If you have time while in Australia, go to Tasmania. It's gorgeous and very different from the mainland. I did a 3-day tour of the West Coast with a company called Bottom Bits Bus and they were great. I also went to Wineglass Bay and the Friendly Beaches on the East Coast with them. Both were beautiful, but my guess is that the West Coast is where the majority of the impressive sites reside. Actually, it's not a guess -- my tour guide confirmed this.
Spent a day frolicking around the sand dunes near Strahan -- breathtaking. Ocean Beach (also near Strahan) took my breath away as well. It was really cold when I was there, but the air felt and smelled so fresh and clean. Did some hiking a
...Read More
Spent a day frolicking around the sand dunes near Strahan -- breathtaking. Ocean Beach (also near Strahan) took my breath away as well. It was really cold when I was there, but the air felt and smelled so fresh and clean. Did some hiking around Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake, an area that's definitely worth a visit. I also visited a fantastic cave on the west coast. I think it was called "King Solomon's Cave," but I can't remember for certain.
Hobart is a cute little town with friendly people, adorable old houses, and great fish and chips. The distillery is a fun stop (samples included in the price of a self-guided tour), as is the Salamanca Market on Sundays. The people I met in Hobart were all so lovely.
Also make sure you hit Port Arthur, or what remains of it. They conduct evening Ghost Tours through the ruins of this infamously brutal penal colony. I didn't see any ghosts (much to my chagrin), but thoroughly enjoyed the tour nonetheless. Apparently, many ghosts have been sighted on the grounds.
I took the Spirit of Tasmania (ferry) from Melbourne, but flying is about the same price and a lot faster (the ferry takes 10 hours). If you can't afford a cabin on the boat, it might not be worth it. I paid for a cruise seat and was kept up all night by a crew of drunken morons. Argh.
Read Less