#1 EXPERIENCE MAGICAL MOMENTS WITH DOLPHINS

Ever dream of watching or swimming with dolphins? You can now fulfil your dream as Western Australia ranks high as one of the world’s top destinations for memorable close encounters with these intelligent mammals. There are four main locations in Western Australia where you can experience magical encounter with this gentle sea creatures.

Bunbury is well-known for the wild yet friendly dolphins that interact with people in Koombana Bay, South West region. Here, you can visit the Dolphin Discovery Centre as these gentle creatures visit the shores in front of the centre in the warmer months. To make it more exciting, you can go on a dolphin swim tour between November and April, or an eco-cruise to meet the dolphins. You can also check out the first-theatre-of-its-kind ‘Digital Dolphinarium’ in the centre.

Just 40-minute drive south from Perth, the metropolis Rockingham and Shoalwater Islands Marine Park offer incredible wildlife encounters, especially dolphins. Pods of wild and playful dolphins frequent these coastal waters, which is why it is a wonderful opportunity to swim and be close with these friendly creatures in their natural habitat. 

At the turquoise Monkey Mia beach in the Coral Coast region, bottlenose dolphins visit the beautiful shores daily to interact with humans. You can enter the shallows and grab the opportunity to help hand-feed the dolphins under the supervision of park rangers; the feeding time usually occurs between 7.45am and 12 noon.

#2 DISCOVER THE WONDER OF WHALE WATCHING

Ever aspired watching the ocean’s largest mammals dance in front of you? Western Australia’s South West is one of the best place for you to experience spectacular moments of whale migrating the State’s coastline. To experience the longest whale watching season, plan your trip during the epic annual migration of whales between June and August, and September to December.

Humpback and southern right whales are most common, with rare sightings of blue whales on the increase. These giant creatures often come close to the shore, making it easy for you to see them with binoculars or the naked eye from coastal vantage points. You can get even closer to the tail-slapping action on a whale watching cruise from Albany, Augusta, Busselton and Dunsborough.

Do not miss the opportunity to witness the natural phenomenon of the largest known pod of killer whales (orcas) congregating at Bremer Bay Canyon, along with a plethora of other wildlife like giant squid, sperm whales and masses of sea birds, from February to early April.

#3 SEE THE UNDERWATER WORLD THROUG SCUBA DIVING & SNORKELLING

If you enjoy the underwater world and wish to be close to marine creatures, be sure to experience scuba diving or snorkelling straight off the beach in Western Australia’s extensive stretch of coast.  

Regarded as one of the last great ocean paradise, Ningaloo Reef is Australia’s largest fringing reef system and a World Heritage site stretching 300 kilometres from Red Bluff running along the coast to the Muiron Islands in the north and Bundegi Beach in the east of the Exmouth Gulf. You can dive or snorkel in clear turquoise waters and immerse yourself in marine life encounters here just a short walk or swim from the shore. Some of the key activities here are to dive on the world’s top shore dive sites – Navy Pier, snorkel thousand-year-old cabbage coral formations at Turquoise Bay, and snorkel in the coral filled lagoon at Red Bluff.

In the South West region, the marine environment in this area is unique as the mixing of both warm and cool water currents of the Indian and Southern oceans meet at Cape Leeuwin, creating a staggering array of marine species of fishes and coral species rarely found anywhere else in the world. What’s more exciting is that you can even do an undersea walking tour in the summer, with no diving experience required. For thrill seekers, you can choose from one of the three purposely sunk ships along the coast of South West region which make up an exciting and unique diving experience.

Other scuba diving and snorkelling sites that you should explore are Albany (South West), Busselton (South West), Dunsborough (South West), Eagle Bay (South West), Esperance (Golden Outback), Exmouth (Coral Coast), Jurien Bay (Coral Coast), and Rottnest Island (Perth).

#4 RELAX ON WHITE SANDY BEACHES

With 12,500 kilometres of stunning and unspoilt coastline, it’s no wonder that Western Australian beaches are regularly voted among the best in the world. There’s just something about the coastline that gets our travel senses tingling. If you do not have a seaside outing planned for your upcoming holiday, Western Australian beaches will soon have you reaching for your sunhat and shades.

Go for a swim, surf and snorkel at one of Perth’s 19 pristine white sandy beaches in Perth, and take in the beauty of sun setting over the Indian Ocean. Cottesloe Beach is one of Perth’s most photographed and most famous beaches due to its sloping grassy banks and huge Norfolk pines. This is also a wonderful place to spend some quality time with your friends and family as there are many cafes, restaurants, cool bars and great bars. Further north you will find Scarborough, which is an excellent swimming and surfing beach. If you are a serious surfer, go a little further north to Trigg Beach, where you can experience Perth’s most consistent surf break.

Explore Australia’s whitest beach – Lucky Bay (Golden Outback region), where its squeaky-clean sand, turquoise water, perfect swimming conditions and breath-taking views of the Recherche Archipelago will make you remember this wonderful beach holiday for the rest of your life. In this same region, be sure to also head over to the Duke of Orleans Bay and Condingup, which is located between Cape Le Grand and Cape Arid National Parks, for its snowy white beach sands washed by crystal clear blue waters with a backdrop of rugged granite peaks.

If you’re in the South West, head over to Koombana Bay in Bunbury, it is easily accessible and a good place for dolphin spotting. Take in the spectacle of Geographe Bay in Busselton, where you can enjoy picnic at the beach or sipping latte while immerse yourself in the stunning coastline view at one of the many cafes located at the bay. If photography is your thing, be sure to visit Green Pool in Denmark. Its shallow cove with shades of blue water makes up a picturesque setting for photography, and snorkelling. Be sure to also take a sunrise or sunset stroll at the spectacular Middleton Beach in Albany for enduring beach holiday memories.

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