Last Updated on March 10, 2024 by Sam
Rottnest Island is home to some stunning snorkelling spots, thanks to its pristine waters and diverse marine life. The island boasts over 60 beautiful beaches and bays, with a number of amazing snorkelling spots just waiting to be explored. In fact, the snorkelling at Rottnest is so good that we included it on our list of the best places to snorkel in Perth. While the island is more famous for its resident quokkas, it’s also home to some incredible sea life including dolphins, octopuses, turtles, lobsters and huge schools of fish. All of these species and more can be seen when snorkelling at Rottnest Island, which makes it an amazing place to snorkel just a short trip from Perth! This blog post covers the best places to snorkel on Rottnest Island, with tips and advice on how to make the most of your underwater adventure.
Wondering which spots to visit during your time on the island? Make sure to check out our Rottnest Island day trip itinerary for inspiration!
Getting to Rottnest Island
To enjoy the incredible snorkelling at Rottnest Island you will need to take a ferry from Perth. We strongly recommend booking your ferry in advance as they can get quite busy and sell out often – particularly during the summer months.
If you don’t have your own snorkelling gear then there is a great option to book a return day trip to Rottnest, with both snorkel hire and bike hire included. Cycling is one of the easiest ways to get around the island, and makes it easy to access all of the snorkelling spots on this list!
Get Your Guide offer a great deal on Rottnest Island ferry tickets with snorkels and bikes included for just $114 AUD per person.
Click here to book your day trip with snorkel and bike hire through Get Your Guide!
If you do have your own snorkelling equipment then you can book return ferry tickets without any extras for just $79 AUD with Get Your Guide. This way saves a bit of money, and if you still want to rent a bike you can arrange this on the island.
Click here to book your ferry tickets on the Get Your Guide website!
We cover all of the above options and more in our detailed guide of how to get to Rottnest Island!
The Best Snorkelling Spots On Rottnest Island
Little Salmon Bay
Little Salmon Bay is a picturesque cove located on the southern coast of Rottnest Island, and it’s one of the best spots on the island for snorkelling. It’s part of the Parker Point Marine Sanctuary Zone, which was established to protect the unique underwater environment and its diverse marine life.
One of the highlights of snorkelling at Little Salmon Bay is the designated snorkel trail that’s been set up in the area. The Little Salmon Bay snorkel trail is marked with buoys, and it takes you on a journey through different underwater habitats, including seagrass meadows, rocky reefs, and limestone formations.
There are a number of underwater signs installed along the trail, giving information about the area’s sea life and its surroundings. The trail is around 700 metres long and isn’t particularly deep at any point, making it suitable for beginners and experienced snorkellers alike. To top it off, the visibility is also extremely good – which is why it’s considered one of the best places to snorkel on Rottnest Island.
Some of the species it’s possible to see at Little Salmon Bay include octopuses, lobsters, and eagle rays, as well as an array of colourful fish. There is no guarantee of what you’ll see, but take your time to explore the snorkel trail and you should be able to see a great mix of marine life.
As well as being a wonderful snorkelling spot, Little Salmon Bay is one of the best beaches on Rottnest. It’s a fairly small bay with pristine white sand and sparkling turquoise water – and is similar in many ways to the stunning beaches in Esperance, along the south coast of Western Australia.
The Basin
The Basin is one of the most popular beaches and snorkelling spots on Rottnest Island, and for good reason. Home to over 400 species of fish and a range of colourful coral, it’s quite simply an amazing spot to snorkel.
Known as The Basin due to its naturally hollowed out reef, it offers safe and protected waters with ideal snorkelling conditions. Crystal clear waters provide brilliant visibility, and with a maximum depth of around 5 metres it’s suitable for snorkellers of all skill levels.
The snorkelling is easily accessible from The Basin beach – simply walk along the rocks in the shallow water until you reach the small drop off and jump in! Once you’re in there’s plenty to see and explore, so keep your eyes peeled to see the variety of marine life in the area.
One of the reasons the area is so rich with marine life is the warm Leeuwin Current that surrounds the island. It’s possible to see a variety of species including baldchin groper, yellowtail kingfish, and harlequin fish. If you’re lucky you might even see a turtle, octopus, or lobster!
