Cheap Accommodation In Chain Of Lagoons, Australia
Chain of Lagoons sits on Tasmania’s east coast, a quiet stretch of the Tasman Highway between Bicheno and the small towns further north like St Marys and Falmouth. It’s not a place with a bustling main street or a cluster of big hotels – it’s a scattering of holiday shacks, fishing spots, and a handful of self-contained cottages tucked among coastal scrub and lagoon-side bush. That’s exactly why budget travellers like it. You’re not paying for polish here, you’re paying for proximity to empty beaches, still water, and a slower pace than you’ll find further up the coast in the busier tourist towns. For anyone road-tripping Tasmania’s east coast on a modest budget, Chain of Lagoons works well as either a stopover or a base for a few quiet nights. Use the search box above to compare accommodation options in Chain of Lagoons and find the best deal for your dates.
Getting to Chain of Lagoons
Most travellers reach Chain of Lagoons by car along the Tasman Highway, which runs the length of Tasmania’s east coast. It’s roughly a two and a half hour drive from Hobart, or about an hour south of Launceston if you cut across via St Marys and the Elephant Pass. There’s no train service in Tasmania and no local airport, so flying into Hobart or Launceston and picking up a rental car is the most practical option for most visitors. Coach services run along the east coast route and can drop passengers at nearby towns like Bicheno, but without your own vehicle you’ll find getting around this stretch slow and limited, since there’s very little in the way of local public transport once you’re off the highway. If you’re travelling on a tight budget, booking a rental car well ahead and filling up on fuel in a larger town before heading this way is the smart move, since services are sparse along this part of the coast.
Best Time to Visit Chain of Lagoons
Tasmania’s east coast is at its best from late spring through to autumn, roughly November to April, when the weather is mild and the water is calm enough for swimming and fishing. Summer school holidays bring more visitors and higher demand for the limited accommodation in and around Chain of Lagoons, so prices can creep up and availability tightens. Shoulder seasons – spring and autumn – tend to offer the best value, with quieter roads, cheaper stays, and weather that’s still comfortable for walking and exploring. Winter is genuinely cold and can be wet, but it’s also when you’ll find the lowest prices if you don’t mind rugging up for coastal walks and don’t need warm-water swimming.
Top Attractions Near Chain of Lagoons
The appeal of Chain of Lagoons isn’t found in ticketed attractions – it’s in the free, natural ones. The string of lagoons the area is named for offer peaceful spots for a walk or a quiet fish, and the coastline here is largely undeveloped, meaning you can find a beach to yourself without much effort. Douglas-Apsley National Park, a short drive north, is one of Tasmania’s lesser-visited parks and is free to explore on foot, with dry eucalypt forest, river gorges, and swimming holes that are a welcome break in warmer months. Further north in Bicheno, the Blowhole and the granite-studded coastline around Waubs Bay Reserve are both free to visit and worth the short drive. Diamond Island, connected to Bicheno by a sandbar at low tide, is another no-cost stop popular with walkers and photographers.
For Families and Kids
Chain of Lagoons itself is sparsely developed, so families tend to base themselves here for the quiet and use nearby Bicheno for playgrounds, shops, and organised activities. Bicheno’s foreshore area has open grassy spaces and a safe swimming beach that suits younger kids, and the penguin-watching tours run there in the evenings are a memorable, low-cost activity for families visiting the coast. Closer to Chain of Lagoons, the calm lagoon waters and open beaches are ideal for kids to explore rock pools or paddle without the crowds you’d find at busier east coast towns.
Outdoors and Nature Around Chain of Lagoons
This part of Tasmania rewards travellers who like their nature unfiltered. The lagoons and surrounding coastal heath are home to a good range of birdlife, and it’s common to spot wallabies and possums around dusk if you’re staying in one of the area’s self-contained cottages. Fishing is a major drawcard, with both lagoon and surf fishing options right on the doorstep. Douglas-Apsley National Park offers proper bushwalking, from short forest strolls to longer day hikes along the Apsley River gorge, and because it sees far fewer visitors than Tasmania’s more famous parks, you’re likely to have the trails largely to yourself. Further afield, the Bay of Fires – with its orange lichen-covered rocks and white sand – is within reach for a day trip and is one of the most photographed stretches of coastline in the state.
