Located 460 mi/740 km northwest of Adelaide, the town of Coober Pedy, where most of Australia's opals are mined, is almost entirely underground. Stay two nights and tour the mines (you'll learn everything there is to know about opals), but be prepared for high temperatures aboveground and to get covered with dust. Because of its isolation, Coober Pedy suffers from a higher crime rate than the rest of Australia. Don't wander around by yourself after dark.
Travel 20 mi/30 km west to see the colorful Breakaways, similar to Arizona's Painted Desert. Other opal fields are located 170 mi/275 km to the southeast, at Andamooka.
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