So I thought I would take you on a tour of one of my favourite places in the world. Rottnest Island, just a short ferry ride off the coast of Perth, Western Australia. Rottnest, also known lovingly as 'Rotto', is a popular holiday destination for the people of WA. With some of the best beaches in the world, clearest waters you will ever swim in, and great surfing spots, you will see from the photographs why it's so popular. I've been going here since I was 7 years old, and every time I visit I find myself taken away by its beauty.
Let me take you on a photographic tour of a little piece of paradise...
So, when you arrive on the ferry (or on a private boat - but it depends which bay you have a mooring in), this is what you see. Sand dunes leading down to a white beach and crystal clear waters where boats bob gently up and down and the occasional dolphin comes to have a nosy.
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| We took my Grandma to Rotto when she came over from the UK to visit us :) she loved it! |
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| You can see Perth city from the cafe... |
Now, onto where to stay. You can go to Rotto on a day trip, or you can stay there. Personally I like to stay there so you're not rushed for time. The Lodge is your best bet if you just want to go for a couple of nights, but if you're staying a little longer or have a large family you may want to look at the villas. The villas are very basic but perfect for coming in from the beach. I've stayed in both, and they're both good for different things. The lodge also has a swimming pool, but you don't really need it with a huge ocean surrounding you.
The church and entrance to the Lodge.
One of the Villas we once stayed in near Geordie Bay.
Now, the beaches. The beaches are the reason you come here.You can get the bayseeker bus pretty cheaply and it takes you all round the island and you can hop on and hop off as you like. Personally my favourite beaches are; Ricey Beach, The Basin, Parker Point, Catherine Bay (naturally), and Salmon Bay. There really is nothing quite like stepping off the bus and running down to the beach, letting your feet sink into the soft white sand, before running splashing into the water and diving in, all giggly and happy, and then just floating on your back in the crystal cool water staring up at the clear blue skies. Heaven.
Beach porn...
My Dad and brother found an interesting fish...
As well as Quokkas Rottnest is full of other wildlife. You very often see dolphins and stingray around the bays!
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| Dad snorkelling while I stayed on the boat and sunbathed |
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| The surf |
Dad relaxing on the boat with a nice cold glass of wine after a hard day's snorkelling. Gosh life in Australia was tough! ;)
As well as water activities there are lots of other things to do on the island, they have a small cinema, and a tram that takes you up to Oliver Hill where you can also go on a tour of the underground war time tunnels. There's also the pub which does amazing food, has an outdoor 'wet' bar, and it always has a great atmosphere in the evenings. And of course, there's the famous Rottnest Bakery, where many a pie has been stuffed down into my mouth, and many a carrot cake been packed carefully into a paper bag and guarded as though life depended on it, until we got to the beach and it was promptly demolished with an 'oooh' and an 'aaah'.
One of the most delicious steak pies you will ever taste in your life. Fact. The most delicious one can only be bought from the Pinjarra bakery. But the Rotto one comes a very close second.
Rottnest, I miss you, and I promise I will be back as soon as I can!
