Coral Coast Adventure

Arrive into Perth and spend the next three days discovering this waterfront city where stunning natural landscapes, from beaches to bushland, blend with alfresco restaurants and art adorned streets. A highlight of your stay in Perth will be a visit to Rottnest Island, home to beautiful beaches, bays, reefs and resident quokkas – who will happily pose for selfies!  A visit to Cottesloe is also a must for any beach lovers.

Accommodation: Intercontinental, Perth

Included activities:  

• Discover Rottnest Island Experience
• Perth and Fremantle City Explorer

Travel Designers recommendation:  Take a walk up to Kings Park for breath-taking panoramic views over the city.

Collect your hire car and head north from Perth towards Geraldton, spending some time en route at the historic coastal towns of Dongara and Port Denison. Stop at the Greenough River Nature Trail located about 20 minutes south of Geraldton in the town of Greenough, renowned for beautiful wild flowers (July to October) and the panoramic views of the countryside.

Accommodation: Nesuto Geraldton

Travel Designers recommendation: Head to Salt Dish in Geraldton for breakfast before getting on the road – we recommend the crispy bacon and poached eggs on courgette bread. 

Travel up towards Shark Bay and Monkey Mia – famous for its dolphins, dramatic red dirt and coastal scenery. Spend time exploring the World-Heritage listed Shark Bay region, home to plentiful wildlife and beautiful beaches you can enjoy all to yourself. Spot reclusive dugongs and visit a black pearl oyster farm before a fascinating evening under the stars, learning Aboriginal cooking skills and enjoying fresh bush tucker whilst hearing stories of the local culture and history.

Accommodation: Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort

Included activities:

• Didgeridoo Dreaming Evening Tour with Wula Guda

Travel Designers recommendation:  Near Shark Bay visit Hamelin Pool with its living marine stromatolites – the oldest living fossils on the planet!

Awake early to watch the sunrise as friendly pods of bottlenose dolphins make their way to Monkey Mia’s shore, before continuing your journey to Coral Bay. Enjoy the next two days exploring the pristine Ningaloo Reef. Grab your snorkelling gear, step off the beach and immerse yourself in a half day tour meeting turtles and rays before watching one of the incredible sunsets from Bills Bay.

Accommodation: Ningaloo Reef Resort Coral Bay

Travel Designers recommendation: Plan a stop en route to Coral Bay at Shell Beach. Made up of millions tiny shells and stretching for over 70 kilometres, it’s worth the visit!

During your time spent in Exmouth, embark on an incredible day snorkelling with the largest fish in the ocean, the gentle whale shark. There’s also time to journey to the top of Cape Range National Park on a safari tour to view the stunning scenery of Charles Knife Gorge and snorkel the blue sparkling blue waters of Turquoise Bay, where a gentle tide drifts you over coral and tropical fish.

Accommodation: Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort

Included activities:

• Swim with Whale Sharks

Travel Designers recommendation:  Visit the Vlamingh Head Lighthouse, located 17km north of Exmouth, for incredible sunsets overlooking Lighthouse Bay.

Begin you journey back down the coast, collecting supplies for a picnic at Lyndon River. To the north of Carnarvon, the Quobba blowholes shoot water up to 20 metres into the air, and just a short walk from here you’ll find a strip of white sand beaches with calm swimming.  The town of Carnarvon is known for its fruit production; take a tour of the banana plantations, head out on the Coffee Pot Train at One Mile Jetty, or visit the Space and Technology Museum which captures the town’s past as a vital tracking station monitoring Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

Accommodation: Hospitality Carnarvon by Best Western

Travel Designers recommendation: The foreshore in Carnarvon is a great spot for a sunset walk, popular with both locals and visitors.

Kalbarri National Park is one of the most accessible parks in Western Australia, and perfect for those wanting short or longer day walks. Make sure you check with the information centre in Kalbarri before you head out to see if any of the walks are inaccessible due to weather. The most popular trails include Nature’s Window, an easy 1km return walk to the natural rock arch providing fantastic photo opportunities. Alternatively head to Z-Bend for spectacular views down into the gorge below.

Accommodation: Kalbarri Palm Resort

Travel Designers recommendation: Just south of Kalbarri off the main highway is Hutt Lagoon. Thanks to a rare algae, the lake is a vivid pink colour - it really does have to be seen to be believed.

Whilst the relaxed town of Cervantes is a great spot to stroll the seafront or enjoy a sunset beer at the beach, it’s the Pinnacles, unique geological formations, which bring many visitors to the area. These limestone pillars tower up to five metres in height, in a moon-like landscape formed up to 30,000 years ago. Another popular activity in this area is sand-boarding down the dunes in Nambung National Park, or swimming from the powder white sands at Lancelin.

Accommodation: Pinnacles Edge Resort

Travel Designers recommendation: Visiting the Pinnacles in August and September is the perfect time to see spring wildflowers begin to bloom – a spectacular sight! 

Your last day on the road, head further south back down towards the beaches in the north of Perth. Stop on the way at Yanchep National Park, which is home to a raised walkway where you can see many koalas lazing in the surrounding bushland, as kangaroos hop through the shrubbery below. There are caves and hiking trails for those wanting to explore further, before driving to Scarborough, where you deserve a well-earned beer watching the sunset from the boardwalk.

Accommodation: Seashells Apartments, Scarborough

Travel Designers recommendation: Stop at one of the many cafe's along the promenade for fantastic views over the Indian Ocean.

Finish your epic road trip back in the city of Perth, where there’s still time to explore the historic port of Fremantle, an easy 30 minute train ride from the city station. We’d definitely recommend a visit to Fremantle Prison, which offers fantastic walking tours to discover the history of this jail, now a World-Heritage listed site, which operated from 1887 to 1991. Following this, take a stroll down the Cappuccino Strip and pick up a locally roasted coffee to enjoy in the sunshine before heading to the airport for your flight home. 

Travel Designers recommendation:  The markets at Fremantle have been located on the same site since 1897, and are a great place to pick up souvenirs, fresh local produce, or a delicious lunch.