“The ferry from Melbourne city center to ‘Tassie’ departs twice a day – once in the morning and once in the evening. There we booked a night crossing so we wouldn’t lose valuable daytime hours at sea. The trip itself takes roughly nine hours, and for the night ferry, you have to book either a so-called reclining chair, which is included in the price (night crossing only), or a small cabin for an extra cost. We thought the reclining chair would be enough – we had been traveling for 16 hours on a plane and didn’t think it would be worse than that. But it can be if you’re unprepared.
Although the chairs recline further than on the plane, even allowing you to sleep on it, we weren't prepared for the approx. 100-150 slightly (i.e. very) intoxicated Australians also sleeping in the same space, at least a quarter of whom snored in a sort of choir. Since we didn't have earplugs, I (Zoli) spent most of the crossing, until six in the morning, staring up at the ceiling. Lesson: Eye masks, sleeping pills, and earplugs are a must-have for the night crossing.
The other little thing to consider when choosing a ferry crossing is that the Bass Straits between Melbourne and Tasmania is famous for its winds and high waves, so as soon as the boat emerges from the sheltered Port Phillip Bay, the roller coaster ride is likely to begin. Those who are very intolerant of rapid up-down or side-to-side movements are better off taking seasickness tablets with them ...” (2019)
Tasmania - Hobart - Tasman Bridge- Elter photo
Bay of Fires
“Located on the east coast of the island, this special national park is famous for its reddish-orange boulders right alongside the turquoise sea and dazzling white sand. Many believe that the place owes its name to these special colored rocks, but it was actually coined by Captain Furneux, who visited Tasmania aboard the Adventure in 1773 and saw many Aboriginal campfires on the shore. The fabulous color of the rocks is due to the local lichen that grows on them. The beach, which runs for a few tens of kilometers, is beautiful, with many (often free) wild camping sites right next to the beach, and these are not at all crowded even in high seasons. You could practically stop on the coast road every minute or so, the area is so spectacular, but even in the warmest months, the sea is too cold to bathe comfortably in.
Freycinet National Park
“If you’ve heard of Tasmania, it is most likely because of this national park, including Wineglass Bay, which is regularly voted one of the top 10 beaches in the world by travel magazines / online travel sites. Incidentally, it is the oldest national park in Tasmania, and a large percentage of Tasmania’s tourism revenue is generated by it, with almost every tourist who visits Tasmania spending a day or two here. Incidentally, the park is a peninsula that can only be explored on foot, even on multi-day tours. We ultimately chose to take the 11km-long Hazards Beach to Wineglass Bay round trip, which is like going on about four completely different tours in one. It starts with a little hill and stair climb to Wineglass Bay lookout, where your jaw immediately drops as you look down on the snow-white sandy beach below you.
Although we've already been to plenty of places all around Australia, this tour is definitely one of the top three most beautiful Australian walking tours.”