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Rottnest Island Travel Guide, Perth, Western Australia. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Rottnest Island Travel Guide – Where to Stay, Eat and Drink and What to Do on Rottnest Island

Rottnest Island. Ah… Yes, that’s the sound of a deep sigh. This drop-dead gorgeous island with squeaky white sand beaches and sparkling waters off the coast of Perth, the Western Australian capital, is one of our favourite destinations. Here’s our Rottnest Island travel guide with our tips to where to stay, eat and drink and what to do on Rottnest Island.

Just a 25-minute ferry ride from Fremantle, some 20 kilometres off the coast of Perth, Western Australia, Rottnest Island – or ‘Rotto’ as the locals like to call it – is one of those wonderful sorts of old-fashioned holiday spots that have you wondering why you’d never been before, how you can manage to stay longer, and when you’ll next get a chance to return.

Below you can read about our last stay on Rottnest island and how to relish the retro charm and ravishing beauty of Rottnest Island and, beneath that, you’ll find our comprehensive Rottnest Island travel guide with recommendations for where to stay, eat and drink, how to get your bearings, things to do and see, and our budget travel tips.

Last updated: 22 March 2023

Rottnest Island Travel Guide – How to Relish the Retro Charm and Ravishing Beauty of Rottnest Island

Sapphire coloured ocean wherever you look, sheltered aquamarine coves with crescents of creamy sand, windswept grassland fragrant with wild rosemary, ospreys building nests upon craggy cliffs, salty winds whipping your sun-kissed cheeks, and wherever you go, seagulls squawking overhead.

Shimmering salt lakes are skirted by samphire and saltbush, walking tracks shaded by Morton Bay figs and Aleppo pines snake around rocky headlands, shiny white boats bob in the water, pelicans strut along the quiet shore, and handsome sandstone cottages offer wide verandas for sipping cold beers while watching the sun goes down.

And everywhere you go, the island’s famous, furry little quokkas, miniature kangaroo-like pouched marsupials, hop about as if they own the place, causing minor havoc as they attempt to steal your food. Although it was already called Wadjemup, meaning ‘place across the water’, by the indigenous Noongar people, Dutch mariner Willem de Vlamingh, named it ‘Rottenest’ or ‘Rat’s Nest’ Island in 1696… because he thought the adorable quokkas looked like rats. Aww…

When we last visited Rottnest Island – after the day-trippers had caught the last ferry back to Perth, after a feast on fantastic Australian seafood at the island’s best restaurant (starving from cycling all afternoon), and after we’d enjoyed too many glasses of wine and games of pool with the locals in the pub bar – we laid on the old sofa on the sandy patio of our weatherboard beachside bungalow and listened to the waves quietly lapping against the sandy shore.

Rottnest Island Travel Guide, Perth, Western Australia. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

As we gazed at the countless stars in what must be the world’s clearest sky, it felt as if we were completely alone. Islands don’t come more romantic than Rottnest.

Well, except in summer, on weekends and during school holidays when Rottnest is teeming with groups of flirty teenagers and big noisy families and, unless you fit into one of those categories, is best avoided.

Rottnest Island is not a tiny island – it’s eleven kilometres long and 5 kilometres wide – but the main settlement on Thompson Bay can feel crowded during those peak periods. The rest of the time, the place is tranquil and low-key, and the laidback vibe, untamed beauty and rustic charm are a big part of Rotto’s appeal.

Apart from a couple of slick modern mini-markets – with shelves crammed with gourmet products, baked goods and bottles of Margaret River wines, that are easily as well-stocked as any fancy supermarket on the mainland – and the sleek bar of the Rottnest Hotel with its floor-to-ceiling glass walls and funky white chairs, you’d think you’d stepped back in time to a holiday spot of your Australian childhood.

That contemporary designer bar is somewhat incongruously attached to a grand old sandstone pub with wide timber verandas and a corrugated iron roof, and beyond that, gravelly paths lead to rustic accommodation, more in keeping with a school holiday camp than one of Perth’s most popular tourist destinations. And that’s the way locals like it.

We spent just two days on Rottnest Island – or ‘Rotto’ as the locals call it – and we were kicking ourselves we hadn’t planned to stay longer. We visited off-season, at the end of the southern hemisphere spring and the start of the Aussie winter, and the weather was just lovely – it wasn’t quite warm enough for sunbathing and swimming (surfers wore wetsuits and we needed jackets for the evenings), but the days were balmy and we were ambling about and biking around in t-shirts.

