Planning a Trip

Visitor Information

The Tasmanian Travel and Information Centre (tel. 1300/655 145 in Australia; www.discovertasmania.com.au) operates visitor centers in more than 30 towns throughout the state. It can arrange travel passes, ferry and bus tickets, car rentals, cruises, and accommodations.

Pick up a copy of Travelways, Tourism Tasmania's tourist tabloid, for details on transportation, accommodations, restaurants, and attractions around Tasmania.

When to Go

The best time to visit Tasmania is between October and April, when the weather is at its best. By May, nights are getting cold, days are getting shorter, and the deciduous trees are starting to turn golden. Winters (June-Aug), especially in the high country, can be quite harsh -- though that's the best time to curl up in front of a blazing fire. The east coast is generally milder than the west coast, which is buffeted by the "Roaring 40s" -- the winds that blow across the ocean and the 40-degree meridian, from as far away as Argentina.

The busy season for tourism runs December through February, as well as during public holiday and school holiday periods. Unlike the rest of Australia, Tasmanian schools have three terms. Term dates are from the second week in February to the last week in May; the third week in June to the first week in September; and the fourth week in September to the first week in December.

Getting There

The quickest way to get to Tasmania is by air. Qantas (tel. 13 13 13 in Australia; www.qantas.com) flies from the mainland to Hobart and Launceston. Virgin Blue (tel. 13 67 89 in Australia; www.virginblue.com.au) offers discounted trips from Melbourne to Hobart and Launceston, with connections from other capitals, if you book early from the website. Jetstar, a Qantas offshoot (tel. 13 15 38 in Australia; www.jetstar.com.au), also flies to Hobart and Launceston. Two-way fares cost from around A$240 (US$192/UK£96) if booked on the Net. Regional Express (tel. 13 17 13 in Australia; www.regionalexpress.com.au) flies from Melbourne to Devonport and Burnie in the state's north.

Two high-speed ferry services connect Melbourne and Tasmania. The Spirit of Tasmania I and II can each carry 1,400 passengers as well as cars. They make the crossing from Melbourne's Station Pier to Tasmania's Devonport (on the north coast) in around 10 hours. The ferries leave both Melbourne and Devonport at 9pm and arrive at around 7am. From roughly December 20 to April 27, there's also day service on weekends, leaving both ports at 9am and arriving at 7pm. Prices are based on "shoulder" and "peak" times: The shoulder seasons run from roughly August 31 to December 6, and from January 27 to April 27. A one-way seat costs A$114 to A$168 (US$91-US$134/UK£46-UK£67) for adults depending on season, and A$102 to A$131 (US$82-US$105/UK£41-UK£53) for children. Three- to four-berth cabins cost from A$212 to A$272 (US$170-US$218/UK£85-UK£109) for adults and A$118 to A$146 (US$94-US$117/UK£47-UK£58) for kids depending on the season and if you have a porthole. Twin cabins cost A$236 to A$302 (US$189-US$242/UK£95-UK£121) for adults and A$128 to A$162 (US$102-US$130/UK£51-UK£65) for children. Deluxe cabins cost A$326 to A$418 (US$261-US$334/UK£131-UK£167) for adults and kids. Transporting a standard-size car costs A$79 to A$121 (US$63-US$97/UK£32-UK£48), depending on size, year-round.

Make reservations for any of the ferries through TT-Line (tel. 1800/634 906 in Australia, or 03/9206 6211; www.spiritoftasmania.com.au). Special offers are regularly available. Tasmanian Redline Coaches (tel. 03/6336 1446) connect with each ferry and transfer passengers to Launceston and Hobart.

Getting Around

The regional airline Tasair (tel. 03/6248 5088; www.tasair.com.au) flies to some settlements in Tasmania. Par Avion (tel. 03/6248 5390; www.paravion.com.au) concentrates on the southwest World Heritage areas of the state and also operates wonderful sightseeing tours. A 2 1/2-hour southwest wilderness flight, for example, costs A$170 (US$136/UK£68).

Tasmanian Redline Coaches (tel. 1300/360 000 in Australia, or 03/6336 1446; www.tasredline.com.au) and Tassielink (tel. 1300/300 520 in Australia, or 03/6230 8900; www.tigerline.com.au) operate coach service statewide and offer a series of coach tours to major places of interest. Hobart Coaches (tel. 1800/030 620 in Australia, or 03/6234 4077) runs trips around the Hobart area.

