Nestling just 18 kilometres off the coast of Western Australia, Rottnest Island, often referred to as ‘Rotto’ by the locals, is an A-Class Reserve of exquisite natural beauty.

Accessible by boat (Rottnest Express) from Fremantle, a hip and trendy port city on the outskirts of Perth, Rottnest Island has been a popular holiday destination with Australians for over 50 years, and once you have visited this small but perfect gem of the Indian Ocean, you will understand why thousands flock there every year.

We visited Rotto on a recent trip to Western Australia, and could not believe how pristine and beautiful the beaches were on this windswept island.  With over 63 beaches to choose from, the choice is vast, and if you like the ideal of enjoying a picnic in secluded bay, surrounded by nothing but breathtaking scenery, coral reefs and a clear blue ocean, we can highly recommend you add Rottnest Island to your bucket list.

Rotto is a ‘car free’ zone, so they only way to get around is on foot, by hiring a bicycle at the ferry terminal, or by catching the Bayseeker ‘hop-on-hop-off’ bus, which runs fairly regularly throughout the day.

We decided to explore on foot, and while we probably didn’t get to see as much of the island as we would have liked, we had some up close and personal encounters with the local wildlife, found a deserted beach worthy of any Caribbean postcard, and had the opportunity to take the treasured photos on this blog.

Surprisingly, Western Australia is still ‘left out’ of a lot of Australian travel itineraries, but if you appreciate true natural beauty, rugged coastlines, friendly locals, and fine Australian wines we would have to insist that you add the west coast, and indeed, Rottnest Island, to your trip Down Under!