We not only visited off-season but we went mid-week, so there were none of the crowds the island draws on weekends and during high season and it was dead quiet in the evening after the day-trippers left. We were wishing we’d booked the bungalow for a week and taken a few books.

Rottnest Island Travel Guide, Perth, Western Australia. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

There is a lot to do on Rottnest island if you want to get active. There are 60-odd beaches and excellent swimming, surfing, snorkelling, diving, and fishing, as well as some 50 kilometres of road to explore on bike or foot.

One of the brilliant things about Rottnest is that aside from a handful of vehicles (for police, island staff etc), a shuttle bus and tour bus, there are no other vehicles, so you can cycle and stroll in safety and silence.

Rottnest island’s wild beauty is a big part of its appeal. Blanketed in native bushland and speckled with wildflowers in season, Rotto boasts a dramatic coastline marked by intriguing rock formations, punctuated by secluded bays of turquoise water so clear you can see the reefs and fish, while inland there are the still lakes that gave the island its indigenous name. A dedicated nature reserve, it’s in pristine condition.

On land, there are the adorable quokkas that keep visitors amused, and less visible native wildlife including reptiles such as frogs, gekkos and snakes (take care), and abundant birdlife, from enormous raptors and handsome red-capped plovers to big muttonbirds and handsome pelicans. Don’t forget to take binoculars and long lenses.

Off shore, there are hundreds of species of tropical fish, coral and crustaceans, green turtles, bottle-nose dolphins, sting-rays, New Zealand seals, Australian sea-lions, and whales, including some 35,000 Humpback and Southern Right whales that play in the water on their way north in April and again from September to December on their return journey back down the coast.

Soon after arriving on the ferry from Fremantle we did the 90-minute tour by bus (link below), which, with a fascinating commentary by the driver and stops at picturesque spots like Wadjemup Lighthouse, was a great way to get our bearings while seeing the sights, as well as learn about the history of the island. For instance, I had no idea the treacherous coast was responsible for 13 shipwrecks.

We lunched in the sun at Rottnest Hotel on salty fish and chips and fried calamari, and sipped crisp white wine as we gazed at the still water of Thompson Bay. Then we grabbed a map and bottles of water and hopped on bicycles to explore on our own. We did the same thing the next day.

Had we have stayed longer, Terence would have hit some surfing spots and we would have done a few tours, including the free walks offered by the Rottnest Island Voluntary Guides, covering everything from nature and wildlife to the tragic indigenous history of the island.

Sadly, Rotto does have a dark past. It was once an indigenous penal colony and part of the old prison buildings are now used by Rottnest Lodge. After ten Aboriginal prisoners were taken to the island in 1883, Rottnest was established as a penal colony and remained so for almost a century.

During that time, some 3,700 indigenous men and boys were imprisoned, 369 of whom died. Most deaths were from disease, however, five were hung. There is a cemetery at Thomson Bay settlement that can be visited.

Like many cities around Australia boasting colonial buildings, many of those on Rottnest were constructed by convict labour, including the heritage buildings, lighthouse and sea walls. Look out for interpretive signs as you stroll around the island.

The Rottnest Island Authority, which manages the island, and the Noongar people are working together in a spirit of reconciliation that will see the Rottnest Lodge buildings handed over in a few years.

A “Welcome to Country” by Noongar elders often precedes important events and ceremonies. The annual Wadjemup Cup, an indigenous youth football tournament, is held on the island, and activities such as basket weaving, taught by indigenous women, take place.

As I said, we are still plotting our return – only next time it will definitely be for longer, with a pile of books, and off-season, with only those cute quokkas for company.

Rottnest Island Travel Guide

Here’s our Rottnest Island travel guide with our tips to where to stay, eat and drink and what to do on Rottnest Island.

Where to Stay on Rottnest Island – Rottnest Island Hotels, Glamping, Bungalows, Heritage Cottages, Hostels and Camping

You’ll need to book Rottnest Island accommodation well ahead, especially if you’re planning to travel here during school holidays, as the island is enormously popular with Perth families. If you don’t have kids and you’re looking for romance, we recommend mid-week any time of year or weekends outside school holidays.

While the more basic accommodation is very affordable by Australian standards, share with family and friends to save even more money and check the deals and packages on sites such as Luxury Escapes which specialises in luxury on a budget.

Discovery Rottnest Island is the pick of the island’s lodgings for beach-lovers with safari-style glamping tents over-looking the white sands and aquamarine sea.

