1. Walk on the sand with sea lions at Seal Bay
The headline experience on Kangaroo Island. A colony of around 700 Australian sea lions, on a south-coast beach 50 km from Kingscote, and a ranger-led walk that takes you down onto the sand to within metres of them. The boardwalk above the beach is fully accessible and worth a stop for itself. The beach-walk is the one most visitors say is the highlight of their trip. Around $35 per adult for the beach walk, around $16.50 for the boardwalk.
Where to book: SA Parks at the on-site visitor centre or online. See the Seal Bay page for the honest detail.
2. Sandboard the dunes at Little Sahara Adventure Centre
A 2.5 sq km field of pure white gypsum dunes up to 70 metres tall, 12 minutes west of Vivonne Bay. Climb the main dune, ride it down on a stand-up sandboard or a toboggan, repeat until the legs give out. The hire shed runs from the carpark at the entry. Sandboard and Toboggan Hire is $37 per board for up to 3 hours plus $10 helmet hire, walk-up during opening hours. Covered shoes required for the climb.
If you want context on the dunes and coastline as well, add a 50-minute Little Sahara Buggy Tour ($97 adult, $77 child under 12), the 110-minute Surf and Sand Buggy Tour or the 110-minute Koala Walking Tour. All run on set times daily.
3. Sunset at Remarkable Rocks
A cluster of wind-sculpted granite domes balanced on a cliff edge inside Flinders Chase National Park. They have been here for around 500 million years. At sunset the orange light turns the lichen on the rocks the colour of copper, and the southern coastline rolls away in both directions. Allow 45 minutes on the ground including the boardwalk approach. Park entry fee applies.
Where to book: National Parks SA park pass at the visitor centre or online.
4. Admirals Arch and the fur seals
A 10-minute drive from Remarkable Rocks brings you to Admirals Arch: a sea cave at the base of the Cape du Couedic cliffs full of long-nosed fur seals. The boardwalk loops around the headland to a viewing platform inside the arch itself. The seals are there year-round. The smell is real. Pair it with Remarkable Rocks on a single Flinders Chase afternoon. Allow 45 minutes.
Where to book: Included in the National Parks SA Flinders Chase pass.
5. GUIDED Quad Bike Tour with Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action
Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action (KIOA) is the longest-running quad bike tour company on the island, based at 188 Jetty Rd, Vivonne Bay. Guests ride their own ATV in a small group with a trained guide. The first 30 minutes of every tour is a safety briefing and practice track laps before the tour proper begins. Long pants and covered shoes are compulsory, PPE provided.
Three tours: the 110-minute ATA (All Terrain Adventure) at $197 per rider, ages 6 and up, is the recommended family option. The 170-minute EOE (Edge of the Earth) at $347 per rider, ages 10 and up, is the flagship through rugged coastal terrain. The 110-minute SKS (Sunset Kangaroo Safari) at $247 per rider runs after hours with a kangaroo sighting guarantee on this tour only.
6. Behind The Scenes Tour at Island Beehive
The Kangaroo Island Ligurian Bee Co, trading as Island Beehive, sits at 59 Playford Hwy in Kingscote. Kangaroo Island is home to the world’s last remaining pure-bred population of Ligurian bees, protected by quarantine since 1885. The 30-minute Behind The Scenes Tour walks you through the working honey production room, a tasting, and a complimentary gift to take home. Indoor, accessible, $27 adult, $15 child (5 to 12), free for under-5s. Runs at 10am, 11am, 1:30pm and 2:30pm daily.
7. Swim through the rock tunnel at Stokes Bay
Stokes Bay on the north coast looks like a normal rocky cove until you find the tunnel. A clearly-marked passage between the boulders at the eastern end of the beach opens onto a hidden white-sand swim cove with a natural rock pool. Calm water, no surf, clear over the granite. The walk through the tunnel takes two minutes and it is the surprise on most first-time visitors’ trips.
Where to book: No booking. Free. Around 35 minutes from Kingscote on sealed road then a short gravel access.
8. Kayak the Harriet River with Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action
KIOA runs two completely separate kayak products on the Harriet River at Vivonne Bay, both worth knowing about. The 110-minute Guided Kayak Tour is $97 per person and is led by a trained guide, with a chance to spot koalas, birdlife and native plants along the river. Kayak Hire is up to 3 hours, $77 for a double or $47 for a single, with a kayak, paddle, PFD and backrest supplied.
Both run on the Harriet River, not along the coast. Guests meet at the KIOA office at 188 Jetty Rd, then drive their own vehicle 2 minutes to the river. Under-18s must be accompanied by an adult. You will get wet. A change of clothes is a good idea.
9. Koala Walking Tour at Little Sahara Adventure Centre
The Koala Walking Tour walks the Eleanor River through 500-year-old gum trees with a trained guide. 110 minutes, $77 per person (minimum 2 to run), free for 0 to 5. Koala sightings are guaranteed on this guided walk. No prams (bush trails), covered shoes required. The Little Koala Walking Tour at $47 per person is the shorter family version.
Run from the Little Sahara Adventure Centre at 3733 South Coast Rd, Vivonne Bay. Set times daily at 9am, 10am, 11am, 1:30pm and 2:30pm. After Hours Koala Walking Tour available by enquiry.
10. Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary (or Cape Willoughby, or American River oysters)
Three wildcards for the tenth slot, pick the one that fits your trip best.
Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary on the way to Flinders Chase runs a self-guided koala walk through dense gum forest. The wild koala population here is the densest on the island, so the odds are good. Best if Flinders Chase is already on your day, because it is on the route.
Cape Willoughby lighthouse on the eastern tip is the oldest lighthouse in South Australia. A short guided tour climbs the tower and the view over the Backstairs Passage is the postcard. Best if you are basing in or near Penneshaw, because the drive from the west end is long.
A Pacific oyster tour at American River takes you out onto the lease in a small boat, shucks them in front of you, and serves them on the deck back at base. Best if you are pairing day-trips with food and want to do something that no other Australian state really offers in the same way.