No where else in Australia can match a Self Drive Tasmania Holidays experience. Easy driving and fantastic Tasmanian scenery equals holiday bliss.Tasmania is the perfect destination for a Self Drive Holiday. Most popular locations are around 2 hours drive from one another when traveling in a loop around the island. This makes for a very efficient and relaxed driving schedule.

Why choose a Self Drive Tasmania Holiday?

A self drive Tasmania Holiday makes perfect sense. All locations are naturally placed in a circular pattern which means very little back tracking – ie. Very little driving back along the same road. Most roads are very scenic and offer numerous points of interest to stop at your leisure.

As there is little in the way of public transport it is best to have the luxury of your own vehicle while on holidays in Tasmania. The only choice you need to make is to either rent a Hire Car or bring your Own Car over on the Spirit of Tasmania ferry service which operates daily between Melbourne and Devonport(Tasmania).

Planning a Self Drive Tasmania Holiday?

Once you have made your choice of Hiring a Car, or bringing your Own Car with you on the ferry, you can start to plan your itinerary. Your self drive Tasmania holidays experience starts here:

Hire Car:
All major hire car companies have pick up and drop off desks at both Launceston and Hobart Airports. So it makes sense to start and finish your self drive holiday at one of these two locations. If you have just a few days, say six nights, then we would recommend flying into Hobart, pick up a car rental at Hobart Airport, travel the West Coast(or East Coast), and then at the end of your holiday, drop of the car at Launceston Airport before departure. Of course this tour can also be done in the reverse direction. If you plan on staying 9 nights or more then we recommend traveling Tasmania in a full loop by arriving and departing from the same airport, Hobart or Launceston. This is by far the most efficient drive yourself Tasmanian holiday itinerary.

Bring your Own Car:
The Spirit of Tasmania ferry service is an excellent way to bring yourself and your own vehicle to Tasmania. The ferry trip is an adventure in itself with comfortable dining, entertainment and bedding, this is a truly memorable experience. Most journeys are overnight with selected day sailings in the popular summer months. The Spirit departs Melbourne and arrives in Devonport where you drive your car of the ferry and begin your Tasmanian holiday. Because most sailings are overnight you will arrive in Devonport quite early, usually around 6am to 9am depending on the timetable. Again we recommend only driving the West Coast(or East Coast) if you only have six nights to spend on the island. For 9 or more nights it is much easier to circumnavigate to whole of Tasmania. An ideal first night is either Launceston, Stanley, or Cradle Mountain, as all of these locations are within 1.5hrs drive of the ferry terminal at Devonport. For the last night of your self drive holiday we also recommend an overnight stay at one of these same three locations to ensure an easy drive to board the ferry in the evening for an overnight sail back to Melbourne. If you plan on departing on a Day Sailing, which normally depart at 9am, then it makes perfect sense to stay overnight in Devonport prior to departure.

How to Save on your Tasmania Holiday Car Hire Costs?

Save on Car Rentals costs when traveling with another couple(s) or traveling with the extended family. The larger vehicles, including 4WD & AWD, also offer a much better viewing experience because of the extra height. The very comfortable 8 Seater vehicles can be an excellent way to travel with a larger group on a self drive tour. We have an great comparison tool on our website for Tasmania Hire Cars which compares all the major hire car companies including Europcar, Avis, Thrifty, Hertz, and Budget car rentals.