Kangaroo Island Travel Guide: The Best Things to Do & Where to Stay
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If you're planning a trip to South Australia, Kangaroo Island absolutely deserves a spot on your itinerary.
From incredible beaches and rugged coastlines to wild koalas, kangaroos, sea lions and some seriously good local food and wine, Kangaroo Island has a little bit of everything.
We travelled around the island in our motorhome and explored everything from Penneshaw on the east coast to Flinders Chase National Park in the west and Seal Bay in the south.
So, if you're planning your own Kangaroo Island adventure, here's everything we'd recommend doing, where we'd stay and the places we loved most.
Kangaroo Island at a Glance
How long: 3–5 days
Getting there: Ferry from Cape Jervis
Best way to explore: Car, caravan or motorhome
Best for: Wildlife, beaches, nature, food & wine
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1. Penneshaw & the East Coast
The east coast is where your Kangaroo Island adventure begins after arriving on the ferry from Cape Jervis.
Getting to Kangaroo Island ⛴️
The easiest way to get to Kangaroo Island is by SeaLink ferry from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw. The crossing takes around 45 minutes, and you can take your car, caravan or motorhome across, making it easy to start exploring as soon as you arrive.
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Travelling with a caravan or motorhome? 🚐
If you're bringing your own vehicle, make sure you check the vehicle dimensions and booking requirements before you travel. Larger vehicles and some caravan combinations may require you to contact SeaLink directly rather than booking completely online.
OUR TIP: We'd recommend booking your ferry ahead of time, particularly if you're travelling during school holidays, weekends or other busy periods and be prepared to reverse your vehicle backwards lol.
Once you arrive in Penneshaw, you're perfectly placed to start exploring the east coast.
Things to do around Penneshaw
Explore Penneshaw - Take a wander around the relaxed seaside town, grab a coffee and enjoy the coastal views before heading further around the island.
Project Hill Lookout - Walk up to Project Hill Lookout for beautiful views across the surrounding landscape.
Visit local wineries, breweries & farm gates - Kangaroo Island is known for its incredible local produce, so this is a great area to start discovering the island's food and wine scene.
Look out for wildlife - Keep your eyes peeled as you drive. Kangaroo Island is packed with wildlife, and you can spot kangaroos, koalas, echidnas and plenty of birdlife along the quieter roads.
Where to stay in penneshaw
If you're staying on the east side of the island, Penneshaw is a convenient base, particularly for your first or last night around the ferry.
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2. Stokes Bay & the North Coast
If there's one beach you have to visit, make it Stokes Bay. The entrance is half the fun. You walk through a narrow passage between the rocks before emerging onto a beautiful sheltered beach with turquoise water and soft white sand. It’s magical!
It's easy to see why Stokes Bay is so highly rated.
Don't miss:
The hidden rock entrance
Swimming in the sheltered bay
Exploring the rock pools
Staying for sunset
OUR TIP: Don't panic when you first arrive and think you've found the wrong entrance 😂 Follow the signs and look for the rocky passage.
3. Flinders Chase National Park
Admirals Arch Boardwalk, Flinders Chase National Park
This was possibly our favourite national park yet.
Flinders Chase National Park is home to some of Kangaroo Island's most incredible scenery, including Remarkable Rocks, Admirals Arch and Cape du Couedic Lighthouse.
Much of the park was devastated during the 2019–2020 bushfires, so it was incredible to see how much the landscape has recovered.
New vegetation now covers huge areas and wildlife has returned, making it a really special place to experience.
⭐ Our Flinders Chase highlights
Remarkable Rocks - One of the absolute must-sees. These enormous granite formations have been sculpted by wind and waves over millions of years and sit dramatically above the Southern Ocean. The views are incredible and it's one of those places where photos really don't do it justice.
Admirals Arch - Follow the boardwalk down towards the coast and you'll reach this incredible natural arch. Look down towards the rocks and you'll often see long-nosed fur seals playing below. It was incredible!!
Cape du Couedic Lighthouse - A historic lighthouse perched above the Southern Ocean with spectacular coastal views. The drive out here is beautiful too, with plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife along the way.
Platypus Waterholes Walk and Hertiage Walk - More great options if you want to explore more of the park and keep an eye out for native wildlife.
