10 Prettiest Rottnest Island Beaches and Bays

Here are the best beaches to enjoy while visiting Wadjemup/Rottnest Island.

Fancy a snorkel? Want to skirt Wadjemup/Rottnest Island in a kayak or SUP? Grab your hat and sunscreen and while away the hours listening to the waves lap the shore while relaxing on Rottnest Island, located just 19 kilometres off the coast of Fremantle. Make the most of the beaches and bays on Rottnest Island by using our guide to determine which stretch of sand is right for you.

1. The Basin

Give the new stretch of the bike path at The Basin a whirl and then find a shaded seating area to draw breath before donning snorkel and mask to explore this pretty-as-a-postcard pool, which is popular with families who converge here to paddle and snorkel in the clear, calm waters. The Basin is just 10 minutes from the main settlement and one of the top things to do on Rottnest Island is to congregate on the silky sand, play a game of beach cricket and watch the yachts tacking to and fro.

The Basin Rottnest Island — The simple pleasures of The Basin. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

2. Little Salmon Bay

This beautiful bay is sheltered from the wind, making it an excellent spot for swimming or snorkelling. The bay is easy to get to, as it’s a designated stop on the Rottnest Island bus route, and only seven kilometres by bicycle from Thomson Bay. Under a cloudless blue sky, the turquoise waters beckon. Pick up a picnic from one of the nearby eateries, and enjoy Little Salmon Bay to the fullest.

Little Salmon Bay Rottnest Island — Little Salmon Bay is located at one of the southernmost tips of the island. (Image: Rottnest Island Authority)

3. The West End

The ride to the westernmost point of Rottnest Island is an easy 10 kilometres on a flat bitumen road from Thomson Bay Settlement. If you’d prefer a coastal hike, the West End (known as Koorinup to the Whadjuk Noongar First Nations people) connects with the Wadjemup Bidi Trail where you will find interpretive artwork, signage and audio yarns. The West End is a bit wild and woolly; if you’re looking for a place to swim, this isn’t it.

The West End Rottnest Island — This is the West End – Rottnest Island’s most western point. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

4. Parakeet Bay

Parakeet Bay is always teeming with a variety of sea birds and is an extremely photogenic crescent of sand that is book-ended by rocky outcrops jutting out into the ocean. The pristine waters and powder-soft sands are paradise for sun worshippers and swimmers thanks to the shallow, calm waters. The bay has a sister beach, Little Parakeet Bay, and both epitomise the island idyll.

5. Pinky Beach

Pinky Beach has a little bit of something for everyone. Aerial shots of the beach, located across the dunes from the Discovery Parks Rottnest Island, one of the best places to stay on Rottnest Island, shows it off to best effect: there’s Bathurst Lighthouse at one end of the beach, which is usually bustling during the summer months, and protected spots to beat the heat for a swim, kayak, SUP or snorkel. After a day on the beach, head to Pinky’s Beach Club for cocktails.

Pinky Beach Bathurst Lighthouse Rottnest Island — The Bathurst Lighthouse provides postcard-worthy views. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

6. Rocky Bay

This lesser-known unpatrolled beach, which is protected in a southerly, curves for about 600 metres on the western side of the island. A set of stairs at the western end of the beach is right near to the bus stop and allows you to explore the beach with ease. The sand is stubbled with native grasses, which looks like unkempt facial hair, and sandwiched between the shoulders of two calcarenite headlands.

7. Cathedral Rocks

Visitors to Rottnest Island can now safely admire the seal colony luxuriating in the sunshine on the rock shelf below and spot humpback whales during the migration season. Roar past Cathedral Rocks onboard the Rottnest Express adventure boat or enjoy the amenity of the new viewing platform which juts out like an open drawer over the rock shelf. Warning: do not try to climb down to the beach; it’s too dangerous.

Cathedral Bay Rottnest Island — View the resident long-nosed Fur Seal colony from the viewing platform. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

8. Geordie Bay

As you watch the sunset, drink in hand at Geordie Bay, you’ll understand why Perth locals have such a fondness for Rotto. It’s not just nostalgia; this relaxed slice of the West Coast of Australia has evolved into a place that inspires a packed itinerary. There are self-contained cabins dotted along the shores of Geordie Bay, which is one of the most popular sandy beaches on the island for a multitude of reasons, including the fact you are likely to get the quintessential quokka selfie.

Geordie Bay Rottnest Island — Geordie is one of the most popular sandy beaches on the island. (Image: Rottnest Island Authority)

9. Thomson Bay

Thomson Bay has a roped-off swimming area, making it very popular with young families. After building sandcastles and dipping in and out of the cerulean seas all day, secure a day bed and kick back at Samphire Rottnest’s beach-style villas, which will transport you to Bali minus the airfare and the jetlag. Catch the ferry from Freo and you will find yourself clinking glasses with good-looking people from WA within about half an hour.

Thomson Bay Rottnest Island — Boat traffic at Thomson Bay. (Image: Rottnest Island Authority)

10. Fays Bay

There are affordable holiday units located at Fays Bay that are conveniently located near Rottnest Island’s beautiful beaches where the water is warmer than on Perth beaches thanks to the Leeuwin Current, a body of warm, tropical water that originates around Indonesia. Rotto is only 11 kilometres long and 4.8 kilometres at its widest, but there are plenty of beaches and patches of sand to choose from. Fays Bay is between Geordie Bay and The Basin, but is often less crowded.

Fays Bay Rottnest Island — Fays Bay is a more secluded beach near Geordie Bay. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

The Rottnest Island Authority respects the Whadjuk people as the traditional custodians of Wadjemup/Rottnest Island.

Blend the addictive energy of dance, creative cinematic movies, captivating theatre, and energising music during Perth Festival.

