Tasmania. A voyage to Tasmania, Australia, Pacific - Hobart, Launceston, Devonport, Burnie, Somerset, Blackmans Bay, Kingston...

Forever the butt of mainland jokes, Tasmania has shrugged off the stigma of its isolation – the whole world seems to be discovering the physically dazzling, unique and accessible island. Suitably impressed, and a tad sheepish, the rest of Australia has finally stopped laughing and started visiting. ‘Tassie’ (as it’s affectionately known) has it all: vast, uninhabited slabs of wilderness, swimming at Seven Mile Beach, bountiful wildlife in Narawntapu National Park, gourmet food and wine in the Tamar Valley, a thriving arts scene and new-found urban cool.

Out and about, the island’s natural treasures live up to the hype – bushwalking, cycling, rafting and kayaking opportunities abound. Don’t miss curvaceous Wineglass Bay, craggy Cradle Mountain and the heaven-sent Huon Valley. Wild places like these are the essence of Tasmania, and their silent, forgiving presence is slowly liberating the island from the binds of history.
This legacy takes the form of gracious guesthouses, intriguing archaeological sites and an independent ‘islander’ sensibility. City-slickers will find urban virtues (plush hotels, gastronomic temples, rockin’ music rooms) delivered with less attitude and more charm than most mainland cities. Foodies will weep over the wine, cheer for the cheese and sing about the seafood.