Nothing beats the flexibility and freedom that comes with a driving holiday. No fussing with schedules or tickets, no worrying about missing connections or catching trains or planes. With a car or campervan at your disposal, you are in full control of your holiday itinerary – you decide where you want to go, how long you want to stay and what you want to see.
And few places beat Western Australia (WA) as an ideal destination for the ultimate driving adventure. Affectionately known as the “Road Trip State”, WA is only 4.5 hours away by plane and shares the same time zone as Singapore, so you won’t have to deal with jetlag. And because driving is the best way to experience the raw natural beauty of the region (rentals are easy as the Singapore licence is recognised there), WA also has many road trip guides with details of recommended routes, and advice on the different types of vehicles available for rent like campervans, caravans, or motorhomes.
As the country’s largest state, WA is teeming with unique experiences that go beyond the usual Perth farm stays and Margaret River Region wineries. Consider a two-week trip to the Coral Coast instead, to immerse yourself in the beauty of 1,250km of breathtaking landscapes, wildflowers, exhilarating marine wildlife encounters and the world’s largest fringing coral reef, Ningaloo Reef (Nyinggulu). Aim to visit between March and October when the days are sunny, and evenings, cool.
And Avis car rental has made things even easier with their Avis one way rental deal, allowing you to drive the Coral Coast Highway north from Perth to Exmouth, drop the car off there, and take a short two-hour flight back to Perth. You can, of course, do it the other way round – Avis allows you to indicate whether you’d like to pick up the car in Perth or Exmouth. Whichever option you go for, a grand adventure awaits.
Enjoy the vast skies with stargazing and skydiving
The first stop after Perth should be Cervantes, a relaxed coastal town which also functions as the gateway city to Nambung National Park, where the famous Pinnacles Desert can be found. Plunge into a mysterious, otherworldly landscape as you take in these ancient limestone structures, and sign up for a stargazing tour for the amazingly clear perspective of our Milky Way.
If you love seafood, make a stop at the legendary Lobster Shack, which offers visitors the chance to visit its factory to see how the seafood is processed, as well as the delicious experience of eating the freshest lobster.
Next up should be Jurien Bay, a tranquil seaside getaway which nonetheless has the power to spike your heart rate and adrenaline levels with its skydiving opportunities. Sign up for freefalls from 8,000; 10,000 and 14,000ft – you’ll get bragging rights plus a certificate of achievement to prove you did it.
Animal lovers should grab the chance to get up close to the rare Australian sea lion – WA is one of the few places on Earth where you can see these adorable sea puppies. Book a cruise so you can watch them from a boat – or dive in and swim with these playful creatures.
Kaleidoscopes of colour – hike through spectacular wildflowers and marvel at a pink lake
More delights await you as you continue up the coast and hit Geraldton (Jambinu), a lively waterfront escape packed with great cafes, restaurants and bars. Its world-class beaches mean world-class watersports of every kind – take your pick from scuba-diving, fishing, sailing, snorkelling, surfing and swimming.
Make sure you tear yourself away from the sea and venture into the countryside if you are there between July and October. The area around Geraldton bursts into bloom with wildflower meadows erupting with pink, white and yellow everlastings, making for extremely beautiful hikes.
An hour’s drive away is the iconic Hutt Lagoon – one of the continent’s most beguiling pink lakes. This stunning natural phenomenon is a result of water bodies with high salinity and a specific form of algae. View it by foot, buggy or scenic flight – Hutt Lagoon changes colour from red to bubblegum pink to lilac, depending on the time of day and weather conditions, but it is always a wondrous sight.
Gape at the “Grand Canyon” of Australia
Next up is Kalbarri National Park, definitely one of the highlights of the Coral Coast. Go bushwalking and gorge hiking through a staggering 183,000ha of landscape marked by dramatic red sandstone features carved out by the mighty Murchison River.
Check out the jaw-dropping Skywalk, the park’s newest attraction with two cantilevered platforms extending 25m from the edge, giving anyone who ventures out a heart-stopping view through steel mesh into the deep gorge below. The other standout is Nature’s Window – where a natural rock formation frames a picturesque view with layered sandstone.
Get up close to fossils – and friends with fur, flippers and fins
Next up is a visit to Monkey Mia Conservation Park. No monkeys here, instead its position within the Shark Bay World Heritage area should give you a clue that marine life is the focus here. Wild bottlenose dolphins visit the shoreline almost daily, while ocean kayak tours with Aboriginal guides are available, as well as the chance to see the oldest living fossils on Earth – stromatolites – at Hamelin Pool.
Continue on to Ningaloo (Nyinggulu), one of the world’s largest fringing reefs, which is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List because of its exceptional biodiversity. Swim with one of the big three – whale sharks, manta rays, humpback whales – or embark on a coral reef tour. If you’re there between December and March, you may even get to see turtles nesting and hatching at Coral Bay.
Your journey ends in Exmouth, a welcoming coastal getaway, where you will drop off the car. A sunset sailing cruise on a luxury catamaran might be the perfect way to finish off your Coral Coast adventure before you hop on that two-hour flight back to Perth.
For more inspiration, check out WA road trip guides. Visit the Deals page to enjoy various promotional deals from Tourism Western Australia’s partners.