If your time is limited and you are not intending to visit the nearby Port Arthur Historic Site, you can enjoy a stunning short to medium walk along the cliffs in a comfortable daytrip from Hobart.

If you're planning to visit the historic site, you could simply take in a few of the park's most accessible visual attractions on your way. Alternatively, extend your visit by a day or two and really make the most of bushwalking, boating or diving in this magnificent landscape.

The stars of the 8,312-hectare (20,780-acre) Tasman National Park are the sea caves, geos, stacks, arches, collapse features and 300-metre (986-foot) high cliffs created by 6,000 years of wave action on the peninsul's sandstone, dolerite and granite.

You can visit Tasman Arch, the Blowhole, the Devils Kitchen, the Tessellated Pavement, Remarkable Cave and Waterfall Bay by car, but by far the best views are from the park's many bushwalks: even a stroll of just an hour or two will bring you to the edge of sheer drops overlooking chasms and surging ocean, off-shore islands, white-sand beaches, and a waterfall that tumbles into the sea.

If you like a challenge, try abseiling or rock climbing the Candlestick or the Totem Pole - but remember that no bolting is permitted.

If you are a camper or enjoy getting out in a boat, you'll love the peninsula's bays and rich marine life. Whales, dolphins, penguins, fur seals, elephant seals and leopard seals all frequent the region, and there's a good chance you'll see one from the shore or on a wildlife cruise.

In the scrub and forest beside the trails, wallabies and pademelons feed at dusk and dawn. Sea eagles soar overhead during the day, and at night Tasmanian devils scavenge and bicker.

The peninsula's cool-temperate waters are renowned for their high visibility, ranging from 12 metres (13 yards) in summer to 40 metres (44 yards) in winter. Leafy sea dragons, big-bellied sea horses, sponge gardens and some of the largest forests of giant kelp in Australia attract divers from around the world, so bring your snorkel or scuba gear.

Ship Stern Bluff, in the western part of the park, is a mecca for surfers, who consider it one of the heaviest breaks in the world.

• Waterfall Bay (60-90 minutes)
• Bivouac Bay (three hours)
• Cape Hauy (four hours)
• Cape Raoul (five hours)
  

A popular camping ground in the park at Fortescue Bay has 40 sites and an amenities block. A site costs $5.50 per night for one person, $11.00 for two to six people and $16.50 for seven or more. If you plan to camp here, you should book by ringing (03) 6250 2433.

The Tasman Peninsula is a popular tourist destination, and there is accommodation to suit all budgets outside the park, from camping grounds and hostels to up-market motels and Bed and Breakfast accommodation.

The Tasman Peninsula is the location of Tasmania's premier tourist attraction, Port Arthur Historic Site. In a region renowned for its dramatic scenery, the remains of this 19th century convict prison stand on the shores of some of the most placid waters imaginable.

To make the most of the site, you should plan to spend at least a day there, touring the Penitentiary and the Separate Prison, hearing tales of the zealotry that saw psychological punishment replace physical abuse, and cruising to the graveyard on the Isle of the Dead.

From Hobart, take the A3 to Sorell and then the Arthur Highway (A9) to Port Arthur.

The park has several main access roads. To get to the northern end turn off onto the Blowhole Road (C338) just after Eaglehawk Neck. This will take you to Tasman Arch and Devils Kitchen. Along the C338, a sign-posted gravel road to the right leads to Waterfall Bay. The Waterfall Bay Rd provides access to the Tasman Track southwards or up to the Tasman Arch.

To reach the southern area of the park, continue along the A9 towards Port Arthur. Access to Fortescue Bay and walking tracks to Cape Hauy, Cape Pillar and Waterfall Bay can be reached along the Fortescue Road, a 12-kilometre (7.5-mile) gravel road.

Access to the south-western part of the park is also via the Arthur Highway (A9). Take the Safety Cove Road at Port Arthur township to access Remarkable Cave, Maignon Blowhole and walking tracks to Mount Brown and Crescent Bay. Further west, the access road to the walking tracks to Cape Raoul, Ship Stern Bluff and Tunnel Bay leaves the Arthur Highway at Stormlea Road.

• National parks and reserves
• Preparing to walk in the outdoors
• Park entry fees

• Phone: (03) 6214 8100
  Fax:(03) 62148112

• Port Arthur Historic Site
  Phone: (03) 6251 2371
  Email: portarth@tasvisinfo.com.au