Western Australia is enormous — it covers a third of the Australian continent, larger than Western Europe — and within that vastness it holds some of the most extraordinary and least-visited landscapes in the country. Perth is one of the world’s most isolated capital cities, sitting 2,700 kilometres from the nearest major city (Adelaide), and this isolation has shaped a culture of self-sufficiency and quiet confidence that feels distinct from the east coast. The Margaret River wine region, three hours south of Perth, produces world-class Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from a rugged Indian Ocean coastline. Ningaloo Reef — the world’s largest fringing coral reef — sits 1,200 kilometres north of Perth on the remote Coral Coast, accessible by road or a short flight to Exmouth. And the Kimberley, in the far north, is one of the last great wilderness frontiers: a landscape of ancient gorges, tidal waterfalls, and Aboriginal rock art that most Australians have never seen.
Western Australia also produces one of the world’s most extraordinary natural events: the annual wildflower season, from July to October, when the south-west botanical province — one of only 34 biodiversity hotspots on earth — blooms in a display of colour and diversity that covers millions of hectares. And each September, the humpback whales pass the coast at Augusta on their northward migration, giving WA’s southern coast a whale watching season that rivals anything on the east coast. This guide covers the best destinations across Western Australia for all types of travellers.
📋 TL;DR – Best Places to Visit in Western Australia
- 🦈 Bucket list: Ningaloo Reef whale shark swimming — March to July, the world’s most accessible whale shark encounter.
- 🍷 Wine & coast: Margaret River — world-class Chardonnay and Cabernet, plus excellent surf beaches.
- 🌸 Natural wonder: WA wildflower season (July–October) — one of the greatest floral displays on earth.
- 🦘 City escape: Rottnest Island — quokkas, snorkelling, and car-free island life 30 minutes from Perth.
- 🌿 Remote adventure: The Kimberley — Gibb River Road, Mitchell Falls, and Horizontal Falls.
- 🏙️ City base: Perth — relaxed, sunny, with excellent beaches and a surprisingly good food scene.
🦈 1. Ningaloo Reef
Ningaloo Reef, stretching 260 kilometres along the remote Coral Coast of north-west WA, is arguably Australia’s finest snorkelling destination — and the site of one of the most extraordinary wildlife encounters in the world. Unlike the Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo is a fringing reef: it runs directly alongside the shore, meaning you can wade from the beach at Turquoise Bay or Oyster Stacks directly into extraordinary coral habitat without needing a boat. The marine biodiversity is exceptional: manta rays, sea turtles, reef sharks, dugongs, and a full spectrum of tropical fish inhabit the reef year-round.
From late March to late July, whale sharks — the world’s largest fish — arrive at Ningaloo to feed on the annual coral spawn. Swimming with whale sharks here is the most accessible such experience in the world: licensed operators fly spotter aircraft to locate individual sharks, then position snorkellers in the water alongside them. Humpback whales pass through from June to October on their northward migration. Manta rays are present in concentrations from March to August. Ningaloo is one of the few places on earth where you can encounter whale sharks, humpbacks, and manta rays across a single season.
👉 Book Ningaloo whale shark and manta ray tours on GetYourGuide →
🍷 2. Margaret River
The Margaret River region, 280 kilometres south of Perth, is Western Australia’s wine country — and wine of the highest quality. The region’s Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are internationally recognised as among Australia’s finest; its Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon blends are the benchmark for the style. The combination of the maritime climate (the Indian Ocean moderates temperatures year-round), the gravelly loam soils, and the passionate winemaking culture that has developed since the region’s first vineyards in the 1960s produces wines with a precision and elegance that distinguishes them from the warmer, more robust wines of the east coast.
If you’re planning further afield, our guides to Western Australian Museum Aboriginal Culture are well worth a look.
Beyond wine, Margaret River offers world-class surf at Margaret River Mouth and Surfers Point, the ancient limestone cave systems of Jewel Cave and Lake Cave (the most beautiful cave in Australia, with a hanging stalactite that has been falling for 40,000 years), tall karri forests around Pemberton and Walpole, and the extraordinary Tree Top Walk at Valley of the Giants — a 600-metre walkway 40 metres above the forest floor through a grove of ancient tingle trees. The coastal towns of Dunsborough, Yallingup, and Prevelly are all pleasant bases with good accommodation and restaurants.