Rottnest Island Travel Guide, Perth, Western Australia. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

If you want hotel-style accommodation, the beachfront Hotel Rottnest lodgings have been spruced up and rebranded as ‘barefoot boutique accommodation’ and is now called Samphire Rottnest. Stylish, minimalist, light-filled rooms feature polished concrete floors with seagrass mats, natural timber furniture and paneling, and bamboo chairs and coffee tables. Book a beachfront room for big furnished terraces with bay views.

The old Rottnest Lodge, set back from the beach, has also had a revamp and rebrand and is now called Karma Rottnest. Rooms have been modernised and have a cleaner look in neutral colours with local photography on the walls and cane chairs. (Note that the historic part of the building dating back to 1864 was part of the former prison.)

But for many Perth holidaymakers, the real charm of Rottnest is in its old-fashioned, unpretentious self-contained accommodation managed by Rottnest Island Authority, including weatherboard bungalows dating to the 1920s and charming heritage sandstone cottages.

While some accommodation has been renovated with modern furniture and well fitted out kitchens, other accommodation is very basic so best to look at the photos online before you book. Most lie slap-bang on the beachfront, within splashing distance of the sea, and boast ocean views. There are also newer, smarter villas and units with balconies with sweeping bay vistas.

Some accommodation is set back from the beach without any views so be clear about what you want when you book and book well in advance. At the time of research, low-season prices started from $76/84 for a 4-/6-bed bungalow and $100 a night for the 4-bed chalet mid-week in low season, and go up to $450 a night during high season for the beautiful 6-bed Commander’s Cottages on the headland. Less atmospheric, but useful for backpackers, are the 6-bed dorm-style cabins, starting from $68, that are popular with students. There’s also a hostel and camping ground.

How to Get to Rottnest Island

The easiest and most affordable way to get to Rottnest Island is by ferry from Fremantle (ticket office at B Shed, Victoria Quay; 25 minutes), ferry from Hillarys Boat Harbour (45 minutes) or from Perth’s Barrack Street Jetty (90 minutes), which is a lovely way to go if you haven’t yet done the cruise to Fremantle. You can also take a spectacular seaplane flight as the island has a small airport.

Get Your Bearings on Rottnest Island

The ferry will bring you to the main dock at the Thomson Bay Settlement, where you’ll find the Rottnest Island Visitors Centre, shops, restaurants, pubs, and most of the accommodation. Your first point of call should be the Visitors Centre, to collect the key to your pre-booked accommodation, and pick up maps and guides to the island’s swimming, surfing, snorkelling, diving, and fishing spots.

After that, we highly recommend doing the informative Rottnest Island bus tour soon after you arrive to get your bearings, to get a handle on the distances involved, and to note down the nicest beach spots where you fancy a swim, surf or snorkel, as well as to learn about the history, culture and nature of the island.

How to Get around Rottnest Island

Cars are not allowed on Rottnest Island, but you can get around Rottnest island by bus, by bicycle, by segway, and on foot. If you don’t want to pay for the bus tour, we recommend taking the map and brochure from the Visitor Centre and doing a circuit around the island on the regular Rottnest Island Bus Service (A$3-5).

Then hire a bike to cycle back to places you liked. Save your feet for shorter walks and romantic strolls on the beach or to sunrise/sunset viewing vantage points. Bike rental includes locks, as well as other gear, like snorkelling sets. They also offer a rescue service if you get a flat or a bike pick-up if you get exhausted – you simply lock your bike at a numbered bus stop, hop on the bus, and they will collect your wheels later.

Things to Do on Rottnest Island

Do a Tour of Rottnest Island

Tours are not only terrific for getting your bearings, but getting greater insight into the place where you’re going to spend some time. If you’re interested in the history, geography, nature and wildlife of the island, definitely do the super-informative bus tour (1hr 45mins, departing several times a day). The drivers give a fascinating live commentary and stops for photo ops at some stunning locations including Wadjemup Lighthouse and the West End.

Hiring bikes to do a self-guided tour of the island is a must. Cycling around was definitely one of our favourite things to do on Rottnest Island. You can rent bikes on the island, but if you’re going to Rotto on a weekend or school holidays we recommend booking bike hire in advance. A ferry and bike package is the best way to do that.

A segway tour is one of the most popular things to do on Rottnest Island and is a good option if you prefer a guided tour, you’re not a fan of cycling or want to save your energy for swimming and snorkelling. Options include anything from a 1-hour segway settlement tour to a full-day segway tour. Wear a hat and sunscreen and take a small day-pack for water and snacks.

