With an untouched coastline, Western Australia’s sun drenched capital city hosts some of the most dazzling stretches of sand in the world. Ready for beach hopping bliss? We’ll show you the best beaches in Perth—including local favourites.
1. Scarborough Beach
Best for: surfers, people watchers, families
If you’re looking for a beach in Perth that’s most likely to be the largest crowd pleaser, it’s Scarborough. On the sand you’ll find lifeguard towers, plenty of space for lounging and thumping surf. The shore is lined with hotels, apartments, shops, cafes, restaurants, ice-cream kiosks and surf shops. The seaside pool, skate park, and playground offers a bit of a break from the sand and the sea as well. Needless to say, Scarborough takes its street-cred seriously.
Turn your back on the shore, though, and look out to the west. Scarborough is blessed with all the essentials—blue water broken by breakers, white sand and lashings of sunshine. However, if you want to escape Scarborough’s crowds, walk south to Brighton Beach and lay down a towel in between the sand dunes. Brighton Beach is every bit as gorgeous, but generally has fewer people.
Start your trip here:
- Find cheap flights to Perth
- Stay at Rendezvous Hotel Perth Scarborough
- Watch the sunset with a drink in hand at Scarborough Beach Bar
2. City Beach
Best for: families, body surfers, beach walkers, sundowners
If you want a low-key beach that’s easy to access, head to City Beach. This white sand beauty is found in in the middle of Perth’s northern suburbs. Beachside, there are a handful of cafes and seafood restaurants, along with grass parklands and BBQs. It’s a popular spot for early evening gatherings to watch the sunset.
Start your trip here:
- Find cheap flights to Perth
- Stay at Tribe Perth
- After the beach, play a round of golf at Wembley Golf Course
3. Port Beach
Best for: sunbathing, families
Port Beach is Fremantle’s answer to Scarborough Beach, minus the surf. Port Beach and nearby Leighton Beach are essentially an unbroken continuous strip of sand all the way to South Cottesloe. It’s a great beach for ocean swimmers, stand-up paddle boarders as well as families with young kids, as there are rarely breakers at Port thanks to its proximity to Fremantle Harbour to the south. Beach walkers and joggers will love it here, too.
Start your trip here:
- Find cheap flights to Perth
- Stay at Fothergills of Fremantle
- Browse artwork at the Fremantle Art Centre
4. Trigg Beach
Best for: surfers
The undisputed king of surf among Perth beaches, Trigg Beach is where the beach breaks are. Surfers rate it one of Perth’s best, though its popularity means that waves can get a little crowded. This is especially the case during school holidays, when lifesaving clubs host a gamut of events here. When the swell is up, the water can get a little rough for swimmers. The beach itself is of the sugar sand variety and is ideal for playing beach games.
Start your trip here:
Need a little planning help for your next holiday? Skyscanner have partnered with Exceptional Alien to create insider travel guides to the world’s most iconic cities crafted entirely by local experts. You’ll find real tips on what to do, see and eat when you get there, and get to experience a new side to these beloved destinations.
5. Cottesloe Beach
Best for: families, tourists, day trippers
Cottesloe (or just Cott), is the place to go when you want to make surfers, swimmers, kids and beachcombers happy. Protected by a southern break wall, the iconic art-deco Indiana Teahouse flanked by grassed terraces dominates the foreshore. Kids clamber onto the concrete pylon originally used to secure a shark net, outdoing each other with bombies.
Even if you’re not a beachgoer, it’s worth paying a visit to Cottesloe Beach for the casual Aussie vibe and beautiful coastline vistas. Across the road, the pub at the Cottesloe Beach Hotel is a must visit for re-hydrating sun-parched lips. Though there are plenty of other choices too—the Cott, like the Teahouse, is an institution!
Start your trip here:
6. Swanbourne Beach
Best for: nudists in the northern part, everyone else in the southern part
Because Swanbourne Beach is so large, it’s rarely crowded. Swanbourne Beach can be divided into two parts. The family-friendly southern beach is every bit as pretty as Cottesloe to the south—perfect for strolling, sunbathing and swimming.
The northern section is clothes-optional Swanbourne Nude Beach, ‘officially’ one of Perth’s few nudist beaches. The beach itself is hidden behind dunes and requires a 300m walk from the carpark to reach, so it’s not really on public view. You’ll know you’re there when you see the clothing optional sign.
Start your trip here:
- Find cheap flights to Perth
- Stay at Pagoda Resort and Spa
- See the Perth skyline from King’s Park, near Swanbourne
7. South Beach
Best for: everyone (except surfers), especially families or groups of friends
South Beach is always calm thanks to its outlying reef, as well as Carnac and Garden Islands which form a breakwater. It’s popular with locals and holidaymakers alike.
Shaded by ancient coastal trees and pines, extensive grassy areas, children’s playgrounds, BBQs and timber gazebos, South Beach is a perennial favourite day or night. Families often gather here for picnics, while the beach itself is very family-friendly. Fremantle’s famous Cappuccino Strip is a few minutes away for a multitude of dining, shopping and people-watching activities.
Start your trip here:
8. Bathers Beach
Best for: everyone (except surfers)
Bathers Beach is the sort of beach you’d go to if you don’t want a long commute or to mix with huge crowds. It’s convenient for cooling off or getting your saltwater fix in between breakfast and lunch, or for an early morning ocean swim. Surrounded by all the action of Fremantle, this strip of sand is a city treasure. It’s attractive in the urban, arty sort of way that Fremantle excels at.
Sandstone Kidogo Arthouse is a beautifully restored building behind the dunes, boardwalks are dotted with public art and nearby restaurants, cafes and pubs combine to make Bathers Beach the full package.
Start your trip here:
9. Rottnest Island
Best for: animal lovers, peace seekers, surfers
Most famous for its cute quokkas, there’s much more to this little island. Rottnest Island, simply called “Rotto” by everyone, is home to many of Perth’s best beaches. The Beach Gods blessed this little eruption of limestone emerging from the Indian Ocean with exquisite beaches. Dazzling white sand, gin-clear water, sweeping crescent-shaped bays and intimate cosy coves are all here. Favourites are The Basin, Longreach and Geordie Bays along with Thompson Bay, the hub of the island.
Hire a bike and head for Salmon Bay and Little Armstrong Bay, which are rarely tarnished by others’ footprints if you get there early. Rotto has boating, diving, snorkelling, surfing and swimming—it’s a beach bum’s paradise!
Start your trip here:
FAQs
Families with young kids will love spending time at Cottesloe Beach. This white sand beach has a nearby playground, a wide grassy area, calm water, and a shopping centre with kid-friendly restaurants and shops. Another good pick is Scarborough Beach for its pool, playground, skatepark, and wide stretch of sand.
Surfers tend to flock to Trigg Beach, the most popular surf beach in Perth. There are also waves to be had at Cottesloe and City Beach.
The best time to go to the beach in Perth is the morning. You’ll quickly learn that Perth is cooled in summer by a brisk sea breeze nicknamed the “Fremantle Doctor”. The Doctor generally arrives mid- to late-morning, with winds howling come 2 P.M. If the wind is blowing, pick up a kite or admire the ocean from the comforts of a seaside café.
Start planning your new adventure
Making plans to travel to Perth or explore other destinations? Compare the cheapest flights to Perth and find the latest hotel deals for your summer beach holiday.
