10 REASONS WHY ADELAIDE IS A MUST VISIT IN AUSTRALIA

It was the second test match of Ind-Aus Border Gavaskar Trophy in December 2003. Australia had piled on a massive 556 score on the board, thanks to Ricky Ponting’s superb 242 knock. Follow-on fear was looming on India with 85/4 score. And then a miracle partnership of 303 runs between the magic duo of Dravid-Laxman happened. And rest is a history written in golden words. This was the match where ‘THE WALL’ scored a double century and 72, giving India it’s one of the most illustrious win overseas on green tops. It was a start of a new era, whose foundation was laid at Oval, Adelaide, Australia.

That win etched Adelaide strongly in Indian Cricket fans mind. Adelaide became the home ground for Team India. Though cricket is one of the major draw for Indian travelers but there are lot of unexplored things waiting to be explored in Adelaide, a city nestled between the River Torrens and the Adelaide Hills.

Adelaide is a perfect place for slow travel for its elegant colonial heritage, colourful culture and mouthwatering cuisines. And the best way to explore this city is on foot because half of it is covered with gorgeous parks.

Adelaide CBD. Pic courtesy: Siddarth Dudhera

Here are the 10 reasons why Adelaide is a must visit:

1. WITNESS THE STUNNING SUNRISE AND SUNSET

If you are looking for a place to express your love and don’t want a no for an answer then Adelaide has many stunning sunset and sunrise points to choose from –  Windy Point Lookout, Glenelg Jetty and Henley beach are just few of them. And if you want complete privacy then visit the Largs Bay where tourists are extremely rare.

Travel Tip: Don’t forget to take a bottle of wine and fresh farm cheese when you express your love.

Under the pier at Glenelg Beach. Pic CC  Nathan, Flicker. License to share and modify

2. SWIM WITH THE DOLPHINS

When you are in the south side of Australia then you do things with a twist. So while you can see Dolphins in other parts of the country. Here you can swim with them. There are many companies that offer 3.5-4 hours of Dolphin tours. But one word of caution. No one can predict how playful the dolphins would be when you are in the water. Many factors dictate their mood. Even the most playful dolphins at Baird Bay can be moody. So don’t go with sky high hopes. And the best thing is even if you don’t know swimming or snorkeling you can enjoy this experience.

Travel tip: Before heading out on your adventure take some lessons from experienced yachtsmen and learn to operate a sailboat.

Swim with the dolphins. Pic CC Greg Scales, Flicker. License to share and modify

3. GET A TASTE OF GERMAN HERITAGE AT HAHNDORF TOWN

Every 3rd traveler I met in Australia happened to be a German. Half of the Germans utilize their compulsory one month off in southern hemisphere, especially Australia, when their country is freezing to death. No wonder there is an authentic German village in Australia. When in Adelaide, you cannot miss the picturesque town of Hahndorf, settled in 1840 by German immigrants. Besides marveling the rustic heritage charm, you get to eat mouthwatering gourmet food in this quaint little town.

Travel tip: Don’t forget to grab a slice of chocolate cake, hot chocolate at Chocolate No. 5 and local goat cheese at Udder Delights

The heritage German town of Hahndorf, Adelaide. Pic CC Master man, Flicker. License to share and modify

4. DON’T JUST PET A KOALA CUDDLE IT

One reason why I love Australia so much is because of its wildlife. While you can see them in abundance everywhere in Australia, the Cleland Wildlife Park at Adelaide is one of the only places where you can actually cuddle a koala, a practice banned in other Australian states. Besides Koalas, there are 130 species of animals including kangaroos, emus and marsupials.

Travel Tip: Buy a packet of animal food at the entrance to feed the animals

Get up close with Koalas

5. FEAST YOUR EYES WITH MIND-BLOWING STREET ART

Australia is a paradise for art lovers and Adelaide is no different. Here street art is in pink of health. With new and exciting works appearing all the time, you are in for a treat when you go on a street-art trail. You see staggering pieces of work not just in CBD or suburbs but even in unconventional places like Pizza Delivery corner, barber shop, industrial buildings, Adelaide Zoo fencing, and fence hidings of the construction sides. Basically Adelaide knows how to turn ugly into beautiful.

