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Just a stone’s throw off the coast of Perth, Rottnest Island, or Wadjemup to the natives, is a sun-soaked oasis with turquoise waters, white sand beaches, and Australia’s rare and cheeky marsupials, quokkas. Although we grew up in Australia, it wasn’t until we spent 18 months road-tripping across the country that we discovered Rotto – a tiny island that’s big on adventure.
Although it looks more like a postcard paradise and a place where you can laze all day on a beach, there are in fact lots of things to do on Rottnest Island to make it well worth exploring for a full day or more.
Simply rent a bike (cars are largely forbidden here) and cycle past coves, secret snorkelling spots, historic lighthouses, hidden trails, and quaint villages. Rottnest is all about slowing down, breathing deeply, and basking in the natural beauty.
Whether you want to see the adorable quokkas, chase sunsets over the pink-hued sand of The Basin, or simply want to enjoy somewhere with an easygoing pace reset your internal compass, Rottnest delivers.
Measuring just 24 kilometres round trip by road, Rottnest Island is small enough to explore in a day, but has over 63 picturesque beaches and 20 bays, as well as top spots for snorkeling, diving, kayaking, swimming, and fishing.
If you’re not sure what to do on Rottnest Island during your visit, then consider these attractions…
1. Bike ride around the island
Rottnest Island is a car-free zone (aside from the coaches bus tours), so to get around, it’s best explored by bicycle, otherwise you will be hiking for miles. If you’re not an active person, don’t worry, the island is mostly flat, so biking around it is a relaxing and enjoyable experience.
Cycling around Rotto is also a great way to get from attraction to attraction. As you pedal, you are blessed with panoramic views of the Indian Ocean from every angle. You can also take a segway tour if you prefer not to use your legs.
If you don’t have your own bike, you can rent a bike at the same time as booking your Sealink ferry from Fremantle. You simply show your booking, receive a ticket, and pick up your bike at the other end on Rotto.
2. Meet the Quokkas
During your trip to Rottnest Island, you’ll be sure to meet lots of the true locals without much need to find them. The Quokka is a small macropod about the size of a domestic cat, who are native to Rottnest Island. It’s said there are around 10,000-12,000 quokkas on the island, the world’s largest quokka population.
Although that sounds like a lot, they are a vulnerable species who are under threat. They thrive on Rottnest Island because it has very few predators, (like foxes and cats), but elsewhere in Australia they are very rare to find and in most areas need protection from humans.
Although they are cute, do take time to reflect on how lucky you are to see them in their natural habitat. They can be found all over the island, but some of the most popular spots to see them are:
- The Main Settlement near The Rottnest Bakery
- Near Porpoise Bay where you park the bikes
- Around Garden Lake
- Wadjemup Road near the Wadjemup Lighthouse
Remember they are wild animals, so when you are snapping photos, don’t get too close and don’t feed them any human food – they have plenty of resources to eat on Rotto! Try not to shove a camera in their face, they don’t like that either. They are more active in early morning and late afternoon when they are scavenging for food.
3. Sunbathe on the stunning beaches
Aside from quokkas, the main attraction on Rottnest Island are the beaches – I mean, come on, just look at this photo. Despite being a small island, you’ll never run out of amazing beaches with pure white sand and refreshing shallow waters that are perfect for snorkelling in.
The bays are often sheltered making them a great place to swim with children, plus the coral reef often comes up close to the shore so you can snorkel right from the beach.
Some of our favourite beaches on the island are:
- Thomson Bay
- Parakeet Bay
- Strickland Bay (great for surfing)
- Little Salmon Bay
- Little Armstrong Bay
- Pinky Beach
4. Go snorkelling
A trip to Rottnest Island would not be complete without visiting one of the many snorkel trails. Pack your snorkelling gear and swim with the tropical fish right from the shoreline.
Little Salmon Bay, The Basin, and Parker Point are some great spots for snorkelling and have lots of thriving marine life and gentle waves.
5. Take the kids to the Aquapark (seasonal)
During the summer months, a floating water park opens up at Rottnest Island. This floating obstacle coursem called Just 4 Fun Aqua Park, can be found in Thomson Bay, and opens in November.
It offers a range of family-friendly floaties and inflatable obstacle courses, as well as offers water equipment for kids. If you’re traveling with toddlers, there’s even a Knee Deep Zone for little ones to splash around in.
You can rent paddle boats, stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, and much more. Or enjoy the sea catapult, sea saws, and slides into the ocean!
6. Have dinner with a view
There are plenty of cafes on Rottnest Island that come with a good view, but one that we loved was Pinky’s Beach Club by Pinky Beach.
Grab a table by the ocean and do some whale watching whilst you gorge yourself on some delicious seafood. If you are short on time and don’t want to stop at a café, you can get quick bites to eat from the general store.
7. Check out The Visitor Centre
If you’re looking for information about the attractions on Rottnest Island, aside from the simple plaque with a few sentences telling you about it, then you’ll want to head to the Visitor Centre.
To really learn more about the island’s history and uses, the Visitors Centre offers several free walking tours of many of the top landmarks on Rottnest Island
The “Go Cultural Aboriginal” tour is a popular favourite, as it gives visitors a chance to learn all about the Noongar people, who are the island’s traditional owners.
