The term ‘safari’ may conjure images of khaki and binocular-clad tourists, rattling through the African bush, but unbeknownst to many, Australia offers up some truly extraordinary safaris that make for the ultimate honeymoon. The continent’s vast array of dramatic landscapes, from otherworldly deserts and dramatic gorges to towering forests and lush winelands, deliver that jolt of awe that all honeymooners should experience. They set a magnificent stage for a beguiling and somewhat bonkers collection of wildlife – from charismatic quokkas to the seriously cute koala – and are dotted with exquisite rustic-luxe hotels and lodges that master that balancing act of wild, outdoorsy adventure with sumptuous linen, top-drawer food and wine to scurry home to, and stylish rooms that bring the outdoors in. Peripatetic types unwilling to forfeit a certain level of luxury in their pursuit of true wilderness should consider the combined South Australia and Western Australia’s Island Safari. Along with a series of architecturally arresting hotels, woven into the landscape or reimagining heritage buildings, highlights include Kangaroo Island, (a refuge for an abundance of native wildlife such as sea lions, koalas, kangaroos and echidnas), and Rottnest Island, where the hiking and cycling trails meander through an island famed for its mini-marsupials, white sands, aquamarine bays and the humpback whales flocking to its surrounding waters.
This soul-stirring island safari across South Australia and Western Australia has year-round appeal, though September to May is widely regarded as the best time to visit the islands for wow-factor wildlife sightings and delightfully balmy days. So, if surreal landscapes, unique wildlife, superlative wine and achingly good-looking wilderness hotels sound like your sort of honeymoon safari (not to mention a highly flexible, tailor-made approach from expert Inspiring Travel), here’s a breakdown of the itinerary to further whet your appetite for an adventure-luxe Australian honeymoon.
Day One
The prelude to this epic island safari honeymoon is a foodie one, landing in the vineyard city of Adelaide/Tarntanya. To give you a flavour of South Australia’s capital’s foodie muscle, Restaurant Botanic (helmed by Michegan-born Justin James) has recently scooped best Australian restaurant of 2023, and Laneway haunts such as Fugazzi, Shobosho and Nido are ripe for romantic evenings à deux. Couples can lean into the city’s culinary buzz and sample its top-notch local produce and wine before shaking off the jetlag in the sumptuously modern EOS, with its light-filled, pampering spa, or dropping their bags at The Mayfair – a sophisticated city stalwart with a sleek, contemporary coat.
Day Two
What makes Adelaide so special, aside from its electric food and wine scene, is its designation as a National Park city (one of only a handful in the world). The beauty of Adelaide is it’s an easy ride to its sweeping blonde beaches such as Glenelg and Henley on the tram, where couples can flop onto the warm sand and swim in the intensely blue water; and a 20 minute cab ride to world class wineries such as Penfolds, in the other direction. Having worked up an appetite touring the city’s Botanic Gardens with an Aboriginal guide (fountains of knowledge with plenty of First Nations stories to make sense of the city’s history), it’s time to dive into Adelaide’s warren of knockout restaurants. Favourites include comforting Middle Eastern fare at Parwana Afghan Restaurant and the high octane dishes and wine pairings at Penfolds Magill Estate restaurant. To meet some of the makers take a tour of the Adelaide Central Market and eat at one of many amazing stalls. Bed down at one of Adelaide’s boutique bolt holes before heading out of the city the following day.
Day Three
Following a hearty Aussie breakfast couples can set off on a wine and wildlife infused road trip to Kangaroo Island, stopping off on the Fleurieu Peninsula for a day or two to break the journey. Just a 40 minute drive from Adelaide, salt-infused vines trail off to meet the beach on this gorgeous peninsula. A local highlight is McLaren Vale (known for its radically sustainable approach to wine production), which consists of world-renowned labels strung together like pearls and the sort of al fresco food and wine experiences that will etch themselves into gastronome couples’ shared memory for years to come. Here honeymooners can marvel at the iconic d’Arenberg Cube, surging from the vines as a mirrored Rubix Cube, then head inside for superlative wine tasting, an art gallery and sun-drenched café. The vineyard-with-rooms accommodation offering on the peninsula is superb, with luxe CABN X villas at Gemtree, The Vineyard Retreat (contemporary hideaways scattered in the vines) and the Hotel California Road micro hotel at Inkwell Winery recommended for a wine-focused, two night stay.
