01/11/2023
When my mum came to visit me in Western Australia, we decided to take a day trip to Rottnest Island. I’d always wanted to see its beautiful beaches and, of course, the famous quokkas!
We took a ferry from Fremantle, which took about 30 minutes. I get seasick quite easily, so I took some travel sickness tablets about half an hour before departure. Thankfully, I felt absolutely fine.
If you’re planning a visit, you can check ferry operators, departure points and timetables on the official Rottnest Island website.
Cycling Around Rottnest Island
We hired regular bikes and planned to cycle all the way around the island. I thought it would be a fairly relaxing ride, with plenty of lovely coastal views along the way.
Well, I hadn’t expected so many hills!
Up and down, up and down. They just kept coming! And with the heat on top of that, I was absolutely knackered.
We managed roughly 40% of the route before deciding to turn back. The funny thing was, we still had to cycle over all those hills again to get back!
If you’re planning to cycle around the whole island, I’d recommend being reasonably fit and bringing plenty of water. The hills and heat can be tougher than you might expect, especially on a regular bike.
Beautiful Beaches Along the Way
Despite the exhausting ride, the scenery was absolutely stunning.
The sea was incredibly clear, with white sandy beaches and sunlight sparkling on the water. Some of the views were bloody gorgeous!
We didn’t stop at every beach. Most of the time, I simply admired the coastline as we cycled past, although we did stop at a few places to enjoy the views properly.
Looking back, perhaps I should’ve spent less time trying to cycle around the island and more time relaxing on those beautiful beaches!
Trying to Photograph a Smiling Quokka
And then there were the quokkas!
I’d seen loads of photos of these adorable little animals looking as though they were smiling, and I really wanted to take one myself.
We did get to see them, but capturing that famous smile was harder than I’d imagined.
I kept trying to take photos from a low angle whenever a quokka looked up, hoping to get the perfect shot.
No luck!
Apparently, they weren’t in the mood to smile for my camera that day.
Still, they were absolutely adorable. Just remember not to touch or feed them, as they’re wild animals.
Would I Visit Again?
Absolutely!
I had a lovely day exploring Rottnest Island with my mum, even if the cycling was much harder than I’d expected.
After giving up on our grand cycling plan, we spent some time around the shopping area before heading back.
I’d love to visit again someday, perhaps with a shorter cycling route and more time to enjoy the beaches!
