MOST VISITORS TO TASMANIA join organised tours or hire a car, staying in guest houses or hotels, but travelling the state by motorhome or campervan is an option that is becoming increasingly popular. Wheel your luggage trolley from Launceston airport to the AutoRent Hertz office about 200 metres away, and then forget about your suitcases for the rest of the trip. There's no need to hump them in and out of hotels every night, unpacking and repacking. Take medium-sized, soft cases, which can be stored in the compartments under the seats at each side of the dining table in a motorhome. A double bed is built in above the driver's cab and the table can be converted into a single bed for a third person. All bedding is provided. A wardrobe is equipped with hangers and there are plenty of drawers. Motorhomes have shower closets and a portable toilet, but you may not have to use either as distances between attractions in Tasmania are not great. There are ample caravan and camping parks with powered sites for motorhomes and campervans (campervans are smaller than motorhomes, with fewer facilities, but are easier to drive and more economical on fuel). All you need to do on arrival at a caravan park is pay your overnight fee, not likely to be more than A$20 (HK$85), and then plug in the power cord which is provided with the vehicle to the mains socket at the site you are allocated. This enables you to use the built-in microwave oven and television set. The mains electricity gives your vehicle's battery a break, too, taking over to operate the lights, fridge and water pump. The caravan parks have toilet and shower blocks, and coin-fed laundries, some with electric irons. Each site has taps from which you can refill your water tank. The great thing about Tasmania is that you can stop overnight anywhere you want. You don't have to use a caravan park, providing your vehicle is not causing an obstruction. So if you find a terrific viewpoint, just pull over and make this your stopover. You won't be able to use the microwave oven outside a caravan site, but the motorhomes and campervans are fitted with gas cylinders and cooking facilities. You can't use the telly either, but who cares. This is supposed to be your great escape from the rat race, right? AutoRent Hertz is a private company, which uses the name of the international car hire firm that has outlets worldwide under an agreement with Hertz. It assembles its own vehicles. In Launceston you get a comprehensive 30-minute introduction to the facilities in your vehicle and how to use them. AutoRent Hertz gives drivers a hotline number. In the unlikely event of a mechanical problem, they'll send a mechanic no matter where you are on the island. Motorhomes and campervans can also be picked up at Hobart, but as they would have to be delivered there from Launceston, there is an extra charge for this. For more information about a motorhome holiday, check out the Web site: www.autorent.com.au . Qantas has flights from Hong Kong to Melbourne from Wednesday to Sunday, with connections to Launceston. Alternatively, Qantas has daily flights from Hong Kong to Sydney, and onward flights to Launceston and Hobart. Graphic: tasmanGFA