When you think of a coastal holiday, you usually think of relaxing in the sun and swimming in the sea. When it’s time to leave the beach, you stroll up to town and suddenly everything changes. You have to wait in line for your fish and chips and feel like you’re risking your life every time you cross the street. On South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, you can relax at the beach if you want to, but your trip won’t be ruined by crowds and hassles.

The Eyre Peninsula is relaxing, but not laid back. It is too awesome for that. This peninsula is home to the incredible Nullarbor Plain. You may have heard of the Nullarbor before, but until you have experienced it, you just don’t know what you’ve been missing. The word nullarbor is derived from two Latin words, nullus (or nothing) and arbor (trees). Together, they mean, “no trees.” This doesn’t sound like a very attractive place to visit until you see it up close.

The vast, treeless Nullarbor Plain is, like the Australian outback, a place of primeval beauty. Unlike other outback locations, though, it is unique in that it is on the coast. The sheer cliffs that plunge into the sea are thought to have originally raised from beneath the surface of the ocean some 25 million years ago and have remained largely unchanged since then.

Seeing the Nullarbor from the air is amazing, but exploring it from the ground is nothing short of awe inspiring. On land, the Nullarbor is teeming with wildlife, including emus, wombats and, of course, kangaroos. Beneath the sea, if you dare, you can actually come face to face with Great White sharks from the relative safety of a shark cage, get to know a sea lion at Baird Bay or go whale watching at Head of Bight.

For the truly adventurous, caving expeditions in the Nullarbor are available. Because of the extreme depth of the caves and the genuine dangers associated with them, most of these can only be explored under the supervision of National Parks and Wildlife Officers. A few of them, though, including Murrawijinie Caves (not far from the Nullarbor Roadhouse) and Koonalda Cave are viewable without prior permission.

As amazing as the Nullarbor is, it is not the only attraction on the Eyre Peninsula. There are plenty of more civilised things to do and see there, as well. Port Lincoln is one of the world’s largest natural protected harbours and is renowned for its seafood. You can buy it straight off the boat or enjoy having it cooked for you in a Port Lincoln seafood eatery.

Just 15 minutes away from Port Lincoln is the Glen-Forest Tourist Park. A perfect place for the whole family, it has many attractions for the kids, including a 70 acre animal park. The parents will appreciate the 60 acres of vineyards on the property and the opportunity to sample the local wines.

You can sleep under the stars on the Nullarbor or sleep in a comfortable Port Lincoln accommodation at the water’s edge. Then there are all the other accommodations that are available in the towns and villages that dot the peninsula landscape. For a coastal holiday like no other, visit the Eyre Peninsula.