King Island

This island runs on its own rhythm entirely, a one-finger wave from every passing driver and a population small enough that your baggage handler might be pouring your coffee an hour later. Cape Wickham Lighthouse anchors the north, standing taller than any other lighthouse in Australia over a coastline that's claimed more than 60 shipwrecks. Two of the world's most acclaimed golf courses run along that same wild coast, fairways cut straight into cliff edges. Distilleries and grass-fed beef round out the island's reputation, small-scale production that's earned a name well beyond these shores.