If you want to dig even deeper into the history, the Rottnest Voluntary Guides Association, runs a number of free walking tours in and around the settlement covering the history, culture and heritage architecture of Rotto. They depart from the Visitor Centre.

Swimming on Rottnest Island

Swimming in Rotto’s crystal clear waters are a must. The best spots for taking a dip are The Basin, Thomson Bay, Longreach Bay, Little Parakeet Bay, and Geordie Bay, all roped off and not far from The Settlement, and a bit further afield on the southern side of the Island, Little Salmon Bay, Salmon Bay and Nancy Cove.

Surfing Rottnest Island

Rottnest Island boasts some of the best surfing in the state, with waves larger here than on Perth beaches. Popular spots for surfing and bodysurfing include Strickland Bay (ranked one of the world’s top 50 breaks), Stark Bay and Salmon Bay, while locals love the reef breaks off Radar Reef, Cathedral Rocks and Chicken Reef. If you’re going specifically to surf check the weather and surf conditions online.

Snorkelling and Diving on Rottnest Island

Abundant fish and coral species, along with shipwrecks, make Rottnest Island a superb spot for snorkelling and diving. You can hire snorkelling gear from Rottnest Island Bike & Hire and do snorkel trails at Parker Point and Kingstown Reef. You can also do snorkelling tours and diving trips. This package includes the ferry tickets, snorkelling and bike hire and is a bargain.

Cruise Around Rottnest Island

In good weather, you can do this adventure boat tour, which circumnavigates the island on a 90-minute tour taking in whales (in season), a New Zealand fur seal colony out at Cathedral Rocks, and other marine-life and birdlife, such as dolphins and giant ospreys. Some boat tours include snorkelling time, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding, so check the fine print.

Sky-Diving Over Rottnest Island

For thrill-seekers, you can do a skydive tour over Rottnest Island, which you definitely need to book ahead during school holidays. Ferry and sky-dive packages are the best way to go.

Where to Eat and Drink on

Rottnest Island – Rottnest Island Restaurants, Bars, Cafes, Bakeries and Coffee Vans

There are just enough Rottnest Island restaurants and bars, bakeries and takeaway to keep you sated for a holiday. Plus all of the self-catering accommodation on the island has decent, reasonably well-equipped kitchens, if you prefer to mix things up and do some cooking, or at the very least prep your own salads and sandwiches.

Self-Catering, Bakeries, Coffee Vans and Cafes

Rottnest Bakery also has freshly made sandwiches and daily-baked goods made in-house including pies, sausage rolls, sourdough bread, and old-fashioned pastries, such as cream buns, vanilla slices cream and jam doughnuts, make a beeline for Rottnest Bakery. They also cold drinks, hot coffee, ice-cream, and family meals of chicken, chips and salad from their Chook Shack window. Located at Thomson Bay Settlement, Maley Street.

The Rottnest Island General Store has a great range of liquor and groceries including gourmet goodies, fresh fruit and veg, dairy, cheeses, meat, poultry, and fish, at Perth prices, delivered daily from their mainland supermarket, the IGA Canning Bridge. You can even order ahead online and they’ll deliver to your accommodation and even pack the perishables in your fridge! They now have a second outlet, Geordie Bay General Store, located on Hydroflyte Loop, Geordie Bay.

Frankie’s on Rotto is a cheery, casual, all-day café and restaurant offering breakfast, lunch and dinner. Kick off the day with smashd avo and eggs, wild mushrooms and goat’s cheese on toast, or a bacon and egg roll. Coffee is locally roasted by Micrology. For lunch and dinner, there are sourdough pizzas, salads and pasta, with vegan options, and Margaret River and Great Southern wines, craft beers and ciders to wash it all down with.

Look out for Lexi’s, a cool restored vintage caravan, offering good coffee, snacks and ice-cream, located at the West End at the time of updating, but has been known to move around, generally to some of Rotto’s most scenic spots.

Kalli’s and Maeve’s are two more coffee vans, that are currently offering coffee, cold drinks, cocktails, beers, and tapas at The Top Bar, an atmospheric alfresco spot illuminated by fairy lights in the Settlement. This is a pop-up so check their website before, ahem, popping over.

The Lane café offers freshly roasted coffee, juices, smoothies, acai bowls, breakfast burgers, burgers/dogs, and lunch bowls, and can cater to a range of dietary requirements: gluten free, lactose free, vegan, and vegetarian. Located at the Thomson Bay Settlement, Maley Street.

Save room for a Simmos Ice Cream, made with fresh local WA produce, with over 60 flavours. Thomson Bay Settlement, Maley Street.

