Welcome to the most impressive part of Australia: Western Australia. Home to the best beaches, unreal landscapes & animal encounters you’ll remember forever. Let’s get right into it: here are 11 places to visit in Western Australia.
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1. Ningaloo Reef
Kicking off with my favourite place in all of Australia: Ningaloo Reef. Not quite as popular as the Great Barrier Reef located on Australia’s East Coast, but way more impressive in my opinion.
The Ningaloo Reef offers amazing meeting points for wildlife such as Turtles, Sharks, Manta Rays and Whale Sharks! Even if you’re not a diver, you can see all these creatures while snorkelling.
This area is in remote Western Australia which makes it not as easy to get to, but I promise it’s worth the hassle!
Also read: Australia East Coast Itinerary
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2. Cape Range National Park
Located next to Ningaloo Reef is Cape Range National Park. This area offers some of the best beaches I’ve ever visited and you can spot underwater wildlife just by walking into the water and snorkelling around the shore.
I’ve seen Loggerhead Sea Turtles & Stingrays at Osprey Bay, Reef Sharks & Sea Turtles at Turquoise Bay snorkel drift and multiple colourful fish at Lakeside.
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3. Coral Bay
Not too far from Cape Range National Park you’ll find the secluded area of Coral Bay.
This is an amazing vacation spot. There are only 2 caravan parks so it’s a really tiny hub. Relax at Billy Bay where you can swim with Stingrays or head over to the Shark Nursery where you can spot baby Reefsharks during high tide.
You can also do multiple boat trips from Coral Bay. I did a Manta Ray tour and saw Turtles, Reef Sharks, a huge Stingray, beautiful coral, colourful fish and of course: Mantra Rays. All of these encounters are organised in a very ethical way. No animals are being fed or chased.
Here is the tour I booked: Swim with Manta Rays
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4. Kalbarri National Park
Kalbarri National Park is a dream for all hike lovers! With a clear path and stunning views you can enjoy multiples trails here! Since I’m not much of a hiker, I chose one of the easy trails that led to Nature’s Window, which was an absolutely beautiful place.
Note that some trails need to be hiked very early in the morning due to the extreme heat during Summer time. Always read the safety instructions at the beginning of every trail!
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5. Hutt Lagoon
This epic place is a 1-hour drive from Kalbarri National Park & a must-visit because of its impressive landscape. This pink coloured salt lake is a steal for the eye.
It’s very cool to witness it on eye level, but the drone footage really elevates the place! How cool are these drone shots?
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6. Jurien Bay
The cute town of Jurien Bay is very famous for its encounters with Sea Lions. If it’s your dream to have an ethical swim with these wild animals, this is the place for you.
I went with Turquoise Safaris. The tour is on the expensive side, but it was a very unique experience.
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7. Pinnacles Desert
Not too far from Jurien Bay, you’ll find Pinnacles Desert. This place could easily be the movie set for a desert film! Enjoy the unique landscape during an easy walk and if you’re in luck just like me: spot some kangaroos!
Note that this place is filled with flies. They absolutely drove me crazy so consider bringing a head net.
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8. Hamelin Bay
Next up: Hamelin Bay. This place is particularly known for its beach area. It is very likely to spot Stingrays & Eagle Rays here. The best place to see them is at the Hamelin Bay Jetty area. I visited 2 times: around 4PM & 8AM and while I did spot Stingrays during both times, I recommend the morning session. If you have a drone, you’ll have an advantage as you spot them on their way to the shore.
Hamelin Bay is located in Margaret River. This area has a long list of unique beaches that are worth a visit.
- Indijup Natural Spa
- Bunker Bay
- Gannet Rock
- Eagle Bay
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9. Esperance
Welcome to paradise! Esperance is very well known as it has some of the best beaches in all of Australia! Turquoise waters, soft sand & epic views, this place is a dream!
Make sure to visit:
- Twilight Beach (my personal favourite)
- Blue Haven Beach
- 11 Mile Beach
- Wylie Head
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10. Cape Le Grand National Park
This National Park is a must-visit when in Western Australia. It is particularly famous because of the iconic beach: Lucky Bay. This beach is absolutely stunning and lives up to the hype. And yes, there are actually kangaroos here!
I stayed at Lucky Bay campground and woke up with 2 kangaroos sitting just outside my van. It was a mommy who fed her baby right in front of my bed… It was one of those moments you’ll never forget.
Other beaches you can’t miss here:
- Hellfire Bay
- Thistle Cove
- Le Grand Beach
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11. Wharton Bay
Ending this list with one of my favourite beaches in all of Australia: Wharton Bay. The water is crystal clear and the sand is so soft it’s like powder sugar.
If you have a camper van or car, drive past the parking lot and park your vehicle at the end of the road for the best view of this incredible beach.
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Let me know in the comments which spot is your favourite!
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Also read: Australia East Coast Itinerary
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