Wondering what are the best beaches in Perth in Western Australia? I have to admit that while I’ve always said Sydney is home to the best city beaches in Australia, Perth seriously packs a punch for mind blowing white sand beaches with turquoise water. If you’re visiting from the East Coast, it sure is a novelty to see the sun set over the beach like it was for me!
This guide has 12 of Perth’s best beaches, from Cottesloe Beach to Rottnest Island, with the best time to go, the calm spots for nervous swimmers, the beaches with shark enclosures and the tours worth booking.
We flew into Perth to pick up our Star RV motorhome, and our Perth to Esperance road trip started right here before we continued up the West coast and over to Darwin.
Heading out on a Western Australia road trip? Our 10 best beaches in Western Australia goes from Esperance to Broome.
Just so you know: Download the SharkSmart WA app before you swim. It shows shark sightings, swimming enclosures and patrolled beaches in one place.
Plan your beach day around the Fremantle Doctor
There are 19 beaches in Perth, and most share the same soft white sand and turquoise water. The best beaches mix that natural beauty with showers, grass and a café. What changes through the day is the wind.
On most summer afternoons, a strong sea breeze locals call the Fremantle Doctor blows in from the south-west. It chops up the water and blows sand everywhere.
So swim in the morning while the water is glassy, find lunch when the Doctor arrives, then come back to watch the sun set.
November to April is best for a beach day, and the water peaks at around 22 to 23 degrees in February and March. Steve finds it hard to get in unless it’s above 25 degrees, which is why my beach packing list has a rashie on it. Surf Life Saving WA patrols the major beaches in peak summer, so swim between the flags and check the surf, wind and safety warnings first.
Pick a Perth beach by what you want
| You want | Go to |
|---|---|
| Calm water for little ones | Mettams Pool, South Beach, City Beach |
| A shark enclosure | Cottesloe (October to April), Coogee (all year) |
| Snorkelling | Mettams Pool, Coogee, Rottnest Island |
| Surf | Trigg Beach, Scarborough Beach |
| Sunset drinks | Cottesloe, Scarborough, Bathers Beach |
| No car | Cottesloe, Leighton, South Beach |
| Somewhere quiet | Swanbourne, Yanchep Lagoon |
No car at all? The Perth: Coastal Beach Tour in a Mini Cooper Convertible stops at Fremantle, Cottesloe, City Beach, Scarborough and Hillarys.
Perth’s city beaches
1. Perth’s most famous beach – Cottesloe Beach
Cottesloe is Perth’s most iconic beach and one of the most popular beaches for swimming and snorkelling. From October to April there’s a shark barrier off the groyne and lifeguards on duty. Locals say it’s calmest by the groyne for small kids.
Every March, Sculpture by the Sea fills the sand and grassed areas with art installations, and you pass sculptures all the way to North Cottesloe (5 to 22 March in 2027). At sunset, grab a cocktail at Indigo Oscar in the old Indiana Teahouse building.
Cottesloe is easily one of our personal best beaches in Perth by a mile. There really is something so beautiful about it that really doesn’t disappoint.
Best time: an early swim, then back for sunset. Cottesloe station is about a 600-metre walk.
2. Swanbourne Beach
Just north of Cottesloe, Swanbourne is a long, wild stretch backed by tall dunes, so it’s easy to find your own slice of sand. The surf can be strong. About 300 metres north of the car park, North Swanbourne is Perth’s best-known clothing-optional beach.
Best time: a weekday morning.
3. City Beach
City Beach is 15 minutes from Perth city, which is pretty special for a capital city. Two groynes block the bigger waves, so it’s one of the calmest swims along the coast. There are grassed areas for picnics, eight beach volleyball courts at the northern end, and dining options from a kiosk to restaurants with ocean views.
Best time: a morning swim, then lunch on the grass.
4. Scarborough Beach
Scarborough is Perth’s buzziest beach, and surf schools run beginner lessons here all year. Lap swimmers love the Scarborough Beach Pool, a heated 50-metre outdoor swimming pool by the sand, and there’s a skate park with a 3.6-metre bowl.
The sunset isn’t the only reason to come on a Thursday evening. From November to April, the Scarborough Sunset Markets bring street food and live music to the foreshore from 5pm.
It is also known for having early sunrise silent discos as well which is a novelty for people visiting Perth for the first time.
When we visited, we went to one of the nearby bars for dinner and I swear everyone in there was British which was a bit of a novelty for me!
Best time: a surf lesson in the morning, the markets on a Thursday.