The cheapest way to get around by coach is to buy a travel pass. The Tassielink Explorer Pass, which covers all Tassielink routes, comes in four categories: A 7-day pass good for travel within 10 days is A$180 (US$144/UK£72); a 10-day pass for travel in 15 days is A$225 (US$180/UK£95); a 14-day pass for travel in 20 days is A$260 (US$208/UK£104); a 21-day pass for travel in 30 days is A$299 (US$239/UK£120). Kids' passes are half price.

Driving a car from Devonport on the north coast to Hobart on the south coast takes less than 4 hours. From Hobart to Strahan on the west coast also takes around 4 hours, while the journey from Launceston to Hobart takes about 2 hours. The Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania, Murray and Patrick streets, Hobart (tel. 13 27 22 in Australia), can supply maps.

Tasmania's Tricky Roads -- Driving in Tasmania can be dangerous; there are more accidents involving tourists on Tasmania's roads than anywhere else in Australia. Many roads are narrow, and bends can be tight, especially in the mountainous inland regions, where you may also come across black ice early in the morning or at anytime in winter. Marsupials are also common around dusk, and swerving to avoid them has caused countless crashes.

National Park Entry Fees

A Tassie Holiday Pass costs A$56 (US$45/UK£22) and allows entry for a car and passengers to Tasmania's national parks for 2 months. Pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and coach passengers pay A$28 (US$22/UK£11) for 2 months. Occasional users can buy a 24-hour pass for A$22 (US$18/UK£9) per car; walkers, cyclists, motorcyclists, and coach passengers pay A$11 (US$9/UK£4.50) per day. Passes are available at all major parks and Tasmanian Visitor Information Centres. For more information, contact the Parks and Wildlife Service (tel. 03/6233 2621; www.parks.tas.gov.au).

Tour Operators

Dozens of operators run organized hiking, horse trekking, sailing, caving, fishing, bushwalking, diving, cycling, rafting, climbing, kayaking, and canoeing trips. For a full listing, see the "Outdoor Adventure" section of Travelways, the Tasmanian tourist board's publication.

One of the best operators is Tasmania Adventure Tours (tel. 1300/654 604 in Australia, or 08/8132 8230; www.adventuretours.com.au). It offers a 3-day East Coast Explorer tour from Devonport, taking in Launceston, Freycinet National Park, and Port Arthur, before finishing in Hobart. The tour costs A$425 to A$575 (US$340-US$460/UK£170-UK£230) depending on accommodations. A 6-day Taste of Tasmania Tour starts in Devonport, takes in Mount Field National Park, Lake St. Clair, Strahan, Cradle Mountain, Freycinet, and Port Arthur, and ends up in Hobart. This tour costs A$795 to A$1,105 (US$636-US$884/UK£318-UK£442). Other tours are available. Call for departure days.

Peregrine Adventures (tel. 03/9662 2800; www.peregrine.net.au) runs rafting tours of the Franklin River, which carves its way through some of the most beautiful, rugged, and inaccessible wilderness in the world. Another good operator is the Roaring 40's Ocean Kayaking Company (tel. 1800/653 712 in Australia; www.roaring40skayaking.com.au); both offer paddling expeditions lasting from 1 to 11 days. Tasmanian Expeditions in Launceston (tel. 1800/030 230 in Australia, or 03/6267 5000; www.tasmanianexpeditions.com.au), runs a whole range of cycling, trekking, and rafting trips around the country, some starting or finishing in Hobart.

Check out www.tastravel.com.au, an online travel agency, for more general information, and bookings for tours, hire cars, camper vans, and more.

Suggested Itineraries

Planning my first trip to Tasmania, I'd pack my walking boots, raincoat, and shorts, and head first to either Launceston or Hobart, the island's two main cities. I'd take in Freycinet National Park for its wonderful scenery and abundant wildlife, stop at Port Arthur for its beautiful setting and disturbing convict past, and head to the central highlands for a stomp around Cradle Mountain. If I had more time, I'd drive to Strahan on the far west coast to discover the southwest wilderness, take some time to go trout fishing in the central lakes, and head to the quaint coastal towns of the north.