Rottnest Island Itinerary: A guide to Perth's best day trip
*Disclaimer* This post may contain affiliate links, if you purchase through one of these links I would receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Are you planning to visit Rottnest Island? This Rottnest Island itinerary can help you plan this iconic Western Australian day trip.
Rottnest Island/Wadjemup is just off the coast of Perth and is known for its out-of-this-world blue water, beaches, and friendly island ambassadors, the quokkas. It’s one of Perth’s most popular day trips, and I recommend it to anyone visiting Western Australia.
In this Rottnest Island itinerary, you can find out how to enjoy the best of the island in just a day. Discover how to get to Rottnest, how to get around, what to pack and download a customised Rottnest Island map. Depending on your interests you can spend the day snorkelling, cycling, swimming, bird watching or hiking. Whatever you choose a day spent on Rottnest is a day spent well.
It’s important to note the history of Rottnest Island. Wadjemup, the Noongar name of the island, is often referred to as 'the place across the water where the spirits are'. This land is that of the Traditional Owners, the Whadjuk Noongar people.
State records indicate that 3,700 Aboriginal men and boys were imprisoned at Wadjemup between 1838 and 1931, and conditions were extremely poor. Hard labour, harsh conditions and disease all took their toll and many Aboriginal men and boys who died in custody were buried in unmarked graves on Wadjemup.
Visit the Wadjemup Museum at the main settlement to learn more.
How to get to Rottnest Island?
To get to Rottnest you can take a ferry from Perth Barrack Street Jetty, Fremantle O’Connor Landing or Hilary’s Boat Harbour. Rottnest Express and Sealink have ferries leaving both Fremantle and Perth daily. Rottnest Fast Ferries offers a daily service from Hilary’s Boat Harbour.
The timetables and schedules differ between the companies and the seasons, so check their websites for the most up-to-date information. The journey time from Fremantle is 30 minutes, 45 minutes from Hilary’s and 1 hour 30 from Perth.
Can you do Rottnest Island in a day?
Yes, absolutely! You obviously won’t get to experience every single thing Rottnest has to offer but a day trip is plenty of time to enjoy the island. In the peak season, ferries begin as early as 7 am and there is a return service as late as 9 pm with Rottnest Express between November and January. I would recommend spending the majority of the day on the island, so get your alarms set nice and early.
If you want to get more out of your trip to Rottnest, there are options to stay on the island, with a mix of campgrounds, hotels, cabins and dorm rooms. Find your accommodation options here.
How to get around Rottnest Island?
Rottnest Island is 11km long and 4.5km wide making it possible to cycle around in a day, but walking wouldn’t get you too far. Bikes are a popular way of getting around this car-free island and you can often choose to rent one when you are booking your ferry ticket.
Rottnest isn’t the flattest island and the cycle can get a little tough, so if you're not looking for a workout I recommend an E-bike. Pedal and Flipper located just by the dock at Rottnest offers E-bikes for hire (and snorkels) which can make the experience a little easier on your legs. I would advise booking your bike before your trip to ensure they have availability. Book here.
I do recommend exploring by bike as you get to stop wherever you please around the island and it’s a stunning ride, but if you don’t like cycling you can opt for the bus. The Rottnest Island Explorer Bus allows you to hop on and off at 19 different stops around the island and you can buy the bus pass when booking your ferry or once you arrive on the island.
Rottnest Island Day Trip Itinerary
Although this Rottnest Island itinerary is designed for those who are choosing to rent bikes, it can also be completed by bus. The timestamps are just a guide and can be adjusted depending on your ferry timings and interests.
8:30 am - Arrive at the island and collect bikes
The ferries all arrive at the port at the Main Settlement area of the island, you’ll find toilets, water bottle refill stations and shops in case you need to stock up on anything before you head out. If you are renting bikes through your ferry they will give you this as you disembark the boat. If not head to Pedal and Flipper (opens at 8:30 am) just a 5-minute walk from the port to collect your wheels.
Before heading out of the Main Settlement I recommend stopping by Rottnest Bakery for a tasty morning snack. Watch out for Quokka’s here as they are always lurking around the food spots, but remember don’t feed them.
9:30 am -Stop at Henrietta Rocks/Parker Point
Head out of the main settlement and onto Parker Point Road, follow the road for around 3km and then you will get to Henrietta Rocks. This is a lovely spot to take out your snorkel and explore the waters here, there is a shipwreck only 50m offshore.
Unfortunately for us, the wind was too high when we visited so the visibility wasn’t worth taking the snorkels out. So after stopping to view the shipwreck from above we cycled on for about 10 minutes to Parker Point where there was a clear view of the Perth city skyline along the rich blue waters.
10:00 am Little Salmon Bay/Salmon Bay
If you continue to follow Parker Point Road from Henrietta Rocks you will reach Little Salmon Bay another iconic snorkelling spot on Rottnest. Enjoy the cycle between the two spots as there are some beautiful viewpoints such as Parker Point and Jeannies Lookout.
At Little Salmon Bay you will find a snorkel trail with a series of information panels where you can learn more about what lies on the sea floor. It’s the ideal spot to see Wadjemup sea life at its best when the waters are clear.
If you happen to visit on a day with strong southerly winds, I recommend stopping by Salmon Bay instead. Salmon Bay is a vast stretch of silky sand with mesmerising waters in varying hues of blue and boasts a view of Wadjemup Lighthouse in the distance. We took our snorkel for a spin here and saw an array of small sealife under the waters.
