Rottnest Island is a snorkelling paradise, with extensive coral reefs and an abundance of wonderful marine life. The island is home to over 400 different species of fish, and the amazing visibility makes for some incredible snorkelling. It’s possible to snorkel with a variety of amazing species at Rottnest Island including octopuses, turtles, dolphins, lobsters, and of course large schools of fish. Rottnest is more famously known for its cute resident quokkas, but it’s also one of the best places to snorkel in Western Australia. This guide covers the best places to snorkel on Rottnest Island, with information on snorkelling tours, how to get there, and more!
Discover more great places to snorkel in Western Australia with our guide to the best places to snorkel in Perth!
How to get to Rottnest Island
The easiest way to get to Rottnest Island from Perth is to take the ferry from either Fremantle or Hillary’s Boat Harbour. We recommend taking the earliest ferry possible and booking in advance as they regularly sell out, especially during the busier summer months.
A return ferry to Rottnest Island costs just $79 AUD per person, which includes the island admission fee. Ferries can be booked in advance via the Get Your Guide website and they even offer free cancellation until 24 hours before your trip – so we suggest booking now to secure your preferred date!
Click here to book your ferry on the Get Your Guide website!
If you’re looking for more information on how to get there we recommend reading this post on how to get to Rottnest Island from Perth and Fremantle.
Best snorkelling spots on Rottnest Island
Little Salmon Bay
On the southern coast of Rottnest Island you will find Little Salmon Bay, one of the best snorkelling spots on the island. Situated within the Parker Point Marine Sanctuary Zone, the bay has its own designated snorkelling trail.
The Little Salmon Bay Snorkel Trail covers 700 metres, and features underwater signs with information about the area’s sea life. Although the water is fairly shallow, it is deep enough that you are unable to stand throughout the snorkel trail. The trail is easy to follow and is suitable for anyone confident swimming without being able to reach the bottom.
Some of the species you may encounter when snorkelling at Little Salmon Bay in Rottnest Island include lobsters, octopuses, eagle rays, and of course plenty of colourful fish! What you see will depend on a bit of luck, but there is some fascinating marine life in the area – so make sure to look all around you as you snorkel.
The trail leads through some different underwater habitats, notably seagrass meadows, limestone formations, and rocky reefs. Plaques are attached to the buoys which mark the snorkelling route, and give more information about the habitats.
As well as the wonderful marine life and snorkel trail, the fantastic visibility is one of the main reasons why Little Salmon Bay is one of the best snorkelling spots on Rottnest Island. The water here is incredibly clear, which makes it easy to spot the island’s wonderful marine life!
It’s also worth noting that Little Salmon Bay is one of the most pristine beaches on Rottnest Island, thanks to its fine white sand and beautiful turquoise waters. Make sure to take time to relax on the beach either before or after snorkelling here!
The Basin
Home to over 400 species of fish, it’s hardly surprising The Basin is considered one of the best places to snorkel on Rottnest Island. It’s one of the island’s most popular beaches, and its calm waters host a variety of marine life.
The crystal clear waters and shallow maximum depth of approximately 5 metres make for ideal snorkelling conditions. These conditions combined with The Basin’s location in the path of the Leeuwin Current help to make it a hotspot for some wonderful marine life.
Snorkelling at the Basin on Rottnest Island offers the chance to see a variety of species including yellowtail kingfish, harlequin fish, western rock lobsters, octopuses, and turtles!
One of the most noticeable things for us when snorkelling at The Basin was the huge schools of fish. Having snorkelled in many places around the world, these were some of the biggest groups of fish we had ever encountered – it felt like something out of a Planet Earth documentary!
The Basin is one of the more easily accessible snorkelling spots on Rottnest, as it’s just a 10-minute walk from the main settlement at Thomson Bay. As you walk from Thomson Bay to the Basin you are likely to see a number of quokkas – so make sure to get a quokka selfie before you go snorkelling!