National Park entry 💰 - You'll need a park pass to enter Flinders Chase National Park, so check the current Parks SA entry fees before you go. Its around $15pp but prices can vary.
Where We Stayed: Discovery Parks – Kangaroo Island
Discovery Parks Kangaroo Island
This was one of our favourite stays in South Australia.
Set amongst native bushland, the park is surrounded by wildlife.
We had kangaroos grazing around the campground and koalas literally just metres from our site!
For us, it was the perfect base for exploring Flinders Chase National Park and the western side of the island.
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4. Seal Bay & the South Coast
The south coast is where you'll find some of Kangaroo Island's most memorable wildlife experiences.
Seal Bay Conservation Park
If you're visiting Kangaroo Island for wildlife, put Seal Bay on your list.
It's home to a wild colony of endangered Australian sea lions, and you can join a guided ranger experience to see them in their natural environment.
If you don't want to do the full guided experience, there's also a self-guided boardwalk and viewing area.
[CHECK SEAL BAY TOURS & EXPERIENCES →]
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Vivonne Bay
Vivonne Bay is frequently ranked as one of Australia's most beautiful beaches — and it's easy to see why.
With soft white sand and beautiful clear water, it's perfect for a beach walk, picnic or simply stopping to enjoy the scenery.
If you're doing a road trip around the south coast, we'd definitely add it to your list.
Where We Stayed: Ecopia Retreat
Ecopia Retreat, Kangaroo Island
If you're looking for somewhere really special, this was one of our favourite stays on Kangaroo Island.
Ecopia Retreat is hidden within 150 acres of protected bushland and is completely off-grid.
The property is surrounded by wildlife, with kangaroos, koalas, echidnas and birdlife regularly wandering around the villas.
It feels incredibly peaceful and private and was such a unique experience.
We couldn't recommend it more. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Best Places to Eat & Drink on Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island has an incredible food and drink scene, so make sure you leave room in your itinerary for some of the island's local produce.
Clifford's Honey Farm - A Kangaroo Island classic. Try the local Ligurian bee honey, honey ice cream, mead and other honey products.
Dudley Wines - One of our favourites. Great wine, wood-fired pizza and panoramic coastal views from the clifftop deck.
Emu Bay Lavender Farm - A beautiful spot for coffee, lunch, homemade cakes and lavender scones.
Kangaroo Island Brewery - A great place to try locally brewed craft beer, with food trucks and live music on selected days.
The Oyster Farm Shop - Fresh local oysters served overlooking the water.
Millie Mae's Pantry - A popular Penneshaw stop for coffee, breakfast, burgers and homemade baked goods.
Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery - Stop for lunch, coffee or homemade treats while learning about Kangaroo Island's eucalyptus oil industry.
False Cape Wines - A relaxed cellar door serving local wines alongside regional produce.
Wildlife on Kangaroo Island
One of the biggest reasons we loved Kangaroo Island was the wildlife.
You can see:
🦘 Kangaroos
🐨 Koalas
🦔 Echidnas
🦭 Long-nosed fur seals
🦭 Australian sea lions
🐦 Native birdlife
🦆 Platypus
And sometimes you don't even have to go looking. We saw wildlife around our accommodation, beside the roads and throughout the national park.
Just remember to slow down, especially around dawn and dusk, and always give wildlife plenty of space.
How Many Days Do You Need on Kangaroo Island?
We'd recommend at least 3 days, but 5–6 days would be even better.
With three days, you can see many of the major highlights:
If you've got more time, slow it down and explore some of the island's smaller beaches, farm gates, wineries and local producers.
Our Tips for Visiting Kangaroo Island 💡
1. Give yourself enough time.
The island is bigger than it looks.
2. Don't rush Flinders Chase.
There is so much to see and the scenery between the attractions is beautiful.
3. Book your accommodation ahead.
Especially if you're travelling with a caravan or motorhome.
4. Keep an eye out for wildlife.
Some of the best encounters happen when you aren't expecting them.
5. Plan your food stops.
Some businesses have limited or seasonal opening hours.
6. Slow down.
Kangaroo Island is best experienced without rushing from one attraction to the next.
Planning Your Kangaroo Island Trip? 🗺️
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Some links in this guide may be affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend places and experiences we genuinely enjoyed or believe would be useful for our readers.