Perth Festival has extraordinary roots. Born as a summer community experiment back in 1953, the brainchild of Professor Fred Alexander, it’s now Australia’s longest-running international art-based festival. From its first event at University of Western Australia, it now spans across Noongar Boodjar country (Perth City) bringing worldclass performances into the hearts of ardent festivalgoers. Hundreds of curtain calls, including numerous free events, are set to linger and leave a lasting impression on those who seek thrills that fill life’s in-between spaces. Featuring unmissable highlights from 6^th February to 1^st March, we’ve done the legwork for you – here’s what’s on, and where:

1. East Perth Power Station

East Perth Power Station during Perth Festival — See East Perth Power Station come alive. (Image: Jessica Wyld Photography)

Abandoned, run-down and shutdown in 1981, East Perth Power Station , located on the banks of the stunning Swan River, was reinvented in 2025 as an entertainment venue for the Perth Festival. Pack a picnic, bring the family and kick back under paperbark trees at Casa Musica – a free event featuring a melting pot of world-class musicians from Australian shores and around the globe. The diversity will have you bopping until the final encore.

A decade after David Bowie’s passing, his powerful music lives on in the electrifying show, Rebel Rebel . Powerhouse vocalists join Perth Symphony Orchestra for one incredible night showcasing the singer-songwriter’s iconic hits. Illuminate your world through the eyes of First Nation Noongar artist, Lance Chadd Tjyllyungoo in a free event. His distinctive paintings and Dreamtime stories decorate the Power Station’s walls depicting spiritual beliefs. Or settle in to watch British indie pop singer-songwriter, Nilüfer Yanya .

2. St Mary’s Cathedral

Take in Award-winning vocal group, Roomful of Teeth. (Image: Anja Schutz)

Step into the lofty ceilings of Perth’s grandest cathedral, St Mary’s, and soak up choral harmonies. Dating back to 1865, the stained-glass reproductions of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper are a talking point, add talented maestros, and the stage is set to enthral.

The international line-up is impressive. Master Irish fiddler, Martin Hayes takes to the stage with exquisite lyrical compositions from his native land. Åkervinda , an award winning Swedish quartet, weave stories of love, loss, and resilience into harmonious Nordic folk songs. The USA Grammy Award-winning vocal group, Roomful of Teeth , break all the rules. Hear their voices echo through the arched vaulted ceilings.

3. Lotterywest Films

guests at Lotterywest Films as part of Perth Festival — Discover the Lotterywest Films program. (Credit: Jessia Wyld Photograpghy)

One of the festivals longest-running favourites, Lotterywest Films run a rich tapestry of cinematic features showing until 29th of March. Pack a picnic, cushions, popcorn and pop a cork under a Somerville Pine Tree as the sun sets and screenings begin. Cinema lovers, choose your poison from thrillers, deep-dive documentaries, tearjerkers, raunchy rom-coms and side-splitting comedies. The program is fantastically full, the filmmakers the best in the business, and the outdoor setting, unequalled.

4. The Embassy

guests at The EMbassy as part of Perth Festival — Step into the old world glitz of The Embassy. (Image: Franz Bato)

Modelled on Perth’s historic Embassy Ballroom, a devilish dance venue that operated in the 1900s, The Embassy in Perth Town Hall , serves sophistication in its A-list shows. Set your sequins a’sparkle at the, What’s TINA Got to Do With It extravaganza where guest artists play tribute as they belt out the glitzy star’s hits. The returning act, Ali Bodycoat & The Embassy Big Band, will have you jiving as you take to the dance floor reimagining a bygone era. Who doesn’t like chocolate? Black-bearded drag sensation, La Gateau Chocolat puts the raw in cacao. World-renowned for his feisty range of storied songs, he reveals the inner-man come artist through his deliciously sweet and intimate act.

5. Unusual locations

still from The Trial theatre — Watch a star-studded cast in The Trial. (Image: Cole Baxter)

We’ve all heard of the hit show, The Office, but a spinetingling operatic thriller acted out in disused office space? Philip Glass’ nail-biter, The Trial , has a star-studded line-up. Together they deliver a dramatic ordeal showcasing Oscar-winner Christopher Hampton’s libretto; the suspense lingers after the final bow.

Sit back under starry skies and soak up dynamic dance at Ballet at the Quarry: Incandescence . Four exclusive classical and contemporary acts illuminate the amphitheatre’s stage as Perth City twinkles at nightfall. Mystery excites the mind. West Australian Opera returns again with another ‘secret opera’. Be led from an undisclosed meeting point and let the music lead to the secret.

6. A View From A Bridge

A View From A Bridge special event at Perth Festival — Share your innermost thoughts at A View From A Bridge.

Free, connecting strangers, and inclusive to everyone, artist, Joe Bloom’s collaborative project, A View From A Bridge has one prop – an old red telephone. Talk into the receiver , share thoughts, innermost feelings, memories, hopes and dreams as Bloom captures you from afar. The freedom to speak through the telephone movement has a worldwide following. A range of clips will be shown online.

What else to do in Perth

Shadow Wine Bar in perth — Taste the best of Perth at eateries like Shadow Wine Bar.

Endless blue skies crown Perth during February, making it the perfect time to explore Australia’s most western capital city. The city might be compact, but it packs a punch when it comes to what’s on. Perth Cultural Centre houses the city’s art-scene venues: Western Australian Art Gallery, WA Museum Boola Bardip and Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA).

After exploring the city’s alleyways, hidden corners, and main hub, savour worldclass food in Perth’s vibrant eateries. Award-winning restaurants, rooftop bars, and cafes can be found throughout; the leisurely eat-and-drink scene is literally mouthwatering, so book extra nights.

Start planing your 2026 trip to Perth Festival at perthfestival.com.au .

10 of the prettiest Rottnest Island beaches