Tasmania tourism has a booking-time-frame problem. The famous attractions — Cradle Mountain, Bay of Fires, Freycinet, the southern wilderness — are booked out six to twelve months ahead in peak. The East Coast drive I have refined over half a dozen trips offers most of the Tasmania experience with much more flexibility on booking and timing.

The route

Hobart to Bicheno via the Tasman Peninsula and the Swansea coast. Bicheno to St Helens via Freycinet and the Bay of Fires area, but staying in smaller towns rather than the headline locations. St Helens back to Launceston via the wineries and the northeast.

The drive takes four to six days at a sensible pace. The pace is the point — Tasmania at speed misses what Tasmania is.

Why this works in May

Tasmania in May is cool but rarely cold enough to be uncomfortable. The autumn colours through the inland route are excellent. The light is soft. The crowds are thin enough that the popular spots are pleasant.

The wineries are in their post-harvest mode and many of them are easier to visit casually than during the harvest crush of February and March.

What the booking flexibility actually looks like

The smaller East Coast towns — Triabunna, Swansea, Bicheno, St Helens, Scamander — have accommodation that can be booked a week or two ahead in May without much difficulty. The pricing is reasonable. The quality has improved markedly in the last five years as small operators have invested in their properties.

The exceptions are public holiday weekends and the small number of high-profile properties that are booked far ahead regardless of season. The Saffire Freycinet is booked out. Most of the rest of the coast is not.

The food and drink

The East Coast has become a serious food destination in the last decade. The local oysters and scallops are excellent. The wineries on the route — the Pipers River and Tamar Valley clusters at the end of the drive, the small East Coast vineyards along the way — produce wines worth tasting.

The casual restaurants in the smaller towns have improved substantially. Bicheno and St Helens both have dining that would not have existed ten years ago.

What to actually do along the drive

The Tasman Peninsula on day one — Port Arthur if it is your first time, the cliffs and lookouts even if Port Arthur is not your priority. Maria Island as a day trip from Triabunna or Orford. Freycinet for the walks, but staying at Swansea or Bicheno rather than the in-park accommodation. Bay of Fires for the beaches and the drive.

The walks are the variable. Tasmania’s walks range from short and easy to multi-day and demanding. The East Coast has plenty of both. Three to four hours on a clear day on a moderately demanding walk is the best way to experience this coast.

The northeast wineries

The end of the drive through the Tamar Valley wineries is a worthwhile two or three nights on its own. The cool-climate wines are genuinely interesting. The producers are mostly small enough to be approachable. The food at the wineries has improved alongside the wines.

The pace through the wineries is slow. Two visits in a day is the right number. Three is too many to actually pay attention to what you are tasting.

The honest comparison with the headline Tasmania trip

If you are visiting Tasmania for the first time and you want the headline experience, the wilderness lodges and Cradle Mountain are the right choice. If you have done that trip or you cannot get the bookings, the East Coast is a complete Tasmania experience in its own right.

The Tasmania I have most enjoyed in recent years has been the East Coast trips, not the wilderness lodge trips. The flexibility on the East Coast lets the trip be what the weather and the mood produce, rather than what the booking required six months ago.