What can I do in Tasmania and how do I begin planning?

• How long do I have?
• Do I want to bring my car or rent a car?
• Do I want to take a guided tour?
• What can I see and do?
• What are the must sees?

Once you have an idea about how you intend to travel around our Island, order our latest guide.

A good way to plan your holiday is to focus on one of your interests:

• if you enjoy visiting wineries, spend time around our southern wineries or the Tamar Valley wine route.
• your interests may be as diverse as mountain biking or gardening, a cooking school using  fabulous Tasmanian produce that you have heard about, a pleasantly strenuous guided walking tour or exploring the World Heritage Convict Sites.
  

If you want to 'hub and spoke' it, base yourself for a few days in the north or the south and do day trips from there. A Hobart base allows you to take in the Huon, the Tasman Peninsula and Port Arthur and parts of the East Coast - journey time is about 2 hours maximum to your day destination. A Launceston base will see you able to do the Tamar region, a swing along the coast toward Port Sorell, alternatively swing out to Bridport and the east. Or head inland toward the Western Tiers - Deloraine, Cressy, Mole Creek, Longford all come to mind. If you base yourself on the Northwest coast at Burnie or Stanley there is infinite choice available for you to explore, including the wild west coast beaches or Cradle Mountain.

Many people find the true character of Tasmania in not going to the main centres (why go on holiday to another city?). That path will take you off the beaten track to quieter, more serene, often historic places. This style of holiday is more focussed on meeting the locals - it is often where Tasmanians also take a break. Small coastal communities, inland lakes and the roads to get to them, the wild West Coast, places where a small shop supports shacks and a few secluded special places to stay. It's the sort of holiday that is not in a brochure. The choice is up to you.

We also have a wide range of itineraries for anyone who likes to drive themselves:

• If you have more than a week and you don’t want to skim the island’s most popular attractions in a circuit, you might like to try one of our longer geographical areas itineraries.
• But if four or five days is all you have, why not follow one of our diverse and fascinating touring route itineraries. These bring you in touch with the true essence of smaller areas.