5. Trigg Beach
Trigg is where Perth’s surfers go for consistent waves. Trigg Point is a reef break beside the groyne, and it hosts the King of the Point, the biggest surfing competition on Perth’s city beaches. It suits confident surfers, so if you don’t surf, sit on the grass and watch.
Best time: late afternoon into sunset.
6. Mettams Pool
This is the one for us Brits who aren’t massive fans of the waves. A natural limestone reef wraps around this small lagoon, so the water stays calm enough for young children. From the 1930s, Frank Mettam chipped away at the reef with a crowbar and explosives to make it better for swimming.
It’s one of Perth’s top beaches for snorkelling, with the area’s abundant marine life just metres from the shore. Wear reef shoes, as the limestone is sharp, and get there early, because the car park is small.
Best time: early morning, before the wind picks up.
Fremantle’s beaches
7. Leighton Beach and Port Beach
Leighton Beach is opposite North Fremantle station, with a spacious sandy area and flat water on calm mornings. When the Doctor blows in, the kitesurfers take over. Walk south to Port Beach, a wide stretch made for long walks, and finish with fish and chips at Coast Port Beach.
Best time: a morning swim, then the kitesurfers after lunch.
8. Bathers Beach
Bathers Beach sits by the Fishing Boat Harbour, surrounded by the area’s rich seafaring history. The Round House above it opened in 1831 as a jail and is WA’s oldest public building. In 2016 Bathers became WA’s first beach with an alcohol licence, so it’s the only beach on this list where Bathers Beach House brings a cocktail to your sun lounger.
Best time: sunset, with a drink.
9. South Beach
South Beach is a sheltered bay with almost no surf. Its large grassed area under the Norfolk pines is ideal for picnics, with free barbecues, a playground and a café, so you can simply relax all afternoon. The northern end is a dog beach. The CAT bus from Fremantle stops here.
Best time: a long, lazy afternoon.
10. Coogee Beach
Not the Coogee in Sydney! Perth’s Coogee Beach has a shark enclosure beside the jetty that stays in all year, and a grassy area perfect for picnics.
The Coogee Maritime Trail starts at the wreck of the Omeo, which ran aground here in 1905 just 25 metres from the shore. The snorkelling trail runs 200 metres along the breakwater, with underwater plaques about the wreck and the fish around it.
Best time: a morning snorkel, when the water is clearest.
About 30 minutes further south, you can swim with wild dolphins in Rockingham. I did it as a backpacker a long time ago and loved it.
- Tour: Perth: Swim with Wild Dolphins Tour. Swim with the dolphins, or stay dry on board and watch.
Beaches worth the trip
11. Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island is a dream for beach lovers. There are no private cars, so you cycle between the bays. The Basin is sheltered by reef, Parakeet Bay is the calm spot on a windy day, and Little Salmon Bay has a 700-metre snorkel trail through crystal clear waters.
We were a bit unsure how we’d feel about it, because Wadjemup was a prison for around 3,700 Aboriginal men and boys between 1838 and 1931. We had a brilliant time, and I’d really recommend going to learn about the island. The beaches are incredible, and the quokkas live up to the cuteness hype.
- Tour: From Fremantle: SeaLink Rottnest Ferry and Bike Hire. The ferry, island fee and bike in one booking.
- Tour: From Perth: Rottnest Island Full-Day Bike and Ferry Trip. It leaves from Hillarys, handy if you’re staying near Scarborough.
12. Yanchep Lagoon
Yanchep Lagoon is a beautiful beach about 45 minutes north of Perth, where a reef offshore makes a calm lagoon. Go early at low tide to explore the rock pools, and swim between the flags, as a current flows out.
An hour further north, Lancelin Beach has the biggest dunes in Western Australia, all pure white sand. There’s more on Lancelin in our Exmouth to Perth road trip.
- Tour: Pinnacles, Koalas, 4WD & Sandboarding Tour from Perth. Sandboarding at Lancelin and the Pinnacles Desert in one day.
Staying safe at Perth’s beaches
In September 2026, a man died after a shark attack while swimming at Sorrento Beach in Perth’s northern suburbs. Shark attacks at Perth beaches are rare, but locals still check SharkSmart before they swim. Swim at patrolled beaches, avoid dawn and dusk, and stay out when a beach is closed. The sun is strong even when the sea breeze makes it feel cooler, so wear factor 50.
More Western Australia guides
- 10 tips for visiting Lucky Bay in Esperance
- Day trip from Perth to Margaret River
- 9 best places to see a pink lake in Australia
- My swim with whale sharks in Coral Bay
What’s your favourite beach in Perth? Let me know in the comments below.