Alternative Idea: Stop by Wadjemup Lighthouse and take a tour to see 360 views of Rottnest Island.
12:00 PM - Explore the West End
From Salmon Bay to the West End it’s an 8.6km cycle and took us about an hour because I kept stopping to enjoy the views and rest my legs, this is where I wished we had gone for the E-bikes. I particularly enjoyed the views from above Lady Edeline Beach.
Once you get to the West End there are two short boardwalks one to Cape Vlamingh with incredible views of Fish Hook Bay and the impressive Osprey nest that has stood the test of time. From August to December if you look out to sea you may catch a glimpse of some humpback whales here.
The other short trail takes you to a viewpoint over Cathedral Rocks where hopefully you will be able to spot a few long-nosed fur seals lounging in the waters below, we saw a pelican here too.
Alternative Idea: If you like to surf stop by Rottnest’s best surf spot, Strickland Bay.
1:30 PM Little Parakeet Bay
After the West End, it’s time to head down the north side of Rottnest Island. It’s an 8.7km cycle between the West End and Little Parakeet Bay and took us around 45 minutes with a few stops.
Little Parakeet Bay is protected by dunes and rock formations that mean calm waters in a beautiful display of blue hues. You can take the snorkel out for a spin here and find an array of sea life lying below the shallow waters.
Alternative Idea: There are plenty of beaches to stop at on the North side of the island between the West End and Little Parakeet Bay. There is Stark Bay, Ricey Beach and City of York Bay. So feel free to stop wherever calls you.
3:00 PM Search for Quokkas in Geordie Bay
A 5-minute cycle away from Little Parakeet Bay and you will reach Geordie Bay. You will find Geordies Cafe and a shop here if you need a bite to eat.
There is a high chance of seeing the Quokkas around here and maybe even on the beach in the early morning/late afternoon. The water off Geordie Bay is often sprinkled with boats, but you can swim out and snorkel if you wish. You may even see the occasional stingray in the waters here.
4:00 PM Return to Main Settlement
After a long day of adventuring hop back on the bike one last time to return to the Main Settlement/Thomson Bay. If you hired bikes from Pedal and Flipper you can return them and head to Hotel Rottnest for beachside dining and drinks before your ferry home.
Taking a later ferry? Here are a few more hours of Rottnest Island fun:
4:00 PM Snorkel at the Basin
The Basin is only a 10-minute walk from the main settlement and is another fantastic snorkel spot. It’s protected from the wind when it’s blowing in a south, southeast or southwest direction. You will be able to see both coral and sealife below the waters here.
5:30 PM Visit Bathurst Lighthouse and Drinks at Pinky’s Beach Club
After you have finished up the snorkelling take a short walk around to Pinky Beach where you can relax on the soft sand or wander up to Bathurst Lighthouse. Just above the beach, you will find Pinky’s, a bar/restaurant where you can enjoy sunset drinks and food to round out the perfect day on Rottnest Island.
Staying overnight at Rottnest? Here are a few more things to do on Rottnest Island:
Tour Wadjemup Lighthouse
Explore Rottnest on foot (Discover walking trails here)
Explore the underground of Rottnest on the Oliver Hill Gun & Tunnels Tour
Learn the history at Wadjemup Museum (Open 10 am to 3:30 pm)
Go inland at Rottnest and visit the Salt Lakes
Watch a sunset over the Indian Ocean at the West End
Rottnest Island Map
Rottnest Island Packing List
I recommend packing as little as possible for a day trip to Rottnest Island as the less you have to carry the better. But here are the essentials you will need:
Swimsuit and a coverup
Beach towel
Suncream
Hat
Snorkel (you can rent from Pedal and Flipper if you don’t have one)
Refillable water bottle (there are water refill stations around the island)
Hot weatherproof snacks (think crisps, cereal bars, things that won’t melt)
Portable charger and cable
Camera/phone
Rottnest Island Travel Tips
If you are planning on visiting over the summer (December to February) I recommend booking your ferries/rentals in advance as this is by far the busiest time on Rottnest. You may want to consider visiting in the spring or autumn for quieter beaches and fewer people.
It’s worth looking at the wind and tides a day before your trip to Rottnest, I recommend using the BOM weather app. If the wind is light or coming from the east then follow my itinerary above. However, if the wind is strong all day and coming from the south you may want to adjust the itinerary to spend more time on the north side of the island e.g. the Basin, Little Parakeet Bay, City of York Bay.
Please respect the animals on the island. You are not allowed to touch or feed the Quokkas. Respect their space, so try to avoid shoving a camera right in their faces.
There are dugite snakes on Rottnest which are venomous, it’s likely you won’t see them as they are timid but they can bite if harassed. You would need to seek medical attention urgently if this happened.
Follow the cycle paths and walking trails to protect the island’s flora and fauna.
If you ride bikes around the island, I recommend taking a backpack. For some reason, I decided to take a shoulder bag thinking the bikes would have baskets, but they didn’t and my bag became very annoying when cycling. So learn from my mistake and take a small backpack.
If you are heading over to the West End of the island be aware there are no water refill stations over that side. There is a small coffee van called Lexi’s on Rotto where you could buy a drink, Otherwise, be sure to fill your water up before heading over there. On my most recent visit there was a water refill point between Digby Drive and Bovell Way which was about 4km from the West End, find the exact location here.
No fires are allowed to be started on Rottnest Island as it is a bushfire prone area.
Want to explore more of Perth? Read these posts:
10 Things You Must Do in Perth, Australia
8 Must Visit Places in Western Australia: From Perth to Broome
