Tasmania

While Hobart and Launceston boast excellent restaurants, bars and shops, natural beauty is Tasmania's centerpiece attraction. Much of the island's west is a designated UNESCO World Heritage area, including Lake St. Clair and jagged Cradle Mountain which are connected by the world-famous Overland Track. Also World Heritage-listed is the pristine wilderness of Southwest National Park and the catchment of the Franklin River, a wild watercourse that adventurous rafters take at least a week to negotiate. In Tasmania's southeast is the rugged Tasman Peninsula, which sports spectacular cliffs and is home to the somber ruins of the one-time penal ...

While Hobart and Launceston boast excellent restaurants, bars and shops, natural beauty is Tasmania's centerpiece attraction. Much of the island's west is a designated UNESCO World Heritage area, including Lake St. Clair and jagged Cradle Mountain which are connected by the world-famous Overland Track. Also World Heritage-listed is the pristine wilderness of Southwest National Park and the catchment of the Franklin River, a wild watercourse that adventurous rafters take at least a week to negotiate. In Tasmania's southeast is the rugged Tasman Peninsula, which sports spectacular cliffs and is home to the somber ruins of the one-time penal colony Port Arthur. The bucolic Midlands rise up into the Central Plateau and are littered with historic towns like Richmond and Oatlands, both crammed with beautifully preserved Georgian architecture and local crafts. The east coast is shared by the iconic sandy curve of Wineglass Bay and low-key communities that pride themselves on hospitality and fresh air.

About the Expert

Paul Smitz has coauthored a dozen guidebooks for Lonely Planet on places such as Australia, New Zealand, Malaysian Borneo, Brunei, various Pacific Islands, Prague, and Brussels.