👉 Book Margaret River wine tours and cave experiences on GetYourGuide →
🏙️ 3. Perth and Rottnest Island
Perth is the sunniest capital city in Australia — averaging more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year — and its lifestyle reflects it. The city faces west across the Indian Ocean, and its beaches (Cottesloe, Scarborough, City Beach, Trigg) are genuinely beautiful: long, white, and backed by the Indian Ocean, with the sort of reliable surf and warm water that east-coast beach cities envy. The city’s food scene has developed significantly in the past decade, particularly in the areas of Fremantle (the port city 20 kilometres south), Northbridge (Perth’s dining and nightlife precinct), and the coastal suburbs.
Rottnest Island — Wadjemup in the Noongar language — sits 18 kilometres off the Perth coast, accessible by ferry from Fremantle or Barrack Street Jetty in the city (30–90 minutes depending on the departure point). The island is car-free (bicycles are the primary transport), home to the quokka (a small, impossibly cheerful-looking marsupial that has become one of Australia’s most photographed animals), and surrounded by excellent snorkelling reefs. The snorkelling at The Basin, Little Salmon Bay, and Parker Point is outstanding — clear, warm water with high coral coverage and abundant fish. Rottnest is an easy and excellent day trip from Perth or an overnight stay.
🌿 4. The Kimberley
The Kimberley region of north-west WA is one of the last great wilderness frontiers accessible to visitors — a landscape of ancient sandstone gorges, tidal rivers, vast cattle stations, and Aboriginal communities spread across an area larger than Germany. The Gibb River Road, a 660-kilometre unsealed track from Derby to Kununurra, is the backbone of a Kimberley road trip: passing through cattle stations, national parks, and gorge swimming holes that have the quality of a dream. Bell Gorge, Manning Gorge, and El Questro Gorge are the highlights — each with swimming holes of crystal clarity in settings of extraordinary drama.
The Kimberley’s signature attractions include the Horizontal Falls (two tidal waterfalls created by the enormous tidal differential of the Kimberley coast, accessible by scenic flight or high-speed boat from Broome or Derby), the Bungle Bungles in Purnululu National Park (distinctive beehive-striped sandstone domes), and Mitchell Falls (a four-tiered waterfall system in the remote Mitchell Plateau, accessible by 4WD or helicopter). The Kimberley is best visited during the dry season (May–October) — the wet season closes most roads and makes most experiences inaccessible.
🌸 5. WA wildflower country (Perth to Kalbarri)
Western Australia’s annual wildflower season — July to October — is one of the world’s great natural spectacles. The south-west botanical province contains over 12,000 native plant species, 60% found nowhere else on earth, and when they flower simultaneously across millions of hectares, the result is a display that is genuinely difficult to describe without sounding hyperbolic. The season moves from north to south: Kalbarri (everlastings and Sturt’s desert pea) peaks in July–August; the Indian Ocean Drive north of Perth (banksia, kangaroo paw, grevillea) is best in August–September; the Stirling Range near Albany (over 1,500 species in a single national park) peaks in September–October.
Kings Park Botanic Garden in central Perth runs its annual Kings Park Festival throughout September, showcasing the state’s wildflowers in a free event that includes guided walks, art, and live music. It’s an excellent introduction to WA’s botanical diversity before driving further afield. The WA Herbarium’s online wildflower map (florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au) provides real-time updates on flowering locations, which vary significantly year to year depending on winter rainfall.
💡 Western Australia travel tips
- Distances are enormous. Perth to Exmouth (Ningaloo) is 1,270 km — fly rather than drive unless you’re planning a dedicated road trip. Perth to Broome (Kimberley) is 2,240 km — definitely fly.
- Hire car essential. Most WA destinations require a hire car. For the Kimberley (Gibb River Road), you need a 4WD with a long-range fuel tank — standard vehicles cannot do the unsealed roads.
- Best time for Ningaloo. Whale shark season runs March–July; humpback whales are present June–October; manta rays March–August. May–June overlaps all three.
- Wildflower timing. Flowering varies by year depending on winter rainfall — check wildflowerswa.com.au in July for current reports before planning your specific route.
- Rottnest quokka etiquette. Don’t touch or feed the quokkas (it’s illegal and harmful). They’ll come close enough for photos without any encouragement — selfies are best taken at ground level.
Exploring more of Western Australia, read our guides to things to do in the Kimberley, best road trips western Australia, luxury resorts western Australia, wifi in Australia guide, cheap calls to Australia talk360, telstra vs optus vs vodafone Australia, and qatar airways Australia review.
