DOWN UNDER’S WILD ISLAND

I’VE ALWAYS associated an Australian adventure with the outback, but the inside scoop some Aussie friends recently showed me is that the island of Tasmania may be the truly wild place down under. Mainlanders have long trekked to the 26,000-square-mile state to commune with nature, but it has become increasingly accessible to foreigners, with regular flights into the capital city of Hobart. Nearly half of the island state is protected in 20 national parks and over 800 nature reserves. You won’t see any koalas, but wallabies, platypuses, and wombats abound—and you might just glimpse a rare Tasmanian devil if you keep your eyes peeled at night. The community vibe is hospitable yet also gritty and resourceful, dating back to the arrival of convict ships from England in the 19th century. The Launceston region in the north smacks of Napa, while Hobart, on the south shore, is like a scaled-down San Francisco. For a blend of history, art, diverse landscapes, and great food and wine—plus opportunities to sail, hike, bike, golf, surf, and fish—you’d be hard-pressed to find a more mesmerizing island anywhere.

Set above the white sands of Great Oyster Bay, Saffire Freycinet is one of the best small hotels in all of Australia. It’s an ideal base camp for wildlife-watching hikes and kayaking or simply chilling, sampling local oysters, and sipping Tassie vintages.

2. LAKE REGION TROUT The best sight fishing on the planet is found in Tasmania’s Western Lakes region. Here, seven-pound browns cruise gin-clear creeks and tarns, devour small frogs, and (if you can make a perfect cast) might even inhale your dry fly.

1. SURFING SHIPSTERN It’s numbingly cold and a four-mile hike to the water, but when it’s on, Shipstern Bluff churns one of the world’s most challenging big waves. “Tassie” also offers numerous gentler breaks, like Clifton Beach, Eaglehawk Neck, and Bruny Island—all within a 90-minute drive from Hobart.