Restaurants and Bars

Lunch in the sunshine by the beach with the quokkas is a must. It’s one of the best food experiences in Australia for the waterfront location and little furry visitors, as much as the fine Western Australian food, wine and craft beers.

The menu at the Rottnest Hotel includes beachside snacks, such as prawn tacos, Rottnest crayfish sliders, and grilled sourdough with olive oil, Freo sardines and nduja mayo, although it’s hard to beat the DIY feast of half a kilo of Shark Bay prawns with cocktails sauce, lemons and soft buttered bread rolls. There are also salads, whole fish, pizzas, and pub classics such as beer battered fish and chips and Black Angus burgers, all made with WA produce. There’s a long list of local wines and ales, slushies, and summery jugs, including Pimms and sangria. Laidback off-season, in summer the pub takes on a beach party vibe with DJs and live music on weekends.

Isola Bar e Cibo is fab for lunch or dinner in a breezy light-filled dining room, along with outdoor deck seating, all offering breathtaking sea views. Isola offers an Aussie take on a classic Italian beachside bar and restaurant with locally made salumi shaved to order on a hand-cranked slicer paired with house-made pickled vegetables, beautiful antipasti (the gamberoni – wood-grilled whole Shark Bay prawns with scampi butter, capers and lemon is a must), fresh handmade pastas, and WA seafood cooked to perfection over a charcoal fired grill. The drinks menu includes Italian cocktails, spritzes, a long list of Italian wines and Western Australia wines made with Italian grapes.

For dinner, Riva restaurant at Karma may not have ocean views but it has a fine Mediterranean inspired menu based on seasonal WA produce and a good wine list, and there’s a fun bar out back called the Gov’s Bar that’s something of a secret where the Rotto locals like to hang out and play pool.

What it Costs to Visit Rottnest Island

Everyone arriving on Rottnest Island has to pay an admission fee (adults/kids: day only $16.50/$6; extended stay $21.50/$7.50; family $48.50), which is a contribution to the conservation of the island and its facilities. If you arrive by ferry you’ll pay the fee when you pay your fare or it will be included when you book a ferry and tour or bike hire package.

Budget Travel Tips for Rottnest Island

The only downside to Rottnest Island (apart from the high season crowds) is that a visit is expensive. However, the Aussie dollar is currently at a low, making a visit for foreign travellers very affordable right now. Here are our budget tips:

  • Ferry tickets, tours and bike hire are not cheap, and combined with accommodation and food can really add up, so a long stay in self-catering accommodation and cooking your own food might be the best option for you.
  • While the more basic accommodation is very affordable by Australian standards, share with family and friends to save even more money and check the deals and packages on sites such as Luxury Escapes (link above) which specialises in luxury on a budget.
  • Biking is the best way to get around but you can save money by walking everywhere.
  • Self-cater and do as the locals do and fish your meal! If you’re going to be eating out for one meal, we’d recommend making it lunch or an early sunset dinner – there’s nothing like feasting on seafood overlooking the water at the Rotto Hotel.

UPDATED: March 2022

Rottnest Island Authority arranged our stay and their Visitor Information Office should be your first point for comprehensive info on the island. 

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About Lara Dunston

A travel and food writer who has experienced over 70 countries and written for The Guardian, Australian Gourmet Traveller, Feast, Delicious, National Geographic Traveller, Conde Nast Traveller, Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia, DestinAsian, TIME, CNN, The Independent, The Telegraph, Sunday Times Travel Magazine, AFAR, Wanderlust, International Traveller, Get Lost, Four Seasons Magazine, Fah Thai, Sawasdee, and more, as well as authored more than 40 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, DK, Footprint, Rough Guides, Fodors, Thomas Cook, and AA Guides.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anna | The Blonde Banana says

    September 18, 2013 at 3:22 am

    Looks amazing!!

  2. Myran says

    September 18, 2013 at 12:17 pm

    Pretty insightful post! I’m adding it to our list when we visit Australia! :)

  3. Carmen Allan-Petale says

    September 19, 2013 at 9:58 pm

    We love Rotto! It’s so expensive these days unfortunately.
    But it’s such a beautiful slice of paradise.
    We are from Perth and have family links to the island. My husband’s grandfather was in the navy during World War II and towed a target behind his boat so the recruits could practise firing off Rotto.
    There was a strong military presence back then – not sure if you went to the guns /canons on the island?
    To add to your tips I would recommend buying your groceries in Perth and bringing them over because the supermarkets on Rotto are insanely expensive.
    The admission fee is new! We went 18 months ago and there wasn’t one. Shocked about that!