Day Four
Best leave the driving to a local guide on the Fleurieu Peninsula’s wine and wildlife safari (a winning combination that Coast&Co have mastered). Couples will be whisked to magnificent national parks, empty beaches and lesser-known small-but-mighty growers that the locals like to keep for themselves. Here, they can lean into the vine-to-table way of life, spotting koalas snoozing in the trees and kangaroos popping above the low-slung vines as they savour cool glasses of various vintages, smug in the knowledge that it was grown, plucked and pressed mere yards from their feet.
Day Five
The wildlife angle of the trip ramps up as couples take to the wheel again, this time an hour further south to the ferry terminal for Kangaroo Island (with advanced booking required). Animal-lovers will be in their element, with a whole raft of native species thriving in their natural habitat – expect to see anything from dolphins, sea lions and long-nosed fur seals skirting the coast to possums, echidnas, kangaroos and koalas in its green heart. The island itself is staggeringly beautiful, with bone-white beaches and mind-bending rock formations, such as the otherworldly Remarkable Rocks, and Admirals Arch. Within it lies Southern Ocean Lodge, a bucket-list Australian eco-luxe stay, where achingly stylish suites tip over an unsullied coastal wilderness – their smooth modernism cleverly woven into the, craggy expanse of green that slopes into cobalt-blue water (book early as it’s popular with honeymooners). Kangaroo Island offers plenty of options that speak to different tribes of honeymooners, from utterly private beach houses to fully-hosted eco-villas and lodges such as Sea Dragon Kangaroo Island (250 acres of sprawling, land-before-time coastal estate with ocean views).
Days Six and Seven
Leave the driving to a field guide again with a two-day private island safari tour, exploring the island’s evocative landscape – empty beaches flanked by enormous ochre-capped boulders, grasslands home to kangaroos, beautiful bushland teeming with all sorts of weird and wondrous creatures. These safari tours follow the Africa formula of tea breaks and lazy lunches that roll out in the most exquisite natural spots, and with no one to contend with except the odd adorable koala or an inquisitive kangaroo. The guides will bring this landscape to life with wildlife facts and conservation tales. Dinners taken under big starry skies ramp under the romance at the end of each day on this gorgeous island.
Day Eight
On Kangaroo Island there are endless coves, beaches and pockets of bushland to explore, as well as a long list of wildlife to encounter. It’s worth using this day to make the most of having a set of wheels and taking time to explore further. Those keen to see marine life can take to the water with the guides at RAD KI for some epic Australian sealions, long-nosed fur seals and dolphin sightings. Blending your own gin at KI Spirits is also highly recommended as a brief hiatus to the wildlife safari. So is simply hopping in the car and stumbling upon different patches of this ethereal island and its furry inhabitants, making them feel like your own discovery.
Day Nine (Travel Day)
While travelling in some countries can feel like a drag or wasted time, in Australia it’s a safari in itself. The ferry back to the mainland slices through water rendered cobalt by the blinding sunshine, while the drive (under two hours) north to Adelaide airport rolls through vast expanses of bush and rolling green hills that meet the sea. Couples can drop off their car at the airport then scoot over to Perth with an easy three-hour flight. This lively city-on-sea has just the right balance of new and creative restaurants, galleries and cafés as it does untouched nature to explore from perfect scoops of blonde sand beaches, riverside walks and native bushland in the heart of the city. Honeymooners can beeline for the happening historic heart of Perth, where the COMO The Treasury has fleshed out its 19th-century bones and Corinthian columns with white-washed, minimalist spaces, where couples can regroup and tuck into seasonally-guided plates inspired by the aboriginal six seasons at the hotel’s Wildflower restaurant.
