New travel guest blog on the wonders of Hobart in Australia from Amit Pant...

An hour’s flight from Sydney, over the ocean and some dense forest, will take you to this magnificent city of Hobart, the capital city of the Tasmanian state of Australia.

This state is the tiny little island visible on the world map below the giant island of Australia. The approach to the airport is sure to take your breath away. The ocean, beach and the mountain are in perfect harmony as you are about to land. The airport is small but comfortable and carries the tag “Hobart International Airport”, with flights to New Zealand giving it the international flavour.
 
The airport is a short ride away from the city (20 minutes), just hop onto any of the airport shuttle buses, pay the fare to your driver and he will be glad to drop you at your hotel. While coming into town, you will cross the famous Tasman Bridge. The bridge is easily identifiable by its architecture and was the scene of a tragic disaster in 1975, which caused some major social ramifications.
 
The hotels you book in town should have either of the two views, Mount Wellington or the ocean. My pick of the hotel is Rydges, which is a heritage hotel and has a nice history attached to it. Splendid views of mount Wellington add flavour to the room. If ocean is your choice, try the Customs house hotel.
 
The town will give you a feeling that it is frozen in time, cottage-like houses with white smoke swirling up their chimneys, well manicured public gardens and public buildings made from sandstone. Don’t be alarmed, this time frozen feeling is one that I had been craving for ages. People you meet on the street are genuinely pleased to see you and will stop to say hello.
 
If you are lucky enough to be spending the weekend in town, Salamanca market is a great place for you to visit. The regular town market has plenty of stalls to satisfy your taste buds and makes for a relaxing day. A lazy stroll by the ocean front and I am sure you will not miss the majestic “Aurora Australis” docked in the shipyard, the orange colour makes it an unusual vessel.
 
Mount Wellington, towering high above the city with its distinctive peak makes it a hard to miss sight. It is a wonderful spot to view the entire city in one glance. There are tour companies that will drive you up the hill and will then give you the opportunity to cycle down. This is an ideal way to see this part of the town. On your way down, sights and sounds will delight you at each turn. The gardens at Cascade Brewery make for a nice place to rest your weary feet and spread a sheet for a picnic.
 
The Royal botanical gardens make for another exciting visiting spot in town. The garden boasts a wide variety of plants and is a must do for all nature lovers. A walk around the upper domain road has some great spots for snapping photographs. The sandstone buildings spread across the town are also a photographer’s delight, especially if you can wait for night to capture the light on these buildings.
 
The town has a few interesting museums; the National Maritime Museum is my pick if you are interested in ships. The governor’s house also makes for a nice site, though it is best to check access times before embarking on a journey.
 
For a chocoholic, a tour to the famous Cadbury’s chocolate factory is a must. Situated a short drive from the town, the chocolate factory has opened its doors to all chocolate lovers. A tour will leave you happily clutching loads of chocolates (some free and others really cheap), sadly access to manufacturing area’s has been discontinued now.
 
A river cruise is also a nice way to pass your day, the ferry departs from the port and travels up the river, under the Tasman bridge and then past the factories. The captain also serves as your guide, with regular updates provided all along the tour. If you are lucky enough, you may even see some dolphins. A day’s tour to Port Arthur is another must, and if you are courageous enough I recommend the night tour of the area.
 
Virgin Blue operates daily flights to Hobart from most destinations in Australia. Happy reading and have a great trip!
 
Amit Pant works with the Indian IT industry, loves traveling. You can follow his work on amitpant.wordpress.com or follow him on Twitter.

This guest blog complies to Virgin.com terms & conditions.