South Australia is the gateway to the preserved wilderness of Kangaroo Island with its conservation areas and rare animals, the renowned Barossa Valley wine-producing region, the underground world of opal-mining town Coober Pedy - and of course the southern capital of Adelaide.  This fun-loving city makes a perfect base to explore the region and sample its varied culinary delights.

Places of Interest:

Adelaide:
Adelaide is a sophisticated city that has preserved its heritage and links with the past.  Visit it's 125-year-old Central Market, the oldest in Australia, and browse among the huge range of natural produce; stroll around the bars, cafes, shops and galleries of the fashionable East End; eat out at one of many fine restaurants - or just take in the preserved colonial architecture. In even-numbered years, you can enjoy the Adelaide Festival, and don't forget that not far from the city are some of the best metropolitan beaches in Australia. For day-trips, the nearby Adelaide Hills offer traditional townships such as Stirling, Aldgate, Bridgewater and Hahndorf,

The Barossa Valley:
The famous Barossa Valley is region known to all lovers of fine wine, boasting over fifty wineries where you can sample the product and great eateries to indulge yourself with gourmet foods.  It's a curiously European area, with stone churches, galleries, museums and heritage towns.  But before buying a few bottles, why not take the Butcher, Baker, Winemaker Trail which introduces you to the best local delicacies. Full stomachs can be emptied by hiking or cycling in the Kaiser Stuhl Conservation Park.

Kangaroo Island:
Kangaroo Island is a must for anyone interested in eco-tourism or preserved wilderness destinations. Seventy miles south-west of Adelaide, it is easily accessible by ferry or plane and home to a mix of attractive small townships, fascinating wilderness areas and native wildlife such as sea lions, penguins, dolphins, koalas and kangaroos.  Flinders Chase National Park, within the island, provides rugged coastline, woodland, bizarre weathered rock formations and the Ravine des Casoars Wildlife Protection Area.

Coober Pedy:
Coober Pedy is a small, cosmopolitan town of over 45 different nationalities best known for its opal fields and unique style of underground living. You can find subterranean churches, shops, museums and hotels constructed to escape the desert heat, and marvel at the lunar landscape seen in many movies (Mad Max, Red Planet) And don't forget the opals: the shops here sell the finest specimens in the world, often sold by the miners who found them. If you feel lucky, you too can try a spot of 'fossicking' and try to pick up your own gems...