The West Coast

Rottnest Island is one of those places that sells itself — and the star of the show isn’t the turquoise bays or car-free roads (though both are excellent). It’s the quokkas. Around 10,000 of the happiest-looking animals on earth call Rottnest home, and they’re famously unbothered by cameras or tourists. Thor has taken the selfie. So can you.

Just a short ferry ride from Perth, Rottnest is best explored by bike — no cars on the island means smooth roads, stunning coastal scenery, and stops at some of WA’s best swimming spots whenever the mood strikes. Whether you’re after a lazy beach day, snorkelling the reef, or just chasing quokka content for your camera roll, Rottnest is an easy half-day or full-day add-on to any Perth visit. Check out our Rottnest Island Day Trip Special – fast ferry, all-day bike hire, and snorkel gear all included.

Drive a few hours south of Perth and things get seriously good. Margaret River — “Margs” to locals – is the kind of place that earns repeat visits. World-class wine, powerful surf breaks, ancient cave systems, and a laid-back beach town vibe that’s hard to leave. Take a drive down Caves Road and duck into Mammoth Cave or Lake Cave for a look at the kind of stalactites and stalagmites that took millennia to form. Then reward yourself at one of the valley’s many cellar doors. Our Margaret River Day Tour from Perth covers the highlights in a day – coastline, wildlife, and wine all included.

Further south, Esperance is one of WA’s most underrated stops. Think Pink Lakes, wild kangaroos wandering deserted beaches, and the jaw-dropping coastline of Cape Le Grand National Park – regularly voted among Australia’s best. The Esperance and Margaret River Adventure Tour combines both regions into one epic 6-day run through the south-west.

The Pinnacles are unlike anything else on earth. Thousands of ancient limestone formations rising from yellow sand dunes in Nambung National Park – some jagged and towering over three metres, others small and rounded – the result of 30,000 years of erosion working on shell-rich soil. It’s weird, it’s wonderful, and it photographs brilliantly at sunset. Our Pinnacles Sunset & Stargazing Day Tour pairs the formations with sandboarding at Lancelin and Aboriginal astronomy stories under a sky with virtually zero light pollution. The Pinnacles Desert Stargazing & BBQ Tour adds an overnight stay and a proper Aussie BBQ dinner to the mix.

A few hours north, Kalbarri National Park is another must. Nature’s Window – a natural rock arch perfectly framing the Murchison River gorge below – is one of WA’s most iconic views, and the relatively new Skywalk cantilevered platforms take the drama up another level. Gorge walks, coastal cliffs, and wildflowers in season round out one of the state’s best national parks.

Ningaloo Reef doesn’t need much of an introduction – it’s consistently rated one of the best snorkelling and diving destinations on the planet, and unlike the Great Barrier Reef, you can wade straight in from the beach. No boat required. Australia’s largest fringing reef sits just off the shore of Exmouth and Coral Bay, and what’s in the water changes by season: whale sharks from March to July, manta rays year-round, humpback whales from June to November, and turtles, reef sharks, and thousands of tropical fish any time you show up.

Our Outer Ningaloo Reef Snorkel Tour is the best single-day Ningaloo experience – expert guides, all gear included, and access to the outer reef where the big stuff lives. Want to combine Ningaloo with the full Coral Coast? The West Coast to Karijini Guided Adventure snorkels Ningaloo and then heads inland to Karijini’s gorges for one of WA’s ultimate adventure combos.

Karijini is the kind of place that makes you feel genuinely small in the best possible way. One of Western Australia’s largest national parks, it’s been shaped by over 2.5 billion years of geology – ancient gorges dropping up to 100 metres deep, carved by water through some of the oldest rock on earth. At the bottom: waterfalls, emerald rock pools, and the kind of silence that’s hard to find anywhere else.

The gorges are the main event. Dales Gorge, Weano, Hancock, and Knox each offer their own character – some accessible by short walk, others requiring a scramble through narrow passages and chest-deep water. Fortescue Falls is one of WA’s only permanent natural waterfalls, feeding the stunning Fern Pool just downstream. Karijini rewards those who go further in, and those who make it to the bottom of a gorge tend not to forget it. The West Coast to Karijini Guided Adventure gets you there from Perth with expert guides who know exactly where to take you.