The Freycinet Peninsula offers a stunning combination of bright teal water, vast sandy beaches, orange coastal rocks, and dramatic mountains. Most people head here for the incomparable views of Wineglass Bay — and who can blame them? But getting to that view involves a long, steep walk up and down a lot of stairs, and the fantastic Wineglass to Hazards Bay Circuit is even longer and more demanding. If you’re feeling like you just want a short Freycinet walk with great rewards, here are three good options.

Sleepy Bay

This one-kilometer out-and-back starts with a walk down to the Sleepy Bay Lookout (above), and then it continues down to a tiny beach.

You can stop at the beach, or you can wander across to all different kinds of wonderful rock formations (there’s no clear trail for this — it’s a choose-your-own clambering adventure).

If you change your mind and want a longer walk, you can hop onto the Skyline Traverse Trail at this point — but everything about this sign (especially the part that says the trek will take between six hours and two days) suggests that might not be a good idea.

Note that, while the Sleepy Bay trail is short, it’s mostly stairs (the elevation gain over 0.5 km is 19 meters, or 62 feet). So if you don’t like walking up and down, this won’t be your thing. But if you’re comfortable with stairs, this is a fun and easy hike.

Muirs Beach

I don’t know why Muirs Beach doesn’t get higher billing — it’s empty, it’s beautiful, and it feels like you can walk forever. The gently curving beach is 1.8 km long, and you can walk as much or as little of it as you like. The views are lovely all along the way!

Honeymoon Bay

Honeymoon Bay is barely a walk — it’s a short path down to a tiny, perfectly crescent beach. But you can turn it into a short walk by climbing over the rocks to the south to get to several more private bays beyond. There are no formal trails here from one bay to the next, but it’s not hard to figure it out.

If you’re ready to brave the cold waters, this is a great place to go swimming (or even snorkeling) …

… and you might find some feathered friends, like this pied oystercatcher, to join you.

Things to Know Before You Go: Tips for Visiting Freycinet

• Access: You’ll need a Tasmanian National Parks Pass to do the Sleepy Bay and Honeymoon Bay walks. Muirs Beach is free and open to the public.
• Things to Bring: Pack a bathing suit and towel — and wear sturdy shoes if you want to climb around on the rocks.
• Morning Drinks: If you need a pick-me-up before you head out walking, you can get excellent mochas and chai at Governors in Bicheno.
• Snacks: When you get hungry, the trevalla fish and chips at the Ice Creamery in Coles Bay are worth the hefty price tag (their ice cream is also pretty great). Plus, you can take it down to the picnic tables overlooking Coles Bay and have this view.

Want to see more of those amazing orange rocks? Check out my post on the Bay of Fires for your next Tasmanian adventure.

Driving up from Hobart? Don’t miss Tasmania’s oldest and spikiest bridges.