The visitor centre is also a great place to book accommodation, ferry tickets, boat tours and pick up maps of the island.
8. Take a Rottnest Island Cruise
A Rottnest cruise is a great way to look for some local marine life. The boat journey takes you off the shores of the island, and if you’re lucky, you might spot some humpback whales breaching in the water.
If you’re very lucky, you may also see dolphins or even New Zealand fur seals off the shores. As you sail the crystal clear waters, you can kick back and relax in style as you sail on a luxury catamaran boat.
9. Visit the Rottnest Bakery
For a bite to eat or a little pick-me-up, check out the Rottnest Bakery. Here you will find delicious homemade cakes and sweet treats, as well as savoury pies, sandwiches, and pastries.
But the food is not the only reason to visit the bakery. Even the local resident quokkas know this bakery is good, as they can often be found hanging around outside.
10. Walk the Wadjemup Bidi Trail
If you’re up for a hike, then be sure to hit up the Wagjemup trail. The trail is 45 km and spans the entire island. Most people don’t take the whole trail as it takes a few days to complete, but it has been divided up into five sections so you can easily walk one section in a day.
The Wadjemup Bidi trails pass by spectacular coastal headlands, inland lakes, and many of the top attractions on Rottnest Island.
Here is each section of the trail and its distances. Most trails take between 2-4 hours to complete:
- Ngank Yira Bidi – Uncover Bickley Battery (9.4km one way)
- Gabbi Karniny Bidi – Discover the Salt Lakes (9.7km loop)
- Wardan Nara Bidi – Relax on Salmon Bay (10km one way)
- Karlinyah Bidi – Experience the Northern Beaches (5.9km one way)
- Ngank Wen Bidi – Explore West End (7.6km loop)
11. Check Out The Bathurst Lighthouse & Wadjemup Lighthouse
There are two lighthouses on the island, Bathurst and Wadjemup. Wadjemup is the oldest lighthouse on the island and was built in 1849.
At the time, it was Western Australia’s first stone lighthouse and was used to provide a safer sailing route for ships to Fremantle Port. The original lighthouse was replaced in 1896 on the same site.
You cannot enter this lighthouse, but the views from where it stands are incredible. Also, make sure to wander down the wooden steps to the beach and enjoy the vistas.
12. Visit Oliver Hill Guns & Tunnels
Oliver Hill is near the centre of Rottnest Island and is where you will find the military remnants from World War II. You can learn all about the island’s defence history on a free Rottnest Island Guide organized by the visitor’s centre.
Check out one of the restored World War II 9.2 inch guns and explore the underground tunnels.
13. See the seals at Cathedral Rocks
The West End of Rottnest Island often gets unexplored. There’s a narrow sandbar area when you hit the Southwest corner, called the Narrow Neck, and after this section, Rotto becomes very quiet and peaceful.
One stunning natural landmark in this area is Cathedral Rocks, a rocky outcrop known for being a natural viewing point to see seals basking and playing in the waters below the cliffs. There are also some incredible limestone caves in this area and wild coastal scenery, so don’t miss it off your loop around the island.
14. Discover the shipwrecks of Rottnest Island
There are 13 shipwrecks off the coast of Rotto, and you can pick up a map of all of them from the Visitor’s Centre (another good reason to visit).
Most of them lie far off the shoreline and aren’t too visible from the beaches, but some of the most visible ones are named Uribes and Shark, which are just metres from the shoreline and are excellent snorkelling spots since the marine life have claimed them as their own.
Other wrecks you would have to scuba dive to see.
Where to stay on Rottnest Island, Perth
Rottnest Island is very small and has very few hotels. If you want to stay on the island, I recommend camping at Rottnest Island campground. Simply pitch a tent, park your bikes, and enjoy sleeping to the sound of the waves lulling you to sleep.
If you don’t like camping, try glamping at Discovery Rottnest Island, which features eco-friendly tents with private bathrooms, kitchenettes, and terraces. It is like a resort and campsite combined.
For more accommodation options on Rottnest Island, check out these hotels and vacation rentals:
Getting to Rottnest Island
To get to Rottnest Island you first need to get to Perth, Western Australia. Rottnest is located 18 kilometres off the coast. You can catch a ferry from Perth Given (Rottnest Express) or North Fremantle (Sealink), and they operate every 30 minutes or so. The ferry drops you off at Barrack Street Jetty on Rottnest Island in the main settlement area.
You can book the ferry beforehand to avoid queuing for tickets, or if you are planning to book on the day, head to the blue SeaLink ticketing desk next to the E-Shed building at O’Connor Landing (B Shed Terminal), Victoria Quay.
Make sure you arrive at the pier at least 30 minutes before the boarding time.
Final thoughts
Rottnest Island was one of our favorite places in Australia that we discovered on our road trip. You’ll find that on this tiny island, there are many great things to do that’s not just about beaches.
If you need any more convincing to visit Rottnest Island, I leave you with a collection of stunning photos from our trip there. Hopefully, these are all the inspirations you need to make it part of your Australian bucket list!
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What are you most looking forward to doing on Rottnest Island? Let us know in the comments!
