Wondering about things to do in Esperance, Western Australia? Check out our carefully crafted 4 day itinerary of Esperance before you visit this amazing destination. Pack your bikinis, board shorts, sunscreen and towel because Esperance, Western Australia will leave you amazed. 

The spellbinding Goldfields-Esperance region is well-known for its world-class beaches featuring soft, powdery white sand and bright blue, turquoise waters. There is truly no shortage of stunning beaches in Esperance – but with so many to choose from, which ones are truly worth visiting?

Read on for our aqua-packed 4-day itinerary of Esperance!

How to get there

The first port of call is figuring out how to get to this alluring destination.

By car

Most visitors will travel here by driving, most likely from Perth, Western Australia. From Perth, Esperance is 714km away and is about a 7h 35m drive if you go through the town of Hyden.

We recommend renting a car from Europcar. If you’re driving from Perth, Europcar is great because you can find their offices in several locations such as in the Perth Airport, Perth City, Fremantle and Obsborne Park.

By plane

It’s also possible to fly into Esperance by plane from Perth using Rex Airlines. This is a slightly more expensive option, with fares at about $240AUD one way. The flight will take about 1 hour and 35 minutes, which means you’ll get to Esperance much faster than if you drove. We would book through Skyscanner as it shows you the cheapest fares from around the internet.

By coach

You can also reach Esperance from Perth by taking a TransWA coach. You can find out more information about prices and journey lengths by visiting their website.

Where to stay in Esperance

There aren’t a whole lot of properties to stay around Esperance, so you’ll have to get in quick in order to make a booking on the good ones. Here’s our list of the best places to stay in Esperance.

Budget: Esperance Bay Holiday Park

This option is one of the least expensive in Esperance, but we actually think it’s one of the best. Just a 5-minute walk from the beach, this property contains everything you need for a clean and comfortable stay in Esperance.

Take a closer look at Esperance Bay Holiday Park by clicking here.

Mid-Range: The Jetty Resort

The Jetty Resort ranks highly in our book because of its central location and family-friendly atmosphere. Featuring a playground, swimming pool and two-bedroom apartments, families will love this property.

Take a closer look at The Jetty Resort by clicking here.

Luxury: Esperance Chalet Village

This resort is a very unique property that you have to try out once! With its pristine, idyllic aesthetic and unique location just outside of town, the Esperance Chalet Village is Esperance’s best luxury stay. You’ll need to stay at least 2 nights to appreciate this beauty.

Take a closer look at Esperance Village by clicking here.

What to bring to Esperance

Since Esperance is most famous for its beautiful beaches, you should bring all the beach essentials, including:

• swimgear

• snorkel

• Go Pro

• towel

• sunscreen

• sunglasses

• sandals/thongs

• water bag

Once you’ve decided how to get Esperance and you’re all packed, it’s time to start your trip!

Day 1

• Great Ocean Drive

• Rotary Lookout

• Observatory Point and Lookout

• Pink Lake

• Esperance Town

The majority of Day 1 will be spent driving from Perth to Esperance. But, if you leave Perth early, you might be able to catch a few hours of sunlight in Esperance to see some things near the town center.

Great Ocean Drive

You’ll want to do the Great Ocean Drive, which takes you through the Esperance Coastline. This is a truly magnificent drive and a great way to get your bearings around Esperance. On the Great Ocean Drive, you’ll see beautiful beach after jaw-droppingly beautiful beach – a truly astonishing short drive you won’t forget any time soon.

Rotary Lookout

The Rotary Lookout offers scenic 360 degree views over Esperance, providing an excellent panorama of Esperance’s beaches, isles and town. This is also a great place to catch the sunset.

Observatory Point and Lookout

Next, a short drive away is the Observatory Point and Lookout, providing more excellent views of the Esperance coastline. Here, you’ll also be treated to great vistas of those oh-so-blue waters stretching out kilometres.

Pink Lake

The Pink Lake near Esperance Town is no longer pink, and is not as impressive as one would hope. Still, it’s close enough to the Esperance town center that you might as well tick it off your list. On a clear day, the lake does look quite pretty. Sadly, we happened to visit on a cloudy day, and the Pink Lake looked miserable…

Esperance Town

Cap off your first day with a gentle stroll around Esperance Town. The town center is quiet and compact, but will still have plenty of restaurants open. You can also use this time to fill up petrol, shop for groceries or watch a movie at the local Esperance Cinema.

Day 2

• Lucky Bay

• Thistle Cove

• Hellfire Bay

• Le Grand Beach

• Optional:

  • Frenchman Peak

  • Rossiter Bay

Today is the day you’ll get to witness Esperance’s crown jewels, and probably the reason you’re visiting in the first place – Cape Le Grand National Park!

Cape Le Grand National park is a huuuge national park, spanning over 31,801 hectares (78,850 acres). The park has been above sea level for over 200 million years, and is home to many surviving remnant species. Cape Le Grand National Park boasts numerous white-sand beaches, and will serve as the perfect setting to spend your second day in Esperance.

