27 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do In Tasmania

The apple of my isle.

1. Take a soak in the world's most scenic bathtub.

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Take in the beauty of the (freezing cold) ocean off the east coast of Tasmania, while lying in a warm bath enjoying a glass of wine. The tub can be found at the luxurious resort Thalia Haven which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere.

2. Visit lavender fields.

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You'll feel like you've been transported to the south of France when you walk through these amazingly fragrant fields, less than an hour's drive from Launceston.

3. Fly over Wineglass Bay.

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Sure, you've seen a million and one Instagrams of the stunning Wineglass Bay. But how many have you seen with a bird's-eye view? You can take short flights over the Freycinet Peninsula which is one of the most scenic coastlines in the world.

4. Stay in the world's best boutique hotel.

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While you're down on the Freycinet Peninsula, why not stay in ultimate luxury at Saffire. The buildings have been built to blend in with the natural environment so you'll still feel ~in touch~ with nature.

5. Go to a tulip festival.

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Each October, the Bloomin Tulips festival is held in Wynyard, on the north-west coast. As well as taking amazing photos to spice up your camera roll, there's also a ton of local arts, crafts, music, and culinary delights to try out.

6. Do a six-day trek up Cradle Mountain, staying in private huts along the way.

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Hiking can be a lot of fun. Camping in freezing cold temperatures after a whole day of walking is not so fun. This walk has heated huts at every stop along the way, with hot water, books, and warm drinks to help you relax those muscles before you start off again.

7. Rock climb "The Totem Pole".

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OK, this one is definitely not for beginners. But even if you're not an experienced climber, it's worth checking out for the sheer amazingness of it.

8. Get lost in an IRL hedge maze.

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Tasmazia has eight huge mazes, so you can spend an afternoon exploring and getting lost among the tall hedges.

9. Go berry picking.

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Live out the ultimate paleo fantasy and pick your own berries! Hillwood Berry Farm grows strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, and loganberries, which all grow at different times of the year. You pay a small fee, but get to keep everything you pick, and it's a lot cheaper (and fresher) than buying your berries from Coles.

10. Eat raspberry-flavoured everything at a raspberry farm.

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If all that picking has made you hungry, head to Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm just down the road from Hillwood, near Launceston. From chocolate french toast and wallaby bacon burgers with raspberry relish, to raspberry lattes and iced tea, it's certainly an experience.

11. Visit a town called Penguin.

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And take a photo with the Big Penguin, because it isn't a real Aussie road trip if you don't visit a big thing. Penguin, on the north coast, was named after the huge number of penguin colonies that can be found along the coast near the town.

12. Go penguin-spotting.

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At Low Head, near Launceston, you can go on night-time penguin tours, where you can see these teeny tiny Fairy Penguins make their way into their burrows. The tour is ecologically friendly and makes sure that the penguins aren't disturbed, and will also teach you about the little guys.

13. Visit a Swiss village.

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There is a small town, named Grindelwald, just north of Launceston which is built exactly like a village in Switzerland. It's surrounded by the Tamar Valley and a beautiful artificial lake, and is a great place to spend an afternoon.

14. See the Aurora Australis.

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Tasmania is the best place to go in Oz if you want to see the Southern Lights. There are workshops held around the state to help you get great photos, or you can just venture out on your own and look up!

15. Go on a ghost tour of Port Arthur.

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There are countless ghost stories surrounding Port Arthur, which used to be a convict settlement. Why not scare yourself shitless by going on a 90-minute candlelit tour, and decide for yourself just how much truth there is in these stories.

16. Visit an "Unzoo".

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An unzoo is basically just a garden with a ton of animals in it - like a zoo without cages. The Tasmanian Devil Unzoo, near Port Arthur, will let you come face to face with wombats, echidnas, kangaroos, and, you guessed it, Tasmanian devils.

17. Walk above the treetops.

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The Tahune Airwalk, about an hour outside Hobart, is a series of bridges 30 metres above the ground. It's a great way to experience the state's natural beauty, and get a great view of the river and forest.

18. Take a giant slide from the canopy down to the forest floor.

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This is definitely the coolest way to start a bush walk, sliding 110 metres down to the floor of a natural sinkhole. From there you can walk along wooden walkways and explore the unique forest habitat.

19. Zipline through the forest.

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Ziplining is always going to be a pretty cool adventure, but doing it in Tasmania's forest is really something else. They also offer night zipline tours, where your surroundings are lit only by a lamp on your helmet.

20. Explore convict history.

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Campbell Town was settled on the Elizabeth River as a stopping point for travellers between Launceston and Hobart. It still serves the same purpose, and is a great place to while away an afternoon mid-road trip. The town is full of old colonial buildings, and has a self-guided walk following the Convict Brick Trail, which gives an insight into convict history in Tasmania.

21. Laugh at funny house names.

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Doo Town, near Port Arthur, is a strange little town, where almost every house has "Doo" in it's name. It started when an architect named his house "Doo I" back in 1935, and everyone thought it was hilarious and jumped on the bandwagon. It's a great stop on a road trip, if you're in the area.

22. Hang out at the edge of the world.

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The sea off the west coast of Tasmania is the largest expanse of water on the planet. As you stand at Gardiner Point, where the Arthur River begins, you really feel as though you're standing on the edge of the world.

23. Go to a seahorse farm.

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Seahorse World, just outside Launceston, is a boutique aquarium filled with seahorses, sea dragons, cowfish, and cuttlefish. You can hold a seahorse in your hand which is pretty damn cool.

24. Spend the day with platypuses and echidnas.

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Just down the road from Seahorse World is Platypus House, a place where you can get up close and personal with platypuses and echidnas (who are possibly the cutest little animals on the planet). You also can learn all about these animals and see them in what is very close to their natural habitat.

25. Climb the neck of Bruny Island.

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If you're visiting Bruny Island in the state's southeast, make sure you visit The Neck which connects the north and south of the island. It gives a stunning view of the surroundings and the viewing deck will let you see fairy penguins and other birds if you visit at the right time of day.

26. Go whisky tasting in the Derwent Valley.

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The Derwent Valley is one of the most beautiful places in Tasmania, and so is the perfect place to partake in some day drinking. Redlands Estate actually takes you through the whole process of making whisky, from farming barley, to pouring it into the bottle, all of which is done on-site.

27. Enjoy the quiet on car-free Maria Island.

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The island can be reached by a ferry on the east coast, about an hour and a half from Hobart. Once you're there, it feels like the most peaceful place in the world, thanks to the lack of cars. There are a ton of walks, bike trails, camping sites, and places to swim. If you keep your eyes peeled at night, you might see a Tasmanian devil!

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