Road trips in Tasmania

Australia’s southern-most state of Tasmania is often referred to as the “Apple Isle,” not because it is apple-shaped (it isn’t) but rather due to its vast apple orchards. People often think of the state as being a single island, but it actually includes over 300 islands, and while most are not suited to a road trip, the main island certainly is.

Many focus on Tasmania’s east coast and this isn’t a mistake. Rich in beautiful bays and beaches, the water is as cold as the scenery is hot. On dry land, there is a fantastic small-town food scene that lends itself to rambling and slow road trips with plenty of stops to eat along the way.

If you’d prefer something more orderly and less open-ended, with five days to a week you could drive from Hobart in the south to Launceston in the north and enjoy a mix of the beautiful eastern coast and the stunning scenery of the interior.

A word of warning, when it comes to Tasmania, one trip is rarely enough. Once you’ve taken your first bite of the Apple Isle, you’ll be returning sooner than you might think for another taste.