Travel Tip: Visit the Adelaide Festival Centre to explore a treasure of visual art

Adelaide Street art, Image CC Jocelyn Kinghorn Flicker. License to share and modify.

6. CELEBRATE LIFE IN THE ‘CITY OF FESTIVALS’

Adelaide is famously known as the ‘City of Festivals’ because of an active festive season. ‘Mad March’ starts from 12th Feb and continues until March when it hosts many world renowned festivals. The most famous being Adelaide Fringe (Feb 12 – March 14), which is second largest annual arts festival in the world. Other famous festivals are Adelaide Festival (Feb 26-March 14) and WOMADelaide (March 11-14)

Travel Tip: Visit the Adelaide Festival Centre to explore a treasure of visual art

Adelaide Festival Centre. Pic courtesy : Siddarth Dudheria

7. GO WINE TASTING IN ONE OF THE WORLD’S OLDEST WINERIES

No other place offers a wine trail experience like Adelaide. You can either visit the neighboring Barossa Valley, where you can taste some of the Oldest Wines on earth or some of the best New World Wines or you can start on an easier note with the Adelaide Hills wineries, which is not as celebrated as the former but still worth it.

Travel Tip: The ideal way to go on a wine trail is to drive around the beautiful crater-shaped area and stop at vineyard restaurants for good wine and food.

Go on a Wine trail at Barossa Valley, near Adelaide

8. WATCH THE SPECTACULAR KITE FESTIVAL

The beauty of Adelaide lies in its suburbs. One such stunning suburb is Semaphore, where Semaphore Kite Festival is held every year. It’s a great site to see adults and kids chase the brightly colored, uniquely shaped gigantic kites. For kids there is no dearth of fun. There are many fun activities to participate in and every hour candies are dropped from gigantic kites. The Kite festival is held every year during Easter long weekend.

Travel Tip: The entry to the festival and parking is free. But do check their Facebook page and signs at the venue for more details.

Semaphore Kite Festival – Image CC Michael Coghlan flicker. License to share and modify.

9. VISIT THE MUSEUM OF MIGRATION

Australia is a country of museums and usually they are free to enter. Adelaide has one very interesting museum – the Museum of Migration. Here you can see how various cultures and communities have come together over decades to form the diverse fabric of Australia. Well curated, easy to understand and not overloaded with info. To make it less taxing for the visitors it has lots of simple illustrations and anecdotes from various communities and individuals who migrated to Australia from world over.

Travel Tip: The Freedom photo exhibition is a must visit and most importantly keep in hand a couple of hours to explore the entire museum.

Museum of Migration. Pic courtesy : Siddarth Dudheria

10. PAY HOMAGE TO THE GREATEST CRICKETER EVER BORN

Last but not the least, you cannot leave Adelaide without paying homage to the cricket ground, where Sir Donald Bradman lived and died. Adelaide Oval welcomes you with a statue of the greatest cricketer ever born. The stadium houses the Bradman Collection – Sir Don’s illustrious History and memorabilia. If possible time your trip around the cricketing session in Australia.

Travel Tip: Drive by the home of Sir Bradman, where both the little masters, Gavaskar and Tendulkar, were invited by the great himself.

Oval Stadium, Adelaide. Image CC eosdude flicker. License to share and modify.

SOME USEFUL TRAVEL TIPS

1. Best time to visit: Feb-March if you want to attend the festivals or May-Aug when it’s neither too hot nor too rainy
2. Best Place to stay: Adelaide accommodation suits every kind of a traveler. The best area to stay is around the CBD or if you prefer a beachfront area then Glenelg
3. Best way to explore: Adelaide is a small picturesque town which can easily be explored on a bike or on foot. You can rent a bike from anywhere at a nominal price or rent a bike free of charge from Bicycle SA centers. But ensure to return it by 4:30 pm.
4. Best way to travel: Buses are very economical but if you plan to go to offbeat places than hiring a taxi is a better idea
5. Know the etiquette: Greet everyone with a smile, don’t leave tips and round off your taxi bill to the nearest dollar

So when are you booking your ticket to Adelaide, Australia?

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