Travel outside the box — uncommon trips

Tasmania
When I mention Tasmania to Australians, they always look at me in a funny way and say, “Why would you go there? No one goes there.” Words I love to hear. This amazing island, 150 miles south of the Australian mainland, is still little known to Americans. It is subtle, understated, and beautiful. It has 18 — that's right, 18 — uncrowded national parks and is the world's last temperate wilderness. Talk about mild:

Temperatures are in the low 50s in winter and mid-70s in summer.

It offers massive stretches of protected wildlife, unspoiled beaches and plenty of adventure tourism.

Tasmania has more than 1,200 miles of walking tracks and 18 national parks. The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area covers about 3.4 million acres.

Like to get outdoors? Tasmania is your new world capital.

Freycinet National Park/Wineglass Bay
Red granite peaks reflecting in blue waters and a circle of white sand forming the beach of the bay. The area was proclaimed a national park in 1916. There's a huge variety of birds and vegetation. Activities include fishing, boating, sea kayaking, bushwalking and rock climbing.

Wineglass Bay Lookout Trek: You can hike from the beach at Wineglass Bay to the saddle between Mount Amos and Mount Mason (known as the Hazards), where you can get a great view of Wineglass Bay. 1.5 to 2 hours.

Cradle Mountain National Park
This park is located about 120 miles northwest of Hobart. It stretches from Cradle Mountain to Lake St. Clare. You can start the famous Overland Track, a rugged six-day walk, plus a number of side trails. The trails are pretty well marked and the trek can be done without a guide.

Anglesea Barracks
This is the oldest military establishment still in use by the Army in Australia. It was built in 1819 as a military prison. When the British left Tasmania in 1817, the buildings were used as a school, a home for elderly women and a gymnasium. Outside is a pillar commemorating the soldiers stationed here who died in the N.Z. Maori War in 1840; inside is the Military Museum of Tasmania.

Rafting
A day trip along the Derwent River is an easy, gentle rafting trip that is great for families. The Picton River is a little more difficult, taking you through the Tasmanian bush and the rainforest. Rates are about $100 per person. You can also find 5-, 7- and 10-day rafting trips along the Franklin River, a mid-level expedition for about $1,400 per person. www.raftingtasmania.com

Cable hang gliding
Located in Trevallyn State Recreation Area, soar from a 60-foot cliff and land 650 feet away. You're secured to a steel cable, so you're perfectly safe (it doesn't run in bad weather conditions).

ATVing
What better way to experience the forest, beaches and sand dunes than on an ATV tour? You can find tour operators all over Tasmania, particularly Flinders Island and Freycinet. Even beginners can try this

Food and wine
Tasmania is definitely emerging as a wine, beer and culinary destination.

King Island off the northwestern coast of Tasmania has a reputation for cheeses (brie, cheddar, blue vein), as well as yogurts, cream and something yummy-sounding called King Island Chocolate Crème Dessert. Visit King Island Dairies fromagerie to see how it's made and buy your own Tasmanian cheese. I have been there and can tell you it's great: They make one of the best, creamiest gorgonzola cheeses anywhere.

There are seven wine regions on the island: Tamar Valley, North West, Pipers River, East Coast, Coal River, Derwent Valley and Southern. Tasmania's first vineyard was planted at New Town outside of Hobart in 1821. Tasmania now produces cool-climate wines such as pinot noir, riesling, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, pinot gris and sparkling wines. And let's not forget locally brewed beer — Cascade is the name.

Getting there
The main carriers are Qantas and its subsidiary JetStar, and Virgin Blue, which fly direct routes to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide. It's about 1:10 from Melbourne and 1:50 from Sydney.

There are two passenger and vehicular ferries departing Melbourne each night: Spirit of Tasmania I and II depart Melbourne. It takes about 10 hours to reach Devonport.

My suggestion: Fly.

Other good news: A number of cruise ships are now offering stops in Tasmania on their itineraries. Last year, nearly 32,000 passengers visited Tasmania via cruise ship.

Orion Expedition Cruises- Food & Wine Tour of Tasmania
5 nights, December 2008 departure

Departing from the Sydney Opera House, sail the New South Wales coastline to the whaling town of Eden before heading to Tasmania. Visit Wineglass Bay and Coles Bay, Port Davey, Southwest National Park and Hobart. Rates: $US 2,800-$5,800.

Abercrombie and Kent
Offers an extension to Tasmania for $1,660, or a "Tailor Made" trip.

Visit Hobart, the Salamanca Market, Mount Nelson; stay in the Freycinet Peninsula, the Freycinet Marine Farm and Launceston.

Montenegro
Europe's newest country, Montenegro declared independence June 3, 2006. Montenegro's history, however, stretches much further back, with plenty of medieval buildings in the country surviving to this day. But Montenegro offers more than just history. It boasts a wide array of warm, sandy beaches and isn't too far from several ski resorts. There's also hiking and boating, and even some decent nightlife in Podgorica and the popular seaside cities like Kotor and Budva.

