Top 6 Destinations in Western Australia
- The Coastal Campaign
- Feb 15, 2019
- 6 min read
Updated: May 11, 2019
Where to even begin with Western Australia?
We came here almost 3 and a half years ago and instantly fell in love with the west coast. From the attractions in Southwest Australia, to Rottnest Island and all the way up to Broome, we love every inch of Australia’s largest state. What makes this state so unique is the insane change of landscape as you travel up and down the coast.
If you make the long trip over to Western Australia be sure to take the time to explore everything it has to offer. The state occupies 2.5 million square kilometres and has 20,781 Km of coastline so you will need to devote several weeks, if not months to really see and appreciate all that is on offer here.
Western Australia is an adventure lover’s paradise. The long stretches of beautiful, barren coastline are a dream for any outdoor enthusiast and make for an incredible road trip route. While we love every part of this wonderful state, we picked out our top favourite locations to share with you. Make sure you don’t miss any of these places on your epic adventure.
1. Esperance
Western Australia is home to some of the whitest sand and bluest water we have ever seen but Esperance and Cape Le Grand National Park take this to a whole other level. Esperance is renowned for having some of the best beaches in Australia and none more so than Lucky Bay. As well as providing a stunning vista, with some of the most crystal clear water you will ever see, you will get to enjoy the added bonus of kangaroos roaming the beach. These furry little friends are so used to people that you should have the chance to get up close and personal with them. It doesn’t get much more Australian than hanging out with kangaroos on this glorious white sandy beach.
While Cape Le Grand National Park is the highlight of Esperance, there are also other attractions. The Great Ocean Drive is a 40 km route that will take you past stunning beaches, hidden swimming holes, rocky headlands and sea cliffs. Lake Hillier located on Middle Island contains a bubble gum pink lake that you are sure to have seen on Instagram before. It is located 130km offshore so a boat trip or scenic flight is needed to visit here.
There’s not many places that have as much natural beauty packed into them as Esperance does. You could spend endless days wandering the coast here and never get bored. A great place to start your western adventure.
We could spend hours on end rambling about how much we love this region. We are currently on our third stint living here and wondering how on earth we can make it possible to stay here forever. It is an amazing place to temporarily call home and is also a great place to visit on your travels. Be careful though. We thought we would spend a couple of nights here and three and a half years later, we are still here.
This region is famous for it’s wine. With over 200 wineries and 95 cellar doors, there is no shortage of delicious wine to try here. Add in some breweries, a couple of chocolate factories and some amazing local food and you have a recipe for success. A day spent exploring the wineries and breweries down here is a must. Find yourself a designated driver and sample all the food and drink this region has to offer.
We have created the perfect wine tour itinerary for the Margaret River Region here.
Once you have eaten and drank your fill, it’s time to discover some of the beaches that this region has to offer. We would definitely argue that Cape Naturaliste offers the best beaches in the region. The coastal drive from Meelup to Eagle Bay is breathtaking. The rusty red rocks that line the coast create an unusual but beautiful contrast.
While exploring the region keep your eyes peeled for wildlife. The ocean here always has something to offer. From September to early December it is whale season. Thousands of whales pass through the water here every year. Sightings from shore are almost a guarantee. It is also common to see pods of dolphins, the occasional shark and plenty of stingrays. Hamelin Bay is a great place to go and get up close and personal with the friendly stingrays.
Like I said, I could go on and on about the Margaret River Region, but I’ll leave it at that. To find out more about why we love it so much, read our blog on the 10 Reasons to Visit the Margaret River Region.
3. Rottnest Island
Rottnest is located 18 km’s west of Fremantle. It is most famous for being home to the world’s friendliest animal, the quokka. This small native marsupial is so popular as they look like they are always smiling at the camera. Be sure to get a picture with one of these fuzzy little legends.
Rottnest is also great for snorkelling, swimming and surfing. Private cars are not permitted on the island so the most common way to get around is to cycle. There is also a hop on hop off bus if you are not feeling up for the exercise. The beautiful beaches and unique wildlife make this a great place to visit.
4. Exmouth & Ningaloo Reef
Exmouth is best known for its access to Cape Range National Park and Ningaloo Reef. Ningaloo Reef stretches 260 km along the coast and is accessible directly from shore. The vibrant coral and range of marine life make this an excellent place to snorkel and dive.
Ningaloo is most famous for its whale sharks. Between the middle of March until the middle of September is whale shark season at Ningaloo. Pick from a range of tour operators and swim with these gentle giants of the ocean. We went with Ocean Eco Adventures and would definitely recommend them. A great boat plus friendly and knowledgeable staff made for an epic trip (not to mention loads of delicious food). It is also possible to see dolphins, turtles, sharks, dugongs and manta rays at Ningaloo Reef.
Cape Range National Park offers several stunning beaches. Turquoise Bay is the pick of the bunch with Sandy Beach a close second. Coral Bay is located just a couple of hours from Exmouth and also offers its own range of stunning beaches and access to the reef from shore.
5. Karijini National Park
Climbing through the gorges of Karijini National Park was like exploring Mars. The unique layers of red cliffs and red earth are like something from a different planet. We started one of the hikes and reached the edge of the water and thought that our hike was over. Luckily for us another hiker came by and waded straight into the water to show us our hike had only just begun.
Swimming and climbing are the main component of Karijini’s hikes. It is so awesome to swim through the gorges, climb down waterfalls and jump from the rocks. We had an amazing few days here and can’t wait to get back. We have never enjoyed hiking so much in our lives. Our personal favourite was Weano Gorge as it offered a little bit of everything and the Handrail Pool at the end was the most breath taking.
6. Broome
We were slightly underwhelmed when we first arrived in Broome after hearing so many good things. The town itself is nothing to write home about – but the area surrounding Broome is a whole different story.
Our favourite place was Cape Leveque. Rugged red cliffs meet brilliant blue water and offer a sight like no other. An aerial photo we had seen from here inspired us to buy our drone and get into photography. We were not disappointed when we finally got to see it in person. The drive out here should really be done in a 4x4 but we did see some people having a go in their two wheel drives as well.
Other favourites in the region are Cable Beach, where the camels walk the beach, Roebuck Bay, James Price Point, Willy Creek and Gantheaume Point. The crazy contrast in colours from the land and sea is like nowhere else I have been before.
We are so head over heels in love with Western Australia that it was hard to narrow it down to just six of our favourites. What we really recommend is that you get yourself a 4x4 and road trip across the entire state.
Don’t get discouraged by the size of Western Australia. There are so many other amazing places in between the standouts, that it really is worth all the hours spent in the car. Just get yourself an amazing playlist and sing your way through the hours of barren wilderness.
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