Top things to do on Rottnest Island

Things to do on Rottnest Island run from cycling a car-free coastline and snorkelling clear bays to meeting quokkas and skydiving onto a beach. The island sits 19 kilometres off Fremantle, so most visitors arrive by ferry from Fremantle or Perth, and this page sorts the options by how you want to spend the day, with links to Rottnest Island tours, activities, cruises and ferries and food and drinks.

Rottnest Island day tours from Fremantle and Perth

A day tour is the easiest way to see the island without planning the logistics. The Experience Rottnest bike and snorkel day tour from Fremantle is a popular choice: it leaves B Shed at Victoria Quay at 9.30am and covers the return ferry, the island admission fee, bike hire with a helmet and all the snorkel gear. You can ride between bays, then swim with colourful fish, turtles and dolphins, and perhaps a humpback whale during the migration from September to November.

If you would rather let someone else do the navigating, the guided bus tour day trip from Fremantle adds a 90-minute island loop with commentary, stopping at Wadjemup Lighthouse and the West End lookout. Perth departures leave Barrack Street Jetty at 8.45am and return from the island at 5pm. The Rottnest Island tours and day trips page compares every departure point and format.

Activities on Rottnest Island: cycling and skydiving

Bikes are the main way to get around because private vehicles are not allowed on the island. A full lap is about 22 kilometres, a 3 to 5-hour ride at an easy pace, and shorter routes between beaches work just as well. The ferry and bike hire package from Fremantle includes the return ferry, a helmet and a lock, and departs at 9am.

The 15,000ft tandem skydive over Rottnest Island is a popular choice for a bigger rush. It has a 66-second freefall, a 5-minute parachute ride and a beach landing, with views across the whole island and as far as the Perth skyline. Snorkelling spots, wildlife and more are covered on the Rottnest Island activities page.

Rottnest Island cruises and ferries

Getting there is part of the day. The Rottnest Island return ferry ticket from Fremantle is a 35-minute crossing with 7am and 9am sessions, and passengers can keep an eye out for seals and dolphins along the way.

Once on the island, the Snorkel & Sail Tour takes a luxury catamaran from Thomson Bay Fuel Jetty to snorkelling spots close to shore, on a 2.5-hour trip with kayaks, stand up paddle boards, a fruit platter and tea and coffee on board. Ferries from both mainland ports, adventure boats and sailing trips are listed on the Rottnest Island cruises and ferries page.

Food and drinks on Rottnest Island

Most places to eat sit around the Thomson Bay settlement. Dome Cafe is a short walk from the ferry jetty and overlooks Thomson Bay, and Pinky's looks over Pinky's Beach and Bathurst Lighthouse. Barbecues are available at Thomson Bay and Geordie Bay for anyone bringing a picnic, and the Rottnest Island food and drinks page covers the options in more detail.

From November to April, the Luxe Seafood Cruise puts lunch on the water: a 4-hour sail on a 69ft charter boat with a seven-course seafood banquet, a welcome cocktail, and crew who show you how to pull crayfish pots from the ocean.

Planning a day on Rottnest Island

The Fremantle crossing is a 35-minute ferry ride, and Perth day tours return from the island at 5pm, so the main sights fit into one day. Spring suits whale watching, with humpbacks migrating past from September to November, while the seafood cruise runs from November to April.

Pack sun protection, a helmet if you are cycling, and at least 2 litres of water each. Drinking water is limited outside the main settlement.