One of the advantages of snorkelling at The Basin on Rottnest is that it’s one of the only beaches on the island with facilities. The facilities at the beach include BBQs, toilets, and outdoor showers.
Parker Point
Home to the island’s most extensive coral reef, Parker Point is one of the best places to snorkel on Rottnest Island. Located within the Parker Point Marine Sanctuary Zone, it tends to be a bit less crowded than Little Salmon Bay and The Basin.
Its extensive reef means there is an abundance of marine life in the area, which can be seen on the designated Parker Point snorkel trail. This 800 metre trail encompasses some of the best snorkelling on Rottnest Island, with underwater signs providing information about the area’s marine life.
Parker Point offers good visibility for snorkelling, which is great for spotting fish and other marine life. It’s possible to see some huge schools of fish, as well as a variety of species including Moon Wrasses and Western Buffalo Bream.
Our best snorkelling encounter at Rottnest Island was at Parker Point, as we were fortunate enough to see two dolphins here. Unfortunately we couldn’t see them underwater, but could see them jumping out just a short distance away from us – which was an amazing experience.
The only other times we have got this close to dolphins was on a whale and dolphin watching tour in Madeira and on a wildlife watching trip in the Isle of Skye in Scotland – but on neither of those occasions were we actually in the water with them!
There is lots to discover when snorkelling at Parker Point, but of course it can get fairly deep if you swim far out. It’s also worth paying attention to how choppy it is, as there was a fairly strong current on our visit – so make sure you’re a confident swimmer if the current is strong.
Parker Point is stop 5 on the Rottnest Island hop-on-hop-off bus service, but is also accessible by bike if you opt to cycle around the island.
Rottnest Island Snorkelling Tours
It’s easy enough to access these spots yourself, but if you prefer then it’s also possible to take an amazing Rottnest Island guided snorkelling tour. These tours are led by marine biologists, so they know exactly what to look for to and can show you some amazing marine species during your trip to Rottnest!
Tours cost just $199 AUD per person and can be booked online in advance through Viator. Click here to book this incredible tour on the Viator website!
Snorkel Equipment Hire on Rottnest Island
Pedal and Flipper Hire have a variety of equipment available to rent on Rottnest Island, including snorkel sets, dives tanks, bikes, and much more! The store is located in Thomson Bay, just a short walk from where the ferry arrives.
The cost of renting a snorkel set on Rottnest Island is $21 AUD for a day, with additional days available at a cost of $15 per day. Children’s snorkel sets are slightly cheaper at a cost of $15 AUD per day, and $10 per additional day. On top of this there is a $25 deposit for snorkel rental from Pedal and Flipper Hire on Rottnest Island.
Tips for snorkelling at Rottnest Island
Don’t touch the reef – One of the most important things when snorkelling, whether that’s at Rottnest Island or anywhere else in the world, is to never touch the reef. Coral reefs are extremely delicate and touching or standing on them causes lasting damage.
Have an early start – Maximise your time on Rottnest by taking the first ferry of the day at 7am. Arriving early gives you more time to snorkel and also means it will be less busy – which increases your chances of seeing more of the island’s amazing marine life!
Wear sun cream – Avoid getting sunburnt by applying sun cream at regular intervals throughout the day. It’s important to stay protected to avoid lasting damage to your skin!
Check the weather conditions – The weather can easily affect snorkelling conditions, so ideally you want to visit Rottnest on a calm and clear day. Calm days will have better visibility, so check the weather in advance to plan your trip for a day with good weather!
Diving at Rottnest Island – It’s also possible to go diving at Rottnest Island, but you will need to arrange a diving trip in order to do this. Snorkelling is much easier to enjoy without needing to book a specific trip or tour.
Bring food and drink – Aside from a few shops and restaurants at Thomson Bay, there is very little in the way of food and drink available on Rottnest Island. Make sure to pack plenty of water and bring your own lunch for your snorkelling breaks.
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