
Jul 17, 2024
Disappointingly tour was cancelled.... - I booked, seeing a few reviews that this tour was cancelled at short notice on occasion, and hoped that wouldn't happen on this occasion. Sadly, I was also unlucky and the tour was cancelled the evening before. Communications cited "mechanical issues" but having seen that in other reviews and that it was late on a Sunday afternoon that they cancelled, I thought that was a bit suspect (maybe minimum numbers - not mentioned in booking - were not met). If you're keen to actually get to the islands, maybe try a different tour if available. Or when booking, knowing that there's a chance it won't go ahead and you'll be left disappointed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $285
up to 9 guests
1 Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).