Consider this: The most recent James Bond movie, “Casino Royale,” was filmed in Montenegro. Result: It's now on the radar, and some very savvy travelers are now beginning to buy beachfront real estate in Montenegro — as second, vacation homes.

And as an added bonus, Montenegro uses the euro, making it an easy addition to any longer European vacation. Montenegro isn't actually in the European Union yet, nor is it part of the official “eurozone.” But they went ahead and adopted the euro as their official currency (partially to stimulate tourism), even if they can't mint the money themselves.

Getting there
The capital and largest city of Montenegro is Podgorica, though it still has fewer than 150,000 residents. Podgorica's airport (which carries the airport code “TGD” from when it was called Titograd) is the main entry point, but an increasing number of visitors are using the smaller Tivat airport, which offers easier access to Kotor and the beaches. Tiny Tivat is used mainly for charter flights in the summer and, thanks to its short runway and odd positioning, is sometimes called one of Europe's scariest airports at which to land. Podgorica offers more regular connections to Paris, Budapest, Vienna, Rome, Moscow, Belgrade and a number of other European cities.

City of Kotor
The Old City of Kotor is a well-preserved city typical of the Middle Ages, built between the 12th and 14th century. Medieval architecture and numerous monuments of cultural heritage have made Kotor a UNESCO-listed “World Natural and Historical Heritage Site.” Among its ‘must-see’ attractions are the Cathedral of St. Tryphon and several miles of old walls above the town. Kotor is a popular stop on smaller-ship cruises, as the city is easy to access by water.

Said to be among the most beautiful bays in the world, the Kotor Bay is situated between high rocks that are reflected in its dark blue waters. The town itself is clustered in and among the rocks along the bay. However, despite the presence of the sea, Kotor is not conducive to swimming and sunbathing — there are no good sandy beaches in the town. However, barely 30 minutes away are high-quality beaches of the “Budva Riviera.”

Budva and the “Budva Riviera”
Budva is the mecca of Montenegrin tourism thanks to the great number of beaches that make this one of the country's most desirable destination. Apart from its natural beauty, its bay islands and beaches, for example, Budva is rich in historic monuments. The Old Town lies on a small peninsula and is a veritable treasure chest of rich cultural heritage. Crossed with narrow streets and squares are historic buildings, the Church St. Trojica, housing the tomb of writer Stjepan Mitrov Ljubisa, the Churches of St. Ivan, St. Bogorodica and St. Sava. During the summer months it turns into a City Theatre with numerous local performances and shows from abroad. In the Stari Grad (Old Town) you can also visit many shops, cafés, restaurants and galleries.

Ostrog Monastery
Monastery Ostrog is carved almost in its entirety in a vertical mountain cliff, and is today the pearl of Montenegrin spiritualism. Annually visited by more than a hundred thousand pilgrims from around the world and of all religions, it is reputed to be one of the most visited Christian destinations on the planet, with its cave-like chapel, frescoes and monastery complex.

Port Towns: Bar and Petrovac
Bar offers a mix of old and new, with a 2000-year-old olive tree and the remnants of King Nikola's 15th-century Haj Nehaj Fortress as well as more modern amenities like a marina.

Petrovac is another small coastal town with a long history that's experiencing resurgence in popularity. Third-century mosaics and the 16th-century Fortress Castello are on offer in Petrovac, along with some prime beaches and the now-private “hotel island” of Sveti Stefan. Sveti Stefan has become something of a celebrity hot spot ever since it became a private resort in the 1960s.

Montenegro tours
Intrepid Travel offers two tours that include Montenegro. One is the “Balkan Adventure,” which includes stopovers at Ostrog Monastery and the beaches of Bodva. This 14-day tour starts around $1350 and includes one night in the Monastery, but does not include most meals. The “Central Europe Encompassed” tour includes these Montenegrin stops, but tacks on an additional two weeks in Central Europe for a tour starting at around $2250.

General Tours World Traveler has a “Little Tour of Montenegro” that might be a good introduction for travelers who like more privacy and flexibility. The Little Tour hits the popular spots like Bodva and Kotor, but you'll also spend some time on your four-day tour visiting lesser-known spots like Njegusi, for local specialty ham and cheeses, and the obscure highland village of Kolasin. Included are a private driver and guide for the duration of the journey, and all meals. The cost is $1500 per person.

Another popular way to see Montenegro is via cruise ship. While the largest ships can't dock at many of the small ports in the area, using a smaller ship will offer access to many of the less-visited places. One option is from International Expeditions, which uses the 34-passenger Callisto to access ports like Kotor and Herceg Novi, Mljet and Krocula Island. The upscale “Croatia and Dalmatian Coast” tour starts at $6,598 per person and includes seven nights aboard the ship as well as a few days in hotels at the beginning and end of the 12-day tour.

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