Full day rottnest island tour including wildlife cruise

Jump aboard your Rottnest-bound boat and depart Perth for a leisurely trip down the Swan River, past majestic homes and picturesque scenery on your way to Rottnest Island. Your full-day adventure in the Indian Ocean includes a wildlife cruise around the island, where you’ll look for dolphins, seals and sea birds. You can also swim in clear turquoise waters, snorkel and dive among spectacular shipwrecks and reef formations, or cycle around the island and meet the local wildlife. You won’t need to pack your passport to get to this exotic island.

Rottnest Island is only a 40-minute hop from the Perth coast and a favorite weekend getaway for locals. Originally discovered by Dutch explorers in the 17th century, Rottnest Island has had an interesting history, as resting place for 13 shipwrecks, an Aboriginal penal colony and an internment camp during the world wars.

Rotto, as the locals call it, is unchanged over time and still maintains its rustic charm, with original heritage buildings and minimal development. As an A-Class Nature Reserve, Rottnest is committed to maintaining the natural environment, with bicycles the main form of transport (cars are practically non-existent).

Your full-day island experience starts as you hop aboard the cruiser in Perth and enjoy morning tea while you travel down the Swan River, passing local landmarks and the riverfront houses of Millionaire’s Row to the port town of Fremantle. After a quick stop to collect more passengers, it's just a short hop across the ocean to Rottnest Island.

Get to know Rottnest Island on a 90-minute guided wildlife cruise around the island, discovering secluded bays and inlets inhabited by birds, dolphins, seals and other marine life. The afternoon is free to explore the island at your leisure before departing for the mainland. Hire a bike and cycle out to one of the bays, go for a swim at the Basin, or meet the quokkas – Rottnest’s cute resident marsupials.

In the afternoon, get back on the cruiser to make your way up the Swan River and back to Perth.

See the Itinerary section below for more details on the lunch options.