Local Culture and Heritage
Chain of Lagoons and the surrounding east coast have a history closely tied to fishing, farming, and small maritime communities that grew up along this stretch of coastline. The area was traditionally home to Aboriginal Tasmanian communities who used the coastal lagoons and abundant shellfish resources long before European settlement, and place names and shell middens along this coast reflect that long history. Later, the region developed slowly around fishing and grazing, with towns like Bicheno growing as whaling and fishing ports. Today, that low-key, working-coast character still shapes the area, and it’s part of why Chain of Lagoons has stayed quiet and undeveloped compared to some of Tasmania’s more built-up coastal towns.
Eating Near Chain of Lagoons
Dining options right at Chain of Lagoons are limited, so most self-caterers stock up before arriving or make the short trip into Bicheno or St Marys for meals and supplies. Bicheno has a good spread of budget-friendly options, including bakeries, fish and chip shops, and casual cafes serving fresh local seafood at reasonable prices – a simple grilled fish or fish and chips by the water is one of the better value meals on this coast. St Marys, a little inland, has a small but solid selection of cafes and a pub serving straightforward counter meals. For the best value, buying fresh seafood direct from local suppliers or fishers when available, and cooking it yourself if you’re in a self-contained stay, is hard to beat both on price and quality.
Accommodation Options in Chain of Lagoons
Accommodation directly at Chain of Lagoons is small in scale but genuinely good value, mostly made up of self-contained cottages, holiday shacks, and a scattering of cabins set among the coastal bush. What you lose in choice, you gain in privacy and price, since there’s little competition pushing rates up the way there is in busier tourist towns further along the coast.
Budget and Cheapest Options
The cheapest stays around Chain of Lagoons tend to be simple self-contained units or older-style holiday shacks, often booked directly rather than through big chains. These suit travellers who don’t need extras and are happy with a clean, basic base for the night. Nearby caravan parks in Bicheno or Falmouth also offer powered sites and basic cabins at lower rates than motel rooms, and are worth checking if you’re travelling with your own gear.
Self-Contained Accommodation
Self-contained cottages and cabins are the backbone of accommodation in this area, giving you a kitchen and living space so you can cook your own meals and cut down on dining costs. These are a particularly good fit for Chain of Lagoons, given the lack of nearby restaurants, and many are set right near the water or the lagoons themselves.
Family Accommodation
Families are generally best served by self-contained cottages with more than one bedroom, giving everyone space without paying for multiple hotel rooms. Some properties around Chain of Lagoons and nearby Bicheno offer larger units suited to groups or families, often at a lower per-person cost than splitting into separate rooms elsewhere.
Beachfront and Coastal Accommodation
Given its position right on Tasmania’s east coast, a number of stays around Chain of Lagoons offer direct or near-direct access to the beach and lagoon foreshore. These properties tend to book out fastest over summer, so if a coastal outlook matters to you, it pays to book ahead.
Pet Friendly Accommodation
Several of the holiday cottages and cabins in this area welcome pets, which suits the relaxed, low-key nature of the region. If you’re travelling with a dog, checking pet policies before booking is worthwhile, as availability for pet-friendly stays is naturally more limited.
Shopping Near Chain of Lagoons
There’s no real shopping strip at Chain of Lagoons itself, so most travellers do their shopping in Bicheno or St Marys. Bicheno has a supermarket and a few small shops covering groceries and basic supplies, while St Marys has a general store and a handful of local craft and produce outlets worth a browse. Roadside stalls selling local honey, fruit, or fresh seafood pop up along the highway at various points, and these are a good way to pick up something local without paying tourist-town prices.
Nightlife and Free Fun
Chain of Lagoons is not a nightlife destination, and that’s part of its appeal for budget travellers looking to save money after dark. Evenings here are typically spent watching the sunset over the lagoons, fishing off the beach, or simply enjoying the quiet after a day on the road. In Bicheno, a short drive away, the evening penguin tours and a couple of pubs offer a bit more activity if you’re after it, but plenty of visitors find that a beach walk and a clear sky full of stars is entertainment enough this far from city lights.
Suggested Budget Itinerary for Chain of Lagoons
Start the day with a self-cooked breakfast at your cottage or cabin, using supplies picked up the day before in Bicheno or St Marys. Spend the morning walking the lagoon foreshore or trying your luck fishing off the beach, both of which cost nothing beyond your own gear. Head to Douglas-Apsley National Park around midday for a bushwalk through dry eucalypt forest, packing a simple lunch to eat by the river rather than paying for a cafe meal. In the afternoon, drive up to Bicheno for a wander around Waubs Bay Reserve and the Blowhole, picking up fish and chips for an early dinner by the water. Head back to Chain of Lagoons in time to catch the sunset over the lagoons, and round out the night with a quiet drink at your accommodation, saving the bigger spending for a night in a larger town further along your east coast route.