10 things you must do in South Australia
How to make the most of South Australia’s city life, rugged Outback and idyllic coastline – before the rest of the world catches on
1. Discover Australia’s most under-rated city
Sure, Sydney has its harbour and Melbourne has its café scene. But if you’re looking for a city that offers world-class food, a vibrant cultural scene, amazing beaches and parks in a compact, crowd-free package then look no further than Adelaide.
Street food is huge in Adelaide – you can try South American fusion street food, Cambodian Phat Buddha Rolls, and everything else in between. There’s an abundance of galleries and museums and the Adelaide Fringe and Adelaide Festival of Arts showcase some of the biggest artists in the world. Empty beaches and vast parks are but a short bike ride away.
As Australia’s wine capital, it’s only natural that Adelaide would be home to the National Wine Centre of Australia. The centre’s excellent ‘Wined Bar’ is like nowhere else in the world: it boasts 120 varieties from across the country (including super premium wines) in its tasting room, and staff are on-hand to help you find your perfect tipple. Adelaide truly has it all.
2. Hop across to Kangaroo Island
With an array of wildlife, a thriving local food and drink scene, and crystalline beaches lapped with blue waters, Kangaroo Island is paradise in itself. At just over 150km from end to end, this small landmass is packed with activities and incredible wildlife, so it’s worth visiting for a few days to experience as much as possible.
Sample the island’s artisan food (don’t miss the seafood picked from the ocean and honey straight from the hive), sandboard down Little Sahara sand dunes, and get up-close to a colony of sunbathing sea lions at Seal Bay.
3. Ride The Ghan
Australia has two great coast-to-coast rail journeys: the Indian Pacific, which travels between Sydney and Perth, and The Ghan, which rolls in style all the way from Adelaide to Darwin.
Work first began on The Ghan line rail link between the two cities in 1877, but it wasn’t until as recently as 2004 that it was finally finished. In a nod to the endless expanse of outback it passes through, the service takes its name from the Afghan cameleers who came to the Australian desert in the 19th century.
For a real treat, book yourself one of the upmarket private cabins. The ticket cost covers the gourmet food and wine on board, as well as tours en route in both Alice Springs and Katherine. Between August and October join the ‘Ghan Expedition’ which also includes touring in the outback opal mining town of Coober Pedy.
