Meet the ideal holiday at Encounter Bay

Encounter Bay is a small township located approximately 100km south of the bustling city of Adelaide. This district is quite sparsely populated, with roughly 3670 people calling Encounter Bay home. In the summer months however, this number is said to increase four fold, with locals in the area welcoming the summer tourist season by offering tours, activities and holiday accommodation which suits all tastes and budgets.

Things to See and Do in and Around Encounter Bay

Travellers heading to Encounter Bay will have a multitude of options when it comes to things to see and do. The standout pastime for many in the area is surfing, owing to the number of fantastic surf breaks scattered around the region. The closest surf beaches to Encounter Bay are Parson’s Beach and Waitpinga Beach (or ‘Waits’ to the locals), which are said to offer some of the best surfing in the Adelaide region.

Travellers that aren’t interested in hitting the waves can always test their skills with a fishing rod instead, as Waitpinga Beach is also considered to be one of the most popular fishing spots on the Fleurieu Peninsula. Holiday makers in the area are commonly known to catch fish such as Salmon and Mullet, which make for a great family barbeque back at their holiday accommodation.

Island Exploration

One of the main draw cards regarding Encounter Bay is its proximity to both Granite Island and Kangaroo Island. Granite Island is a small unpopulated island located a short walk or tram journey from Victor Harbour, which is approximately 5km from Encounter Bay. The island offers travellers the opportunity to search the horizon for signs of whales, or get up close and personal with the ‘Little’ penguins that call the island home, via guided dusk tours.

The Penguin Centre located on island also allows visitors to expand their penguin knowledge, and check out the outdoor aquarium which houses various native ocean creatures. Holiday makers with children should not return to their holiday home without experiencing the aquarium’s touch table, which permits visitors to get hands-on with some of the aquariums sea life.

Kangaroo Island in comparison to Granite Island is extremely large, comprising approximately 4416 square kilometres and accommodating roughly 4400 permanent residents. Kangaroo Island is located about 150km from Encounter Bay, and requires that travellers utilise the Kangaroo Island Sealink Car Ferry, or air transportation, in order to access the island, however, it is well worth the trip.

Kangaroo Island tenders an amazing variety of activities, sights and accommodation, and allows visitors to explore the island themselves, or to take advantage of the numerous tours on offer. International travellers who would like to try a tour can choose from bike tours, four wheel drive tours and coach tours which cover island ‘must sees’ such as Flinders Chase National Park, Seal Bay Conservation Park, Kelly Hill Conservation Park.

Flinders Chase National Park and Seal Bay Conservation Park allow holiday makers to come into contact with native animals such as koalas, echidnas, kangaroos, wallabies, sea lions, dolphins, possums, snakes and goannas, as well as providing nature lovers with some amazing marked walking trails.

Kelly Hill Conservation Park in comparison gives visitors the opportunity to explore the amazing limestone caves, which stretch throughout the park. Travellers who enter the caves will be in awe of the picturesque stalactites and stalagmites scattered throughout the cave system however, for many, the fossilized animals found in some parts of the system really take the cake. Holiday makers intending to visit both national parks should however, consider booking a Kangaroo Island holiday rental to give them the time they’ll need to properly discover the island.

The Ideal Climate for Visitors

The peak tourist season in Encounter Bay take place during the summer months, which span from December to February, due to the warm sunny days that summer usually presents. Travellers interested in whale watching and other nature based activities in comparison, generally frequent the region during the winter whale season, which spans from May to September. Regardless of when holiday makers choose to visit the region however, Encounter Bay always offers a plethora of great food, fascinating activities and luxurious accommodation.

Travelling to Encounter Bay from the UK

Travelling to Encounter Bay is no problem for UK holiday makers, with regular flights for Adelaide departing from both Heathrow Airport and London City Airport. Airlines which tender these flights include Qantas, Etihad, Lufthansa and British Airways, nearly all of which offer great exotic stopover destinations. Once holiday makers arrive in Adelaide, a short rental car or bus trip will have them sipping cocktails on the patio of their beautiful Encounter Bay holiday apartment before they know it.