You’ll need to pay a small fee to enter the Cape Le Grand National Park. Pay the fee, and head straight on to Lucky Bay as your first stop.

Lucky Bay

Lucky Bay is the National Park’s most famous beach, and arguably also the most famous and photographed beach in all of Western Australia (perhaps only second to Cottosloe Beach in Perth or Cable Beach in Broome). Lucky Bay’s splendid blue waters are truly astounding, making it one of Australia’s best overall beaches. Lucky Bay’s sand is also pristine, white and smooth.

During your time here, you might get to meet a few of Australia’s famous furry friends – the Kangaroo. It’s also possible to ride your 4WD here.

Thistle Cove

While it’s tempting to spend many hours at Lucky Bay, find the strength to pull yourself away from those crystal turquoise waters, and drive over to Thistle Cove.

Thistle Cove is another stunning beach situated in Cape Le Grand National Park. What’s unique about this beach is the sculpted rock formations around the cove – the most well-known being the largest of the rocks, named ‘whistling’ rock. 

Hellfire Bay

Your third stop of the day is Hellfire Bay, which, despite its fiery name, is more like heaven!

This beach is absolutely beautiful, and perfect for an afternoon swim after lunch. Picnic tables and seats are available, so bring your food provisions and set up shop here for a little while as you watch those clear waters. 

Le Grand Beach

The final stop of your day is Le Grand Beach, a massive beach spanning kilometres upon kilmetres. The waves here are a little wilder than the other beaches in the National Park, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the magnificent views on this beach.

Frenchman Peak

If you have time, you can also hike Frenchman Peak…

Rossiter Bay

…or visit the last remaining beach in the park, Rossiter Bay.

Day 3

• West Beach

• Blue Haven Beach

• Salmon Beach

• Twilight Bay

• Ten Mile Beach

• Eleven Mile Lagoon

As great as Cape Le Grand’s beaches are, don’t overlook the beaches along the Great Ocean Drive. Although these are much closer to Esperance town, they are almost equally as stunning.

West Beach

West Beach is a tri-coloured beach (green, brown, blue) with wild waves. You can access a stunning viewpoint of this beach just off the main road. After a short walk down some stairs, you’ll have reached the beach.

West Beach was perhaps our favourite beach in Esperance. The beach seemingly stretched on and on. It really was one of the most epic beaches we’ve visited.

Beware though - the waves are strong here!

Blue Haven Beach

Blue Haven Beach is a popular favourite among West Australians because of its secluded location, shiny blue water, rock formations and calm tides. This was an excellent place to fly the drone as well. We easily killed a few relaxing hours here.

Salmon Beach

Salmon Beach is one of the more unique beaches along the Great Ocean Drive, as its waves are more aggressive than the other beaches. We spent a good 20 minutes just watching Salmon Beach’s ferocious waves hit the shore. This beach is definitely different in that regard to the other, calmer beaches in the area.

Twilight Bay

Twilight Bay is probably the most scenic and aesthetic of the beaches along the Great Ocean Drive. It’s hallmark fame comes from two large rock formations that lay in the middle of the water, with one showcasing a big hole through the rock. With its various rock formations, the setting was reminiscent of the Seychelles.

Ten Mile Beach

Ten Mile Beach is yet another spectacular beach. We found it to be quite similar to West Beach because of its various colours and how far the beach stretched out.  A worthy 10-15 minute stop on your itinerary. 

Eleven Mile Lagoon

The creatively named Eleven Mile Lagoon is easy to miss, but is easily one of the best places to visit in Esperance.

This is another unique beach in Esperance. On one side of the descending staircase, you have your standard, crystal clear, white sand Esperance beach. On the other, you have a lagoon with the purest, blue water you’ll ever see. Take a swim around the lagoon (or just walk, because the water is quite shallow) and enjoy paradise. We loved Eleven Mile Lagoon so much that we came back the next day for seconds. 

Day 4 

• Esperance Foreshore

• Whale Tail

• Esperance Jetty

• Wave Rock 

On your last day in Esperance, you’ll be preparing to return back to Perth or your next onward destination. Before you do, it’s worthwhile to check out some of Esperance’s local icons.

Esperance Foreshore, Whale Tail and Esperance Jetty

The Esperance Foreshore is a nice place to just walk around for a casual stroll. Not far off is the photogenic Esperance Whale Tail sculpture, designed and created by glass artist Cindy Poole. While you’re there, take a walk along the Esperance Jetty. 

Wave Rock

As you drive back to Perth, make sure to pass by the town of Hyden and visit Wave Rock. This natural phenomenon is a rock structure that is shaped like a tall breaking ocean wave. The rock formation is about 15m (49 ft) high, and around 110 m (360 ft) long. 

So that’s it for our 4-day itinerary of Esperance. We hope you enjoy visiting the natural masterpiece that is Esperance! It truly is a one-of-a-kind destination, so take lots of pictures.

Visited, or planning to visit Esperance? Let us know in the comments below!