  4. Lara Dunston says

    September 19, 2013 at 10:53 pm

    Isn’t it gorgeous?! We heard about the guns/canons on our guided tour but didn’t have time to see them unfortunately.

    Apparently they have always had the admission fee but most people never realised they were paying it because it’s part of the ferry ticket fee. People complain that the ferry tickets are so expensive but the reason is because it includes the Rotto admission fee. I think they want people to know that so they don’t get a hard time for charging high-priced tickets. But I think the only people who know there’s an admission fee are those who take their own boats across as they have to pay online or at the visitor centre.

    I thought the groceries would be more expensive, but we went to Rotto’s general stores and did a comparison between what we’d been paying at my mum’s local supermarkets (near the Swan Valley) and they were about the same, which is why I didn’t recommend people get their groceries ahead of time. Maybe my mum’s supermarkets aren’t the cheapest either. For us, as foreign residents, everything is expensive in Australia these days. But as you say, it is paradise and we had a blissful couple of days. People save to go overseas for island holidays but I could easily imagine escaping to Rotto for a week of doing nothing in such a beautiful place.

    Thanks for dropping by!

  5. Lara Dunston says

    September 20, 2013 at 10:28 am

    It is so beautiful! Writing that post made me want to go back.

  6. Lara Dunston says

    September 20, 2013 at 11:14 am

    Thanks, Myran, that means a lot. We try to not only convey our experience of a place but also to inspire and provide insight and share helpful advice – especially local/insider tips. If we’ve inspired you to include Rottnest on your Australian itinerary then we’re very happy.

  7. Arianwen says

    September 24, 2013 at 9:32 am

    I’m in Oz now and I hadn’t thought I’d have time to go to WA, but the posts I read on that region are starting to convince me otherwise!

  8. Lidia says

    September 24, 2013 at 6:04 pm

    Such a great and surprising post. I am from Perth but moved to China for 8 years and now i am in London and have been here for 2 years. When I was in China I did not really miss Perth as much as I do now…I guess it is because more people around the world are discovering our slice of heaven in Australia and talking about it in all forms of media. The Guardian had an article about Perth last week and also the Evening Standard just a few days ago…. I hope that it does not get over run by too many tourist and stays relaxed, friendly and beautiful.

  9. Alex | Partial Parallax says

    September 26, 2013 at 7:21 pm

    Yet another fantastic spot to visit in Aus! I need to get over to WA I keep seeing so many great places out there, next time I hit the country I must head on out that way it continues to surprise me just how beautiful it is.

  10. Lara Dunston says

    October 1, 2013 at 1:40 pm

    Western Australia is a must-do for travellers to Oz as far as we’re concerned. We’ve spent months on the road criss-crossing the state to update a couple of editions of Lonely Planet’s Perth and WA Guide, as well as guidebooks to Australia for Rough Guides and DK, and we loved every minute of our WA trip. Highly recommend it, but recommend doing it properly. It’s such a big state, it’s best to hire a car and travel all over for a couple of months. Lots of adventure activities there for you too!

  11. Lara Dunston says

    October 1, 2013 at 1:52 pm

    Thanks, Lidia. We moved overseas, initially to the United Arab Emirates, in 1998 and like you we didn’t miss Australia for years. Then when we began to return for family reasons and began to travel all over for research for guidebooks and magazine stories we were working on we fell in love with our country all over again. Sometimes I think we need a break away from places to appreciate them.

    Look out for a piece on Perth by us on the Guardian too soon :)

    I don’t think Perth will ever be over-ran by tourists – there’s plenty of room in Australia’s cities for everyone :)

    Thanks for dropping by!

  12. Lara Dunston says

    October 1, 2013 at 2:37 pm

    It’s absolutely stunning – do put it on your list. Thanks for visiting us.

  13. andrea says

    October 30, 2013 at 5:08 am

    wow amazing photos and what a beautiful place to visit! thanks for sharing it with us. ciao Andrea

  14. Aaron Schubert says

    August 2, 2014 at 5:31 pm

    Great post mate. Rotto is truly a gem that few people get to explore. We love the snorkeling, and regardless of where the wind is blowing from you can always find a calm bay to enjoy!

  15. Lara Dunston says

    August 4, 2014 at 5:50 pm

    Thanks, Aaron! We totally agree. Rotto is magic, isn’t it?

