3 Best Sights in The Huon Valley, Tasmania

To fully appreciate the dramatic panorama, take the three-hour, 50-km (31-mile) ecology-focused cruise run by Pennicott Wilderness Journeys. You'll cruise past towering cliffs and hidden caves, and likely see dolphins, seals, and penguins. Eagles, albatrosses, and shorebirds also dart and dive overhead, and can often be seen nesting amid the craggy outcrops. During their migration period Humpback and Southern Right whales are commonly seen. Morning tours are available daily and additional afternoon trips between mid-December and mid-April. An all-day tour with bus transfers is available from Hobart.

Cockle Creek is the southernmost "town" in Australia. It consists of a a ranger station and a campground, but also a series of stunning beaches. The neighboring hamlet of Catamaran is similarly dotted with picturesque bays and beaches, surrounded by forests and mountains. French explorers landed here before English settlement and aspects of that history can be explored also. There are walking tracks including the awe-inspiring Lion Rock at South Cape Bay. Amenities: toilets. Best for: walking; swimming.

This is the first main swimming beach southwest of Hobart—it's less than 30 minutes' drive from the Huon Valley. The beach sits in front of the fairly developed town of Kingston, on the Derwent River at the mouth of Browns Rivulet. Shopping and housing sit behind and to the south of the beach, and a narrow reserve, picnic area, and playground back the sand. Kingston Beach is patrolled by the local Surf Life Saving Club; however, you should still keep clear of any boating activity in the south corner—the waters are quite deep directly off the beach. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.