For fun and frolic
PREPARE to indulge in some wonderful food, awesome scenery and fresh experiences when you are in Tasmania. Distinctly laid back and welcoming, the Australian island state is blanketed in wilderness. It’s no wonder that Tasmania is hailed as Australia’s outdoor playground. So lace up your boots for a luxury coastal hike – even if purely as an excuse to work up an appetite to indulge in the superb local food and wine. If you prefer a more relaxed pace, you can also cruise the seas to pluck seafood fresh from the ocean.
Tasmania’s Bass Strait coast is as wild as any Scottish heath, so it’s no surprise that a couple of Australia’s top links golf courses have set up here. Otherwise, a visit to the “best little town in the world” should hold plenty of surprises. Backed by rainforest, mountains and a superbly moody harbour, Strahan – a four- hour drive west of Hobart – is the literal village in the wilderness.
Fancy seafood so fresh, it’s still dripping? Barbecued and eaten while you’re still on the water? A day- long Tasmanian Seafood Seduction cruise will have you skimming out of Hobart’s docks and into the bountiful waters of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, where your guide will jump overboard to catch the likes of crayfish, sea urchins and abalone.
After a hearty meal, the next obvious choice is to sink into “the best boutique hotel on earth”. Perched at the edge of Coles Bay, the sting ray- shaped Saffire Freycinet peers across flat seas to the ever- changing colours of the
There is plenty to discover in Australia’s favourite outdoor playground. Hazards mountains, in itself offering a wonderful activity – simply settle in with a refreshing drink in hand to watch the moving colour show over the afternoon sky.
Don’t just stay in bed at Coles Bay, though. Take a guided walk along the perfect white curve of Wineglass Bay, splurge at the exclusive La Prairie day spa and meet the very rare ( but very handsome) Tasmanian devils.
Feel like taking a drive? Tasmania’s Great Eastern Drive – which stretches from the capital city of Hobart, all the way up the eastern coastline – is the “dream road trip” for most locals. It’s easy to see why: White- sand beaches, vivid, lichen- smothered headlands and one of Australia’s most famous bays – dotted with delights the whole way – create a most delightful experience.
Of course, long sections of Tasmania’s glorious shoreline are best seen on foot. And for every great stretch of coast, there’s an operator providing an experience where the scenery is matched by the local food, wine and private pieces of coastal luxury. Some of our favourites include Three Capes Track, Maria Island Walk and Freycinet Experience Walk.
Another great thing about Tasmania is its exciting festivals. For a few days, the climax of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race turns Hobart into a floating festival, creating a mood the city maintains through a series of wonderful events.
Plan your visit around other amazing waterside festivals – The Taste of Tasmania, Australian Wooden Boat Festival, Dark Mofo and Festival of Voices – and prepare yourself for a splashing good time.
Sourced from Tourism Australia. Malaysia Airlines offers an all- inclusive return fare to Tasmania via Melbourne. Contact your travel agent to book.