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Lara and Terence are an Australian-born, Southeast Asia-based travel and food writers and photographers who have authored scores of guidebooks, produced countless travel and food stories, are currently developing cookbooks and guidebooks, and host culinary tours and writing and photography retreats in Southeast Asia.
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Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check o Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check out our seafood recipe collection, especially if you celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve with a fish focused meal in the Southern Italian tradition, transformed by Italian-Americans into the Feast of the Seven Fishes, or like Australians, who celebrate Christmas in the sweltering summer, feast on seafood for Christmas Day lunch, we’ve got lots of easy seafood recipes for you.

Our recipes include a classic prawn cocktail, blini with smoked salmon, a ceviche-style appetiser, and devilled eggs with caviar. We’ve also got recipes for fish soup, seafood pies and pastas, salmon tray bake, and crispy salmon with creamy mashed potatoes.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/seafood-recipes-for-christmas-eve-and-christmas-day-menus/
(Link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas if you’re celebrating!! 

#christmas #christmasfood #seafood #fish #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #grantourismo #grantourismotravels #xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you’re still looking for food inspo for Chris If you’re still looking for food inspo for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day meals, my smoked salmon ‘carpaccio’ recipe is one of dozens of recipes in this compilation of our best Christmas recipes (link below). 

The Christmas recipe compilation includes collections of our best Christmas breakfast recipes, best Christmas brunch recipes, best Christmas starter recipes, best Christmas cocktails, best Christmas dessert recipes, and homemade edible Christmas gifts and more.

My smoked salmon carpaccio recipe makes an easy elegant appetiser that’s made in minutes. If you’re having guests over, you can make the dish ahead by assembling the salmon, capers and pickled onions, and refrigerate it, then pour on the dressing just before serving. 

Provide toasted baguette slices and bowls of additional capers, pickles and dressing, so guests can customise their carpaccio. And open the bubbly!

You’ll find that recipe and many more Christmas recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/best-christmas-recipes/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas!! X

#christmas #christmasfood #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #salmon #smokedsalmon #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels 
#xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I sh If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I shared a collection of recipes for homemade edible Christmas gifts — for condiments, hot sauces, chilli oils, a whole array of pickles, spice blends, chilli salt, furakake seasoning, and spicy snacks, such as our Cambodian and Vietnamese roasted peanuts. 

I love giving homemade edibles as gifts as much as I love receiving them. Who wouldn’t appreciate jars filled with their favourite chilli oils, hot sauces, piquant pickles, and spicy peanuts that loved-ones have taken the time to make? 

Aside from the gesture and affordability of gifting homemade edibles, you’re minimising waste. You can use recycled jars or if buying new mason jars or clip-top Kilner jars, you know they’ll get repurposed.

No need for wrapping, just attach some Christmas baubles or tinsel to the lid. I used squares of Cambodian kramas (cotton scarves), which can be repurposed as napkins or drink coasters, and tied a ribbon or two around the lids, and attached last year’s Christmas tree decorations to some.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/homemade-edible-christmas-gifts/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Yes, that’s Pepper... every time there’s a camera around... 

#christmasgiftideas #ediblegifts ##christmasfoodgifts #foodgifts #giftideas #homemadegifts #christmasfood #ediblegiftideas #hotsauce #chillisauce #sriracha #pickles #homemadepickles #recipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood 
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This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’ This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’s perfect if you’re just back from the fish markets armed with luxurious fresh crab meat. It’s a little sweet, a little spicy, and very, very moreish.

Our crab omelette recipe was one of our 22 most popular egg recipes of 2022 on our website Grantourismo and it’s no surprise. It’s appeared more times than any other egg recipes on our annual round-ups of most popular recipes since Terence launched Weekend Eggs when we launched Grantourismo in 2010.

If you’re an eggs lover, do check out the recipe collection. It includes egg recipes from right around the world, from recipes for classic kopitiam eggs from Singapore and Malaysia and egg curries from India and Myanmar to all kinds of egg recipes from Thailand, Japan, Korea, China, Mexico, USA, Australia, UK, and Ireland.

And do browse our Weekend Eggs archives for further eggspiration (sorry). We have hundreds of egg recipes from the 13 year-old series of recipes for quintessential egg dishes from around the world, which we started on our 2010 year-long global grand tour focused on slow, local and experiential travel. 

We’re hoping 2023 will be the year we can finally publish the Weekend Eggs cookbook we’ve talked about for years based on that series. After we can find a publisher for the Cambodia cookbook of course... :( 

Recipe collection here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio):
https://grantourismotravels.com/22-most-popular-egg-recipes-of-2022-from-weekend-eggs/

If you cook the recipe and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either in the comments at the end of the recipe or share a pic with us here.

