Tasmania questions

[Scuba]

We will be in Tasmania in early January 2023, their high season. To what extent do we need to book lodging and any tours we may wish to do in advance?

Also, has anyone been to Bruny Island? I’ve read that most rental car companies don’t allow their cars to be taken there, yet one needs a car to explore Bruny Island. Hmmmm … any ideas?

Has anyone done the Cradle to Coast tasting trail? I’m wondering about the logistics. We will start this in Launceston but it looks like we’ll have to go back there or at least back to Devonport to fly to Melbourne. Any suggestions for a town to stay in along the trail, and any better way than to just plan on doubling back?

 

[brett]

We flew into Hobart and out Launceston in Feb. The only advance reservations we made was the hotel in Hobart for our arrival.

We booked B&B's one day ahead. Never had an issue. Our only complaint....one week in Tassy was not enough. Hope to get back next time we are down under. So different from other parts of Australia that we have visited. Did not go to Bruny Island.

 

[BarbWire]

We flew into Hobart and out Launceston in Feb. The only advance reservations we made was the hotel in Hobart for our arrival.

We booked B&B's one day ahead. Never had an issue. Our only complaint....one week in Tassy was not enough. Hope to get back next time we are down under. So different from other parts of Australia that we have visited. Did not go to Bruny Island.

Brett — how did you book Tas B&Bs? On an OTA booking engine such as booking.com, or are there local Tassy booking sites? I am thinking about “winging it” in late Feb 2023.

 

[explanade]

Do you have to watch out for the devils?

 

[Souschef]

Do you have to watch out for the devils?

You mean one of these?

 

[nwsteve]

Our only complaint....one week in Tassy was not enough. Hope to get back next time we are down under. So different from other parts of Australia that we have visited. Did not go to Bruny Island.

+1 or more. Mistake we made is not appreciating just how long it would get from one place to another on TAS. Every town will require a slow down for the transits and depending on where you are going--more villages than you might expect. Roads are mostly two lanes and often with its fair share of curves. Not all bad to slow down to enjoy the scenery.

 

[brett]

Brett — how did you book Tas B&Bs? On an OTA booking engine such as booking.com, or are there local Tassy booking sites? I am thinking about “winging it” in late Feb 2023.

We did it two ways. We use booking.com but we also used tripadvisor. We actually find tripadvisor better since we can often find a way to book direct. Our preference is to book direct when possible.

Forgot how we booked our first two hotel nights in Hobart. It was prior to leaving Brisbane. After that it was all B&B's. Usually booked a day in advance. This is not unusual for us. Since retiring we tend to be very spontaneous travelers.

There was no drop off charge for picking up the car in Hobart and dropping it at Launceston airport (auteurope).

We preferred Hobart to Launceston.

Our air was pre-booked from Brisbane and back to Sydney. We had 6 days booked in Sydney prior to flying to Hawaii. This book ended out time in Tasy.

Two B&Bs that I remember us staying at:

Swansea" Meredith House. Perfect. Stayed in the main building. Very comfortable room. INCREDIBLE breakfast. First rate stay.

Port Arthur: Harpers on the Beach-White Beach. Great stay, out of the way, very, enjoyable.

We were surprised at the low sale fares on Jetstar Australia. As I recall it was $60AUD to go to Hobart, $40Aud to fly back to Syndey, and a base fare of $310Aud to fly to HNL. Our friends have told us that these fares have now increased by 30 percent.

We plan to return at some point.

 

[Scuba]

We did it two ways. We use booking.com but we also used tripadvisor. We actually find tripadvisor better since we can often find a way to book direct. Our preference is to book direct when possible.

Forgot how we booked our first two hotel nights in Hobart. It was prior to leaving Brisbane. After that it was all B&B's. Usually booked a day in advance. This is not unusual for us. Since retiring we tend to be very spontaneous travelers.

There was no drop off charge for picking up the car in Hobart and dropping it at Launceston airport (auteurope).

We preferred Hobart to Launceston.

Our air was pre-booked from Brisbane and back to Sydney. We had 6 days booked in Sydney prior to flying to Hawaii. This book ended out time in Tasy.

Two B&Bs that I remember us staying at:

Swansea" Meredith House. Perfect. Stayed in the main building. Very comfortable room. INCREDIBLE breakfast. First rate stay.

Port Arthur: Harpers on the Beach-White Beach. Great stay, out of the way, very, enjoyable.

We were surprised at the low sale fares on Jetstar Australia. As I recall it was $60AUD to go to Hobart, $40Aud to fly back to Syndey, and a base fare of $310Aud to fly to HNL. Our friends have told us that these fares have now increased by 30 percent.

We plan to return at some point.

Brett, this was during high season/summer, correct? I’m a bit nervous about trying to get lodging spontaneously, but it would give us a lot more flexibility to do so, obviously. We want to be in Melbourne during the Australian open and I’ve been surprised at how limited the choices are already.

 

[brett]

...just fired up my old computer and found the details.

We flew from Thailand to Oz in mid Feb. We flew to Hobart from Brisibane on March 3, not in mid Feb as I originally thought.

I did find the date of one booking. We booked Meredith House B&B on March 4 for a March 6 arrival.

Harpers on the Beach in White Beach was booked one day prior to our arrival. I have no record but I do remember that we cut it a little close by booking in the day before in the afternoon.

Keep in mind that this is pre covid. Lots of people on the move at the moment.

No idea what it will be like in Melbourne. The previous trip toured up the Great Ocean Highway from Melbourne about the same time. We booked a fabulous B&B in Apollo Bay the morning of our arrival. One of the owners was as expat from Chicago who married an Australian.

I cannot imagine Tasmania being a huge challenge if you book two days in advance. But...watch out for weekenders depending where you are.

This is how we spend our winter snowbirding trips. We might bookend certain places with air but much of the in between is spontaneous. When we do do book, it is seldom for for that two days unless we are familiar with the locale. If we like we stay longer, if not it is goodbye.

 

[Scuba]

I like hearing about your style of traveling, but haven’t yet been brave enough to do it. I just spoke with a friend who is in Australia right now, and has been since July. She said they have not been able to do certain things and/or have had sub-par accommodations because they didn’t book early enough. Her advice was to book lodging and cars ASAP since we will be there during the summer/high season.

 

[brett]

Keep track of the national holidays. Australia day in in late January.

Also keep track of the week of Lunar (Chinese) New Year. About the same time in 2023..late January.

We made the mistake of driving out from Sydney towards Melbourne and had a challenge finding accommodation on one night on an Australia day weekend. Got off a cruise ship, taxied to the rental car agency and off we went. Brought a new meaning to 'just got off the boat' for us!

 

[Scuba]

Keep track of the national holidays. Australia day in in late January.

Also keep track of the week of Lunar (Chinese) New Year. About the same time in 2023..late January.

We made the mistake of driving out from Sydney towards Melbourne and had a challenge finding accommodation on one night on an Australia day weekend. Got off a cruise ship, taxied to the rental car agency and off we went. Brought a new meaning to 'just got off the boat' for us!

Very good point. We had never heard of Australia Day until I read about it on a travel forum. Now we are planning to attend a festival on that day!