Cottesloe Beach

Perth's most iconic city beach, with white sand, Indian Ocean sunsets and a 1930s beach pavilion. After work, locals gather under the Norfolk pines with a drink to watch the sun go down.

Cottesloe Beach is about 12 km west of central Perth and north of Fremantle. It is Perth's most famous and most beautiful city beach. The more than 1-km stretch of white sand faces the Indian Ocean, and the water is a brilliant blue. Reefs offshore make it good for snorkeling, especially at Peters Pool at the southern end and Cottesloe Reef. Lifeguards patrol the swimming area. The beach is known for its 1930s white pavilion in Indian Ocean style, which houses the Indiana Tea House restaurant, and for the row of Norfolk Island pines on the grassy slope. Locals gather on that slope to picnic and watch the sunset in the evening. Perth is one of the few major Australian cities where you can watch the sun set into the sea, and Cottesloe is one of the best spots to do it. The Cottesloe Beach Hotel and the Italian restaurant Il Lido on Marine Parade are classic choices for a sunset drink. Every early March, the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition places more than 70 large sculptures on the sand. Admission is free, and it is one of Perth's most popular art events. From both ends of the beach, a coastal path runs north to Swanbourne and City Beach, or south to Leighton Beach. Getting there: take the Fremantle line train from Perth Station to Cottesloe Station and walk about 15 minutes. Bus 102 runs along the beach, and parking is scarce on summer weekends. Notes: sharks are occasionally seen off Western Australian beaches, so heed warning signs and helicopter alerts, and stay out of the water when it is closed. Rip currents are strong, so swim only between the flags. Winds pick up in the afternoon, so the sea is calmer in the morning. UV levels are extremely high.

Cottesloe Beach

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