Unveiling Tasmania’s Wild Beauty: Are you ready for a 13-day adventure?

When you start traveling in Australia, Tasmania is going to be that place that everyone will be talking about - and for GOOD reason! It is a pretty spectacular island! Here's a quick overview of the numbers:

13 nights

1332 € p.p

How to get here:

Being that Tasmania is an island, there are essentially two ways to get here: by air or by sea.

If you have your own car or van, you can take it in the ferry from Melbourne (outskirts) and it is also possible to travel by ferry without a car, but be aware, it's very pricey! Plus, you need to book it in advance (if you're coming in the summer months like we did) because it will be sold out (think months, not weeks in advance).

So even though we don't like flying, this was the cheapest and fastest option for us and then rent a camper van once we arrived. From Adelaide, it was easiest to fly directly to Hobart (the largest city of Tasmania). Check more about flying companies in our post about how to get around in Australia.

There is a SkyBus from the airport to the city center which runs about every 30 min (last one at 19h30 though) and should cost something like 15 EUR p.p.

Once in the center there is some very affordable bus services to move around the town but that's about it - for properly exploring the island you need your own wheels, which is why we got our compact minivan after exploring Hobart.

Camping:

Tasmania was a luxury in terms of camping, we stayed in some awesome spots almost always for free - even sleeping by the beach!! We only paid for camping 2 nights (in Smithon and Zeehan) and even these were quite cheap, we stayed at a golf course where we could even shower for 5 EUR. Every where else we managed to find free spots with WikiCamps (where we found these as well), only next to Hobart it was a bit more challenging.

Don't forget to take into account:

Tasmania’s weather can be quite changeable, even during the summer months. Expect mild temperatures ranging from 10°C to 25°C (50°F to 77°F), but be prepared for sudden rain showers and cooler winds, especially near the coast and in the mountains. Packing layers, including a waterproof/windproof jacket and warm clothing, is essential to stay comfortable throughout your trip. If you plan to go up the mountains, it might even snow (Tasmania is actually a skying location in the winter). But we also caught 29°C (what the weather apps were calling a heatwave) and other days with thunderstorms.

Weather is unpredictable

National Parks Fee

In Australia, each state kind of does its own thing and of course, national parks are managed differently as well - in Tasmania, especially if you're planning to camp (which you definitely should) you need to arrange you pass - if you plan to stay 2 weeks like us, just go with the 2-month holiday pass + if you plan on going to Cradle Mountain, you need to get an extra pass which you can arrange when you get there (so no worries). You can find all the info in their website!

Itinerary: a round-trip around the island

Days 1-2: Hobart

• We spent 1 1/2 days in Hobart but it deserves some more detail - so check the next section for our highlights!

• Cute town with very European vibes

Days 3-4: Tasman National Park

• Hiked dramatic coastal trails with towering cliffs and sea views. Even though we only did day hikes, you can only do a multi-day hike here which seemed quite cool, though brace yourself for the wind

• You can check out the Tasmania cave/rock, where you can see the shape of the island in the geology

• Lots of historical things in the area (which we ended up not having the time for) like visiting a prison island and Port Arthur Historic Site

Days 5-6: Freycinet National Park & Bay of Fires

• Explored Freycinet’s famous Wineglass Bay and other hiking tracks - this has to be one of the most awesome hikes we did, most of the time spent near the coast by the water passing by a few beaches where you can take a swim (we did!) and some challenging uphill climbs to spectacular views. You can turn it into a multi-day hike as well

• Camped for free at Bay of Fires, waking up to pristine beaches and turquoise waters another amazing experience that we definitely recommend we ended only staying for one night but this is an amazing spot for a longer holiday

• Checked one of the craziest blowholes we have ever seen

Days 7-8: Launceston & Surroundings

• On our way to (and out of) Launceston, we visited many waterfalls where you could also swim and enjoy (some after short little hikes)

• The highlight of Launceston is without a doubt its public lake/pool area - you can exploring hiking trails that take you through old suspension bridges and into the wilderness and finish off with a swim in the most refreshing lake (a truly local thing to do)

• Got to see wild peacocks roaming around

• Took a food tour through lavender fields, truffle farms, and indulged in pickled treats and fresh fruit picking.

• Climbed “The Nut” near Smithton for panoramic views, where we could have a dinner with the sunset

Day 9 - 10: On the way to Cradle Mountain

• Breathed some of the purest air anywhere on the planet in this remote beach region (Arthur River Beach)

• Slept overnight at a golf course in Zeehan, a quirky and convenient stopover after a very interesting winding road (where we even had to cross a river on a small ferry in the middle of the forest)

• Did multiple hikes around the Cradle Mountains where we could see some very cute (yet shy) wombats during daylight (they are mostly nocturnal) - also here multi-day hikes are possible but we choose for daily only

Days 11: Strahan & Rainforest Train

• Spent some time enjoying the riverside while having dinner - you can have a cruise here, but some friends mentioned it was not really worth it

• Went into the rain forest with a cutest old style train - this was fun to do for the experience but it's actually a bit overpriced and you can't see that much, though the honey tasting was good

• We visited many waterfalls nearby, always in the hope of seeing the platypus (but unfortunately not very successfully)

• We passed by an old deactivated mine with a crazy viewing point and if we had more time, there seemed to be a nearby hike over the mountains that looked appealing

Day 12: Tree Top Walk & Mount Field National Park

• Driving through the beautiful forest to from Strahan to Mount Field National Park was a beautiful experience

• Did some hikes when at the park, again visiting multiple waterfalls on a platypus-spotting adventure (still not the time)

• Were early birds at the nearby Tree Top Walk (our second of such visits) were we could hike high-up next to tall eucalyptus and as well as by the river side

Day 13: Huon Valley

• On our last day, we ended the trip in Huon Valley tasting local ciders (can recommend!) but be early because they close around 17h

• And exploring a fascinating cave tour (which included thermal bath as well) - these were not limestone caves as in the rest of the country which made for very different formations

• Back to Hobart to sleep and return our car in the morning

Hobart - a closer look

The MONA (Museum of Old and New Art)

Rarely can you say that privatizing something makes it better - but here this is the most amazing example! The MONA is a privately owned museum which essentially made the owner create a space full of things that challenge your art (pre-)conceptions and push boundaries without the need for something to be 'socially acceptable' or not worried about possibly offending someone. If there is a museum in the world that is worth visiting it is definitely this one - don't expect to love everything but expect to be amazed (and a bit sad that more museums are not like this!).

We loved it so much we ended up spending a whole day here! You can get here by car or by boat - but take the boat! It's awesome!

Where we stayed 🏠

Before we picked up our van, we stayed at one of the places we liked the most throughout our whole stay - a little 1800s style Bed and Breakfast, cosy and comfortable, just outside the north of Hobart - the Assemblage Boutique Art Bed & Breakfast. We definitely recommend staying here, it was so lovely! See in the map below!

What to do

We were actually quite lucky because when we arrived there was food festival going on in the town (this was in Jan/Feb) and on the weekend they had a HUGE market in the town's main street (which I believe was a monthly event) which was very cool to explore and see local produce! At least for the summer, Hobart comes to live and has lot's of things to do, so take the time spend here a day or two!

The biggest highlight is for sure the MONA though - definitely don't skip it!