A Guide to the Top Rotto Tours

About Rotto

In the Indian Ocean, 19 kilometres west from Fremantle, lies an unspoiled island paradise, Rottnest Island. Rotto is home to many stunning beaches and bays and diverse wildlife such as quokkas and the New Zealand fur seals; it is rich with reminders of its Aboriginal, colonial, military, maritime and social histories; and it offers endless activities such as snorkelling, bike riding, surfing and scenic flights.

With more than 500,000 travellers flocking to this unique paradise each year, it is no surprise that this ‘A’ Class Nature Reserve took the Gold Medal for Major Tourist Attraction at the 2011 Western Australia Tourism Awards. For all it offers, we highly recommend a visit to Rotto on your holiday!

11km long and 4km wide, the island takes about 3.5 hours to cycle around (cars are excluded on the island) and the highlights, both popular and hidden, are endless. You don’t want to miss out, so choose a tour that suits your travelling style from a variety of quality options and be properly guided around Perth’s favourite island!

The Top Tours

The following describes a few popular choices provided by an award-winning tour operator.

Bike

Experience Rottnest provides you with a great balance of an organised tour and active self-exploration. The morning begins with a coach pick-up and ferry ride from either Fremantle or Perth to the island. Once on Rotto, the friendly crew gives you a map, bike, helmet and, if you’re interested, snorkel gear, before taking you on a 25 minute walking tour to help you get your bearings. Then, from about 11:00am to 4:00pm, Rottnest Island is yours to discover.

Cycle along the coast, taking in views of the many secluded bays and beaches, and stop at Parker Point for a must-do underwater snorkel trail. Other worthy stops include the Wadjemup Lighthouse, which offers breathtaking 360-degree views of the Island, and the West End, where you can take a scenic walk with amazing views of the rugged beauty the island is known for—and views of Humpback Whales in their migration season!

On your leisurely ride back, stop for a dip at any of the bays calling your name; some of the common favourites include Little Armstrong or Parakeet Bays. Spend as little or as much time as you wish at each of your favourite spots—just make it back for the 4:00pm return ferry!

Boat

For all you thrill seekers, a great tour option to get the heart pumping is Adventure Rottnest. On this exciting tour, explore the remote and impressive coastline on board a purpose-built vessel, Eco-Express, which is ideal for sightseeing and for providing an exhilarating ride.

In addition to learning about the region’s colonial, military and social heritage, as well as of the Aboriginal culture, tour the island’s unique and diverse wild side—keep an eye out for the active Humpback Whales during their migration season and, at Cathedral Rocks, watch the New Zealand Fur Seal Colony up to their typical entertaining antics!

Bus

For a more relaxing ride, you may prefer Discover Rottnest, a tour of the island’s highlights from the comfort of a spacious, air-conditioned coach bus. Learn and be entertained by the knowledge guides providing informative commentary as you explore the island’s iconic sights and diverse wildlife and fauna. After this 90-minute ride, from about 1:00pm to 4:00pm, you are free to explore the island’s treasures on your own!

Walk

Finally, for the super independent, the Free ‘n’ Easy Rottnest tour enables you to explore the island at your own pace. Like all of the other tours, it includes a return coach hotel transfer, a return ferry transfer, the island admission fee and a 25-minute guided introductory walk on Rottnest.

From this point on, Rotto is yours to discover! Relax on the award-winning beaches; look out for the cute quokkas, small marsupials resembling a tiny kangaroo; visit the iconic Wadjemup Lighthouse; or stroll to along the boardwalk at the spectacular lookout point at West End.

With its 63 secluded beaches and 20 bays, fascinating history and Aboriginal culture, unique and adorable wildlife and endless activity options, Rottnest Island should be in every travellers’ plans without question! How you choose to experience Rotto—by bike, by boat, by coach bus or on foot—is up to you!