TASMANIA IS ALL ABOUT GETTING BACK TO NATURE – whether you want to wind down or rev it up to the max. You can raft through rapids on the Franklin river, launch yourself on a cable hang-glider above Trevallyn, paddle a sea kayak from Strahan or abseil a coastal cliff at Freycinet.

The locals are pretty laidback in Australia’s island state (peak-hour traffic lasts for about ten minutes) and the cooler climate makes for a whole new range of wonderful wines and food. Tasmania’s capital Hobart is a great base for exploring the south of the island and its convict heritage. Walking trails weave through easy-going green hills and dense forests to the more steep-sided Cradle Mountain, snow-capped in winter.

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