Day Ten
Mornings in this sun-drenched city are all about finding an al fresco breakfast spot, then gorging on the city’s unique mix of culture and 19 knockout beaches. Stroll along Elizabeth Quay, sandwiched between the water and skyscrapers surging behind it, and take a romantic pause at Kings Park where views over the city from a glass arched bridge, suspended among the soaring eucalyptus, is not to be missed. Couples can absorb this easy going city at their own pace or join a tour led by local indigenous leaders, making sense of the land through age-old stories and learning the basics on bushtucker (bush food native to Australia). A 40-minute drive south of the city will take honeymooners to Rockingham where Shoalwater Island Marine Park’s kaleidoscopic array of marine life awaits. Waterbabies and wildlife fanatics will relish the abundance of wildlife both below and above the water – wild bottlenose dolphins, native marine birds, playful Australian sea lions who you can swim with on eco tours. The underwater landscape here is as mesmerising as the wildlife, with colourful limestone reefs, seagrass meadows and rocky outcrops smothered and lapped by gin-clear water.
Day Eleven
The quokka is one of Australia’s most beloved marsupials, courtesy of its inquisitive, ‘happy’ nature (some are even jolly enough to tolerate a selfie, although do remember to give them their space). These live (merrily) on Rottnest Island, an A class nature reserve which honeymooners can reach in just 30 minutes from Perth’s port, Fremantle. Cast adrift in its own little paradisiacal bubble, Rottnest Island’s unspoilt coves and empty strips of ivory sand have an other worldly allure. Swims are almost obligatory here, in aquamarine, bath-warm water and couples can meander along the coast, marvelling at how the elements have carved its craggy, ochre edges. The island is best explored on bike, with couples free to discover these coves and secluded beaches under their own steam. And of all the hotels and lodges to hunker down in after a long day of exploring, the 80-room Samphire Rottnest dials up the barefoot luxury with its manicured gardens, easy-going Beach Club and glassy pool, while Rottnest Discovery offers beachside glamping. Honeymooners should choose the deluxe tents with their luxury touches and outdoor deck the perfect spot to watch the dramatic sunsets.
Day Twelve
Breakfasts, even for honeymooners, are almost obligatory to wake up to here, anchoring them in this surreal setting with the crisp morning light dancing across an iridescent Thomson Bay. Over bircher muesli with edible flowers and chilli-sprinkled eggs, couples can plan out their routes across the island ( with plenty of beach-and-bar downtime involved). Having digested breakfast along the beach or back in the beachy-luxe rooms, honeymooners can peddle their picnic-laden bikes along the coast before edging into the soft dunes once they’ve worked up an appetite again. When not whiling away afternoons on the warm, powder white sand, couples can take to the glassy water for adventure boat tours or, beneath the surface following a snorkelling trail, with tropical fish, octopus and bright coral setting an ethereal tone.
A leisurely pedal on Aqua bikes is a fun activity to do together, with the stunning coastline winking behind them – even more exquisite from the water. While Rottnest Island has all the unspoilt wilderness safari enthusiasts could hope for, there’s also a collection of seafront bars and restaurants showcasing the best of Western Australian wine (best enjoyed as the sun begins its crimson descent).
Day Thirteen
In the morning, couples can hop on the ferry back to sunny Perth, picking up a hire car and heading to the Margaret River Region – one of Australia’s biodiversity hotspots and its most premium wine region. Here, gourmands will be in their element, zipping between cellar doors to visit world-class wineries, craft breweries and tasting truly innovative cooking using the artisanal bounty of the surrounding fertile landscape. Busselton is a pretty introduction to the region, where a little train chugs wide-eyed passengers along the longest timber jetty in the Southern Hemisphere, at the end of which lies an underwater observatory and 13 sunken sculptures by local artists providing both an artificial reef where marine life flock and a great snorkel trail for visitors. After a long al fresco lunch in Busselton’s ocean front restaurants and wine-centred bistros (all animated in the sunshine), honeymooners can continue their drive to the picturesque town of Margaret River, which sits along the banks of its namesake river, and where the region’s twin passions of sauvignon and surf take centre stage. Honeymooners can relish the guaranteed peace at the adult-only winery boutique, Cape Lodge, with its awarded, lake-side restaurant. For the ultimate romantic hideaway in the vines, check into Heyscape cabin, an angular, contemporary cabins on a family-owned winery, with access to the cellar door and a thrilling jolt of seclusion, interrupted only by the odd kangaroo wandering through the Margaret River countryside.