There are some huge schools of fish at The Basin, which reminded us of the sardine run in Moalboal in the Philippines. Seeing the fish move together seemingly as one is truly incredible and makes it feel like you’re in a David Attenborough documentary!
Located just a 10-minute walk from the island’s main settlement at Thomson Bay, it’s easily accessible by foot or bike. We recommend walking if you have the time, as that way it’s easier to spot the friendly resident quokkas along the way amongst the bushes and trees!
The Basin is one of the few beaches on the island with facilities, offering BBQs, toilets, and outdoor showers – great for getting any sand off after you’ve been snorkelling or lying on the beach! Lifeguards patrol the beach over weekends and public holidays between November and January each year, making it one of the safest places to snorkel on Rottnest Island.
Parker Point
Parker Point is another stunning snorkelling spot on the southern coast of Rottnest Island. Along with Little Salmon Bay, it makes up part of the Parker Point Marine Sanctuary Zone, which helps protect this biodiverse habitat and its abundance of marine life.
Snorkelling at Parker Point was one of the highlights of our trip to Rottnest, as we saw two dolphins whilst snorkelling. It was only a brief sighting, and they were too far away to actually see underwater, but we could see them jumping out of the water just a short distance from us. We were incredibly lucky to have this sighting, but it shows the kind of amazing marine life you can find whilst snorkelling in this spot!
Parker Point is home to the most extensive coral reef in Rottnest Island, which makes it an ideal spot to snorkel. As you swim through the reef, a variety of colourful fish will dash between the coral and marine plants in this thriving underwater habitat.
The designated Parker Point snorkel trail extends for around 800 metres and leads you out into the reef. We didn’t think the trail was particularly well marked on our visit, and so decided to just swim out to the reef ourselves – so if you’re looking for a well marked trail you will probably prefer Little Salmon Bay.
The visibility at Parker Point is impressive, and you can see quite some distance in the beautifully clear water. There are some deeper spots to explore here too, and there was a bit more of a current here on our visit – so if it looks choppy then don’t swim too far out unless you’re a strong swimmer.
Parker Point is easily accessible by bike, or if you’re using the hop-on-hop-off bus service it is stop 5. It’s a short 10-minute walk from Parker Point to Little Salmon Bay, which is convenient if you want to snorkel at both spots as then you don’t need to wait for a bus to get between them!
Rottnest Island Snorkelling Tour
Snorkelling tours of Rottnest Island are a great way to visit some of these spots, whilst being guided by expert marine biologists. These guides will be in the water with you, helping you to spot a variety of different species – and they know all the best places to look!
Taking a guided snorkelling tour of Rottnest gives you a higher chance of seeing some rarer species, as the operators know exactly what to look for. Viator offer a snorkel tour of Rottnest for just $199 AUD per person, although this price doesn’t include the ferry to the island – so make sure to book that too using the links earlier in the article!
Click here to book an amazing snorkelling tour on the Viator website!
Tips for Snorkelling at Rottnest Island
Look, don’t touch – As with all coral reefs, the reef system at Rottnest Island is very delicate – so make sure not to touch the reef and don’t stand on it at any point. Touching or standing on the reef causes lasting damage, and it’s important to protect this fabulous underwater habitat.
Click here to find out more about the island’s marine sanctuary zones!
Visit on a calm, clear day – Ideally you want to visit on a calm day, as that way it shouldn’t be too choppy whilst you’re snorkelling. If you’re planning your trip only a few days in advance then make sure to check the weather forecast to decide which day is best to visit.
Sun cream – Make sure to bring plenty of sun cream with you so that you can top it up throughout the day. It’s easy to get sunburnt whilst snorkelling, so apply it regularly to protect your skin.
Bring lunch and water – There are only a few shops on Rottnest Island, with the majority being at the main settlement at Thomson Bay. We recommend bringing a packed lunch with you so that you can eat it whilst having a break from snorkelling, and make sure to bring plenty of water too so that you can stay well hydrated!
Start early – Ideally you will want to take the 7am ferry to make the most of your day trip to Rottnest, as that gives you more time to spend at each snorkelling spot. There’s still plenty of time if you do get the 9am ferry, but it might mean some of the spots are a bit busier by the time you get there.
Looking to decide what to do next for your time in Western Australia? Check out the most unique things to do in Perth and the best things to do in Esperance.
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