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Tasmania is the lone island below Melbourne and it's more than just home to the Tasmanian Devil (yep, that's him in the photo!). It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to. Read on to find out how I got enchanted.
Hobart
Hobart is Tasmania's capital and Australia's second oldest capital city. It has been rated as the world's third most photogenic city by the readers of the Lonely Planet Travel Guide - so you can just imagine how breathtakingly beautiful it is!
Top of the list when you visit Hobart is to stroll along the waterfront to watch the sunset and simply enjoy the colorful yachts.
For shopping, there's the Salamanca Market. A row of old warehouses built in the 1830s had been converted to antique shops, restaurants and cafes. Best buys are products made from Tasmanian timbers, pottery, glow-in-the-dark shirts and watercolor paintings. We were there on a weekday but the best time to go there according to the locals is on a Saturday when about 300 stalls set up. Too bad we missed it. Sigh...
Then you can visit the Cadbury Chocolate Factory in Claremont, Glenorchy. There's an entrance fee - abt AU$11 - but given all the free chocolate samples during the tour, you will surely get more than your money's worth. I've never eaten so much chocolates in my entire life! And as if the samples weren't enough, we bought packs of Cadbury chocolates at the end of the tour! Hehe…
Convict Trail
On the way to Port Arthur (a prison settlement built in 1830), you can stop by Richmond, a small village with well-preserved 19th century structures. It houses three of Australia's oldest: Richmond Gaol (1825), Australia's oldest convict gaol; St John's Church (1836), Australia's oldest Catholic Church; and Richmond Bridge (1823), Australia's oldest bridge build by convict labor.
You can also pass by the Richmond Maze and Tea Rooms to see if you can find your way through giant mazes. We succeeded in solving the small maze (about 250 meters long) within 10 minutes but had to cheat in the big maze (about 500 meters long) after 20 minutes of futile attempt (guilt). We had to cheat because it was already starting to get dark! I had to climb the two-meter high wall several times to check if we were getting towards the center. Sorry though, I couldn't tell you what you'll find at the center of the maze. As the attendant said, it's all part of the fun and challenge of the game.
At Port Arthur, you can sign up for a Ghost Tour! Awooo.... During the one and a half hour lantern-lit walking tour, you'll go around the settlement covering the penitentiary, the hospital, asylum and military compound. I may not have a third eye but listening to the spine-tingling stories of our tour guide was enough to make me start imagining things! The tour was capped with the distribution of certificates for our bravery and courage in completing the ghost tour. Just as when I was in line to claim my certificate, the man in front of me was showing our tour guide a photo in his digital camera which he took during the tour and it apparently bears a strange silhouette...
Tasmanian Devil Park
It would be a shame for one to visit Tasmania and not see a real Tassie Devil at all. And what better place to see one than at the Tasmanian Devil Park:)
We were lucky that it was the Tasmanian Devils' feeding time when we visited the park. Tassie devils run around and run fast (like Taz) and they fiercely fight over food until the last bite. And after getting their fill, they dose off! Hmm, sounds like my weekend habit at home! Hehe…
While at the Park, we also had the opportunity to watch the "Kings of the Wind" show, Tasmania's first outdoor flight show.
Launceston
Cataract Gorge or the Gorge as the locals call it, is probably Launceston's most recognized landmark. It houses a dam, a power station and suspension bridge. It was also here where we took the chairlift ride - spanning 457 meters - believed to be the greatest single span of any chairlift in the world. I’m scared of heights but I survived! Whew ….
You can also visit Grindelwald, a Swiss Village Resort with pretty chalets; stop over for lunch at one of the lavander fields in Rowella; drop by the Grubb Shaft Gold and Heritage Museum in Beaconsfield (1904) to learn about mining; and pose for pictures at Batman Bridge, the world's first cable-stayed truss bridge built in 1968.
In a 5-day road trip, my cousin and I were only able to explore 1/3 of the island - giving me reason to come back for more someday:)
