6 BEST BEACHES IN PERTH
29 April 2022
Being beach lovers, we spent over 2 months exploring the best Perth beaches during the summer. Almost every day we went to a new beach to take a dip. Charlie did his kitesurfing thing, and I did my read-a-book and relax thing.
We’ve put together our absolute favourite beaches in Perth, WA’s capital, to help you figure out which ones to visit when you go. And you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions to give you an idea of what to expect.
Let’s hit the beach!
FAQ: Perth Beaches, Australia
Does Perth have good beaches?
Yes, in our opinion, Perth totally has amazing beaches! Honestly, there is a reason that people say “West is Best”. The city lies right on the Indian Ocean coast, with stretches of white sand lapped by turquoise sea. They are one of the things we loved most about WA’s biggest city.
How many beaches are there in Perth?
You’ll find around 20 beaches in Perth in total. They are sprawled along the city’s 80-kilometre coastline, stretching from north to south.
Which beaches in Perth have shark nets?
Perth has three beaches with shark nets, or should we say, shark barriers. These are Coogee, Cottesloe and Quinns. All have shark barriers installed, which are designed to protect marine life. Charlie was super afraid of being eaten by a shark when we got to Perth, so we spent a fair bit of time at these three beaches at first!
Can you swim in Perth beaches?
You can absolutely swim in the beaches in WA’s capital. We’d say it’s one of the best things to do in Perth! So if you don’t swim in the beaches in Perth, what are you doing in Perth?
What is the main beach in Perth?
Our best Perth Beaches
1. Cottesloe beach
Cottesloe beach is the beach we spent the most time at. We even took Emma here (Charlie’s sister) when she visited from the UK and joined us for 6 weeks of our trip around Australia.
Imagine powder white sands, turquoise sea and pink sunsets: it’s no surprise that Cottesloe is our favourite beach in Perth.
Cottesloe is about one kilometre long (just over half a mile), and it’s one of the locals’ top spots for swimming, surfing, and picnicking. You get plenty of shade here to protect you from the sun, and there’s a protected area in the sea for peace of mind (if you’re worried about sharks).
Our top tip: grab a pizza from the amazing Canteen Pizza (Charlie’s favourite was the parma-ham and mine was the Diavola) and take in the beautiful sunset over the Indian Ocean.
Here’s a reel we made on our IG account at Cottesloe while eating pizza.
2. City Beach
3. Scarborough Beach
Whenever we asked the locals where they wanted to live in Perth, Scarborough beach was ALWAYS the answer.
There’s so much going on at Scarborough beach in Perth, so you’ll never get bored!
Watersports are a big draw. The swell is consistent here, so it’s popular with surfers and bodyboarders, as well as surfers and kitesurfers.
If you’re more into swimming, you can take your pick between the sea and the open-air Scarborough Beach Pool. It’s a super nice place to do some laps, and it’s geothermally heated which is a bonus.
After dark, Scarborough really comes alive thanks to the buzzing restaurants and cafés. Again, it’s a favourite place for picnics and barbecues!
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4. Swanbourne Beach
Hands up if you’re a fan of nudie beaches – Swanbourne beach should be at the top of your list for a nude beach in Perth! Swanbourne beach is one of the few beaches in Perth where you can strip off completely.
That’s not the only reason we love it. Swanbourne is a beautiful, natural spot backed by dunes and covered in soft white sand.
We absolutely love a good nudie beach (although we didn’t always!).
5. Coogee Beach
We spent a lot of time with our Perth-based besties at Coogee Beach! These two girls loved Coogee beach, and introduced us to it! The pic above was of our time together at Coogee.
Head south of Perth towards Fremantle and you’ll find Coogee Beach, a long stretch of sand intersected by a jetty where you can jump into the clear water. There’s also a nice grassy area for picnics if you’d prefer to stay dry.
When it’s low tide, grab a snorkel and go explore the Omeo Wreck close to the shore. The ship has been marooned here since 1905!
6. Yanchep Lagoon
North of Perth, around a 45-minute drive away, is the gorgeous Yanchep Lagoon. It’s a beautiful expanse of silvery sand lapped by blue sea, and protected by a natural reef. This makes it perfect for swimming in calm, crystalline waters.
The best time to visit is at low tide when you can go snorkelling or jump over the rock pools.
And of all the beaches in and around Perth, this is our absolute favourite. I don’t know if it was by chance, but when we went, there were a gaggle of gays soaking up the sun in the spot next to us #lgbtcommunity.
