On the south coast of Western Australia you will find one of the most breathtaking destinations in the country: Esperance. This welcoming coastal town treats you to a mix of pearly white beaches, turquoise bays and rugged granite formations. Just a short drive away, Cape Le Grand National Park awaits. A paradise where kangaroos hop on the beach, dolphins play in the waves and every bay has its own different shade of blue. Whether you’re here to hike, camp or just enjoy the beautiful scenery, Esperance and Cape Le Grand will win you over in no time. Here you can read about the best things to see and do in Esperance, Australia!
Where is Esperance located in Australia
Esperance is a small coastal town located in the south of the state of Western Australia. With about 10.000 inhabitants, it is not very big, but you can still enjoy yourself here for several days. It is mainly the beautiful beaches and clear blue bays that attract travelers. There’s a reason you can find some of the most beautiful beaches in
TRAVEL TIP: Visiting Cape Le Grand National Park requires you to pay an entrance fee. Are you planning to visit multiple national parks in Western Australia? Then you can purchase a Holiday Pass which is a more cost-effective option.
How to visit Esperance
Most travelers visit Esperance from Perth. From Perth, it is about an 8-hour drive to Esperance. Therefore, the best way to visit Esperance and Cape Le Grand is by taking a road trip. In fact, from Perth to Esperance you will come across other, beautiful places that are definitely worth a visit. You have the wine region Margaret River, Albany and Denmark with their equally spectacular beaches.
The best way to get around Western Australia is undoubtedly by car or camper. Public transportation is very limited in this part of Australia. With your own transportation, you also have the freedom to customize your itinerary and reach the more remote, and often most beautiful places. We found our campervan through the platform Camplify where individuals offer their home on wheels. Another possibility is to rent a car and drive from hotel to hotel. For Esperance and Cape Le Grand National Park you do not need a 4WD, most roads are paved.
10 best things to do in Esperance, Western Australia
Get ready to be blown over by the impressive nature of Esperance and Cape Le Grand. We recommend taking a full day for Esperance and a full day for Cape Le Grand National Park. In this travel guide, we first list the best sights in Cape Le Grand National Park and end with the best things to do in Esperance, Western Australia.
1) Lucky Bay
Sleeping at Lucky Bay Campground is truly a bucket list item when traveling to Australia. This pearly white beach overlooks a bay with the bluest water we’ve ever seen! There’s a good reason this beach was voted the most beautiful beach in the world in 2023. In the morning you often see kangaroos hopping over the beach here and dolphins sometimes come to play in the bay. But even at the campground itself, kangaroos regularly hop around. From Lucky Bay you can make several walks to other bays such as Thistly Cove (2 km only) and Rossiter Bay (6 km only).
TRAVEL TIP: The Lucky Bay Campground is often fully booked weeks and sometimes even months in advance. Book your camping spot in time via this official website.
2) Hellfire Bay & Little Hellfire Bay
Another, impressive beach is Hellfire Bay. This white beach forms a large crescent and is surrounded by large, granite rocks. Here you also have a chance of seeing dolphins playing in the bay, especially early in the morning! From Hellfire Bay, you can take a short 15-minute hike to Little Hellfire Bay. Along the way you will have beautiful views of the coastline.
3) Thistle Cove
A quieter bay is Thistle Cove, also surrounded by granite rock formations. Here you will find the famous Whisteling Rock. When the wind blows through the rock, you can hear the rock whistle. Like the other beaches, Thistle Cove stands out brightly with its white sand against the azure water.
4) Frenchman Peak
One of the most fun things to do in Cape Le Grand National Park is climbing the 262-meter-high Frenchman Peak. You can see this unique rock formation from afar as you drive through Cape Le Grand National Park. It gets its name from its resemblance to the shape of a hat worn by French troops in the 19th century. The hike to the top of Frenchman Peak is not very long, but very steep in some sections. Count on about 2 hours round trip. The views from the top make it well worth the climb!
5) Wharton Beach
If you still have time to spare during your visit to Cape Le Grand, we recommend driving to Wharton Beach. An hour’s drive from Lucky Bay, you’ll find this long, white-sand beach. Because the beach is so large, it feels much quieter here. Furthermore, it is also a popular place for surfing. Do you travel around with a 4WD car or camper? Then you can drive on this beach too!
6) Great Ocean Drive
After exploring Cape Le Grand National park, it’s time to discover Esperance’s most beautiful beaches! For this, you can drive the Great Ocean Drive (not to be confused with the Great Ocean Road in Victoria). This 40 km round trip will take you past beautiful landscapes, rocky cliffs and stunning beaches! The sights listed below are all on this round trip as well.
7) Blue Haven
The name says it all, but this beach is also characterized by azure waters. From the parking lot, you take a winding, wooden staircase down that takes you to the turquoise water. Because this beach is in a bay, it is a quiet stretch for swimming.
8) Twilight Beach
Twilight Beach is one of the best things to do in Esperance. Just 10 km from downtown, you will find this snow-white beach with crystal clear water. Just in front of the beach you will find in the water two large, granite rocks from which people regularly jump off. During the summer months, this beach is guarded by lifeguards on weekends so that even smaller children can swim there safely. The beach is easily accessible and has a large parking lot.
9) Salmon Beach
Salmon Beach is on the other side of Blue Haven but is at least as beautiful. From Blue Haven you can walk across the granite rocks to this little beach. Here it is often quieter to lie down than Blue Haven.
10) Observatory Point
Observatory Point is also on Great Ocean Drive and has two lookouts. If you go to the right, you will find a sign with more information about the past explorers in this region. If you go to the left, you will take a long wooden staircase down from where you will have a fantastic view of the ocean. If you are here during whale season (July to October), this is also the perfect place to spot whales!
11) Wylie Bay
Wylie Bay is a popular beach for 4WD vehicles because you are allowed to drive on the beach here and is about a 15-minute drive from Esperance. But this is also a wonderful place for those who enjoy drone photography. This is because you will find a long sandbar that you can walk on, depending on the tide. If you don’t have a 4WD, you can park your car or camper in the parking lot behind the dunes. Walk across the dunes and you will arrive at the sandbar of Wylie Bay. Note that this beach isn’t part of the Great Ocean Drive.
12) Eleven Mile Beach
Eleven Mile Beach is the beach farthest from downtown Esperance. Here you will also find a protected bay which makes it a fun swimming spot. The beach itself has large, flat rocks creating small rock pools. When the tide is out, part of the beach also turns into a natural lagoon, which is great fun to swim in!
Where to stay in Esperance
In the town of Esperance you will find numerous accommodations and campsites where you can stay. In Cape Le Grand National Park, accommodations are limited. Here you have two campgrounds,
- Budget (€): Hospitality Esperance by Best Western
- Comfort (€€): RAC Esperance Holiday Park (camping and bungalows)
Best time to visit Esperance, Western Australia
The best time to visit Esperance in Western Australia is from November to April. Summer, from December to January, is the best time for beach days as it is warm and sunny with temperatures between 25°C and 30°C. However, this is also the busiest period as Australians have vacations then. Spring (September to November) and autumn (March to April) are quieter and often less windy.
Still have questions about what to do in Esperance, Australia? Let us know in a comment below! Looking for more information about your next trip? Please do not hesitate to contact us or send an email to info@snoezelsontheroad.com
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