Top 3 must-visit spots on Kangaroo Island ft. photographer Nathan Sawaya

After a new challenge? Try rolling onto Kangaroo Island and attempt to not relax. We dare you. (You'll find it's impossible). Minutes from the mainland of South Australia, but a million miles away, Kangaroo Island is a sanctuary for native wildlife, natural beauty, exploring, and just straight-up stunning scenery. Photographer Nathan Sawaya recently jumped in the incredible Steely Dan the van from Custom Van Conversions SA, and uncovered the must-see spots to visit around the island (basically, all the hard work's done - now you just need to visit yourself). Read all about Nathan's experience below!**

The Details:

Location: Kangaroo Island

Van:Steely Dan the Van Trip Duration: 3 days

With travel restrictions continuing to ease, there's no better time to start planning an adventure to Kangaroo Island. And what better way to explore the island than by renting your first campervan? I downloaded the Camplify app and discovered the perfect Toyota Hiace Commuter named ‘Steely Dan The Van’ located just outside the Adelaide CBD. The van is honestly a house on wheels and comes with everything you need including a working fridge, cooking stove, kitchen bench and the comfiest bed. It was an absolute delight to travel and stay in Steely Dan and it became my home away from home on the island.

After picking up Steely Dan and making my way to Cape Jervis, it was time to set sail to catch the island ferry to the beautiful coastal suburb of Penneshaw

Boasting white sandy beaches, incredible rock formations, abundant native wildlife and premium dining experiences, South Australia’s Kangaroo Island is a road-tripping oasis. Just a one and a half-hour drive from Adelaide and a relaxing 45-minute ferry ride, and you’ll find yourself in pure bliss. Kangaroo Island has been on my bucket list for years, but with so many things to do and amazing places to see, it can be tough to plan the perfect road trip. Luckily, I recently discovered the Travis app which allowed me to easily discover inspiration for my trip by creating moodboards based on other travellers’ guides. Using Travis to plan my trip beforehand inspired me to hit the road and set sail for an incredible weekend at Kangaroo Island. You can check out my own Travis guide here.

Penneshaw

I caught the first ferry for the day and arrived at the island just in time to witness sunrise. Boasting pristine water and snow-white sand, Penneshaw Beach was the perfect place to begin my Kangaroo Island adventure. I parked Steely next to the beach and sat on the bed to watch the waves crash below me. At that point, I knew this trip would be one to remember.

Never in my life did I think I would find myself floating in the ocean surrounded by a pod of dolphins. After admiring the sunrise at the main beach, I boarded a convenient boat tour at Christmas Cove Marina with KI Ocean Safaris and set off for the chance to swim with seals and dolphins along Kangaroo Island!

After returning from that epic experience, I stocked up on fuel and essentials and drove 2 hours to Flinders Chase.

Flinders Chase

In January 2020, Kangaroo Island was impacted by a bush fire, which scarred a significant portion of the landscape. The first thing I noticed when I arrived at Flinders Chase was the stunning regrowth. I parked Steely at Bunker Hill Lookout to take in the sweeping views of the eucalyptus trees in the distance.

For sunset, I visited one of Kangaroo Island's most impressive natural landmarks. Admirals Arch is a natural rock arch sculpted by weathering and erosion from the sea over thousands of years. I parked my van at the Cape Du Couedic Lighthouse and took the short 20-minute stroll down to this amazing cave and spotted fur seals bathing in the pools below!

One cannot simply visit Kangaroo Island without stopping at the world-famous Remarkable Rocks. I left the Western KI Campground at 5am to watch the sun rise over this cluster of granite boulders and was surprised to learn they are over 500 million years old!

After taking in the natural beauty of these mammoth rocks, I drove to Vivonne Bay.

Vivonne Bay

Seal Bay is home to around 800 Australian Sea Lions among the endangered species that live along the South and West coasts of Australia. I took an immersive tour down to the beach to view the colony bask in the sun and it was one of the most surreal moments of my life!

Little Sahara features an incredible dune system covering more than two square kilometres! If you visit Vivonne Bay, make sure you go here and take advantage of the dune buggy tours and tobogganing on offer.

Once voted Australia's best beach, Vivonne Bay is the perfect secluded beach of your dreams. Here you will find breathtaking sweeping views over crystal clear water. I left the Vivonne Bay Campground at 5am to drive to the jetty and witness one of the most incredible sunrises I have ever seen. This topped off what had been a wonderful weekend in Kangaroo Island.