Day Fourteen
Spend the day exploring the Margaret River region – with its world-class food and wine, flawless, uncrowded beaches, silent eucalyptus forests and ancient caves. Surfing enthusiasts won’t be disappointed with several hot spots (watch them ride the powerful waves over pitch-perfect coffee at The White Elephant Beach Café right on Gnarabup Beach), though nor will the gentle swimmers, with plenty of lagoon-like bays (such as Meelup Beach, with its stylishly dressed farmhouse to retreat to for brunch), while oenophiles will be overwhelmed with choice (150 wine producers). Where better to start than at founding wineries such as Vasse Felix and the Leeuwin Estate, which showcase their raft of vintages by finely tuning them to exquisite farm-to-fork menus. The best way to soak in the spectacular coastal and forest scenery of the Margaret River region is through the outdoorsy activities on offer – horse riding, rock climbing, abseiling, mountain biking and canoeing. Hikers can gorge on jaw-dropping sections of the 135km cape to cape track, walking off indulgent cellar door visits and allowing the stunning landscape, ablaze with native seasonal wild flowers, to sink in.
Day Fifteen
Don’t miss a short drive south to the delightfully calm and sandy Hamelin Bay where you will be rewarded with stingrays gliding right up to the shoreline on this picture perfect beach. It’s then time to return to Perth, driving into historic and creative Fremantle (or Freo, as the locals call it), whose streets filled with colourful heritage buildings have a film set currency. The port town has an offbeat, Indie energy to it, as well as spanking fresh seafood to tuck into (head to Fremantle’s Fishing Boat Harbour for this) and locally brewed craft beer. Fremantle’s hotels and guesthouses reflect the town’s alluring blend of history and hipster – with romantic Old World boutique stays such as the whimsical limestone cottages at Warder’s Hotel the perfect place to explore it all from.
Day Sixteen
For your last full day in Western Australia, draw out the city’s al fresco lifestyle with brunch at local hero, Indiana Cottesloe Beach, an intricate landmark building and previous teahouse peering out to sea from its flawless white beach. Saving one of the best day trips till last, couples can head north to the Pinnacles (natural limestone structures surging like pillars in the arid, ochre desert), for a sunset and stargazing tour. Western Australia lays claim to one of the lowest levels of light pollution in the world, intensifying the constellations above which, with a fireside dinner amid this moonscape, is possibly the most romantic finalé to any Australian honeymoon.
Day Seventeen – Fly Home from Perth to the UK
Opt for Malaysia Airlines for your return from Perth to London, including a stopover in Kuala Lumpur should your schedule allow it.
The basics
Australian Islands Safari Honeymoon
16 nights from £5,680 per person based on travel in September 2024
Price includes International and domestic airfares, accommodation throughout including 2 nights in Adelaide and McLaren Vale, 3 nights on Kangaroo Island with all touring and meals included, 2 nights in Perth, 2 nights on Rottnest Island, 2 nights in Margaret River and Pinnacles, 1 night in Cervantes. Arrival transfers included plus 6 days car hire in South Australia and 5 days car hire in Western Australia.
Where to Book
Inspiring Travel are experts in creating truly individual, tailor-made luxury holidays to the world’s most iconic places, including Australia. Getting to know what each client wants and offering personalised experiences is at the heart of what they do – so, you can relax while the Inspiring Travel Specialists take care of everything else.
For more information on a South Australia and Western Australia wildlife safari, or to book your honeymoon, visit Inspiringtravel.co.uk
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