#recipe #recipes #eggs #eggslover #breakfasteggs #WeekendEggs #egg #breakfast #brunch #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #lookingforapublisher #writingacookbook  #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angko I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angkor Archaeological Park, home to stupendous Angkor Wat, pictured, celebrated 30 years of its UNESCO World Heritage listing. 

That’s as good an excuse as any to put this magnificent, sprawling archaeological site on your travel list this year.

While riverside Siem Reap, your base for exploring Angkor is bustling once more, there are still nowhere near the visitors of the last busy high season months of December-January 2018-2019 when there were 290,000 visitors. 

Last month there were just 55,000 visitors and December feels a little quieter. A tour guide friend said there were about 150 people at Angkor Wat for sunrise a few days ago.

If you’re looking for tips to visiting Angkor, Siem Reap and Cambodia, just ask us a question in the comments below or check Grantourismo as we’ve got loads of info on our site. Click through to the link in the bio and explore our Cambodia guide or search for ‘Angkor’. 

And please do let us know if you’re coming to Siem Reap. We’d love to see you here x

#siemreap #cambodia #asia #travel #instatravel #traveldeeper #slowtravel #localtravel #experientialtravel #exploremore #neverstopexploring #goexplore #igtravel #angkorwat #angkor #temple #temples #angkorwithoutcrowds #unesco #unescoworldheritagesite #unescoworldheritage #archaeology #archaeologicalsite #traveladdict #beautifuldestinations #beautifulplaces #travelgram #wanderlust #picoftheday📷 #grantourismotravels.
Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky, flavourful and succulent chicken thighs that are fantastic with steamed rice, Chinese greens or a salad, such as a Southeast Asian slaw. 

The chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours before cooking, which ensures it’s packed with flavour, then it can be cooked on a barbecue or in a pan.

Terence’s soy ginger chicken recipe is one of our favourite recipes for a quick and easy meal. I love the sound of the sizzling thighs in the pan, and the warming aromas wafting through the apartment. 

It’s amazing how such flavourful juicy chicken thighs come from such a quick and easy recipe.

Recipe here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio): https://grantourismotravels.com/soy-ginger-chicken-recipe/

If you cook it and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either here or in the comments at the end of the recipe on the site or share a pic with us x 

#recipe #recipes #chicken #soygingerchicken #asianfood #southeastasianfood #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #cookingtime #recipe #recipes #comfortfood #foodblog #food #foodstagram #healthyfood #instafood #healthy #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re mak Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re making with my market haul from Psar Samaki in Siem Reap — all for a whopping 10,000 riel (US$2.50)?! 

Birds-eye chillies thrown in for free! They were on my list but the seller I spent most at (5,000 riel!) scooped up a handful and slipped them into my bag. She was my last stop and knew what I was making.

My Khmer is poor, even after all our years in Cambodia, as I don’t learn languages with the ease I did in my 20s, plus I’m mentally exhausted after researching and writing all day. I have a better vocabulary of Old and Middle Khmer than modern Khmer from studying the ancient inscriptions for the Cambodian culinary history component of our cookbook I’m writing.

So when one seller totalled my purchases I thought she said 5,000 riel but she handed back 4,500 riel! The sum total of two huge bunches of herbs and kaffir lime leaves was 500 riel.

Tip: if visiting Siem Reap, use Khmer riel for local shopping. We’ve mainly used riel since the pandemic started— rarely use US$ now as market sellers quote prices in riels, as do local shops and bakeries, and I tip tuk tuk drivers in riels. I find prices quoted in riels are lower.

Psar Samaki is cheaper than Psar Leu, which is cheaper than Psar Chas, as it’s a wholesale market, which means the produce is fresher. I see veggies arriving, piled high in the back of vehicles, with dirt still on them — as I did on this trip. 

The scent of a mountain of incredibly aromatic pineapples offloaded from the back of a dusty ute was so heady they smelt like they’d just been cut. More exotic European style veggies arrive by big trucks in boxes labelled in Vietnamese (from Dalat) and Mandarin (from China), such as beautiful snow-white cauliflower I spotted.

Note: the freshest produce is sold on the dirt road at the back of the market.

#cambodia #siemreap #foodwriter #foodblogger #foodphotography #igfood #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #instadaily #picoftheday #market #siemreapmarket #psarsamaki #marketfresh #vegetables #healthyfood #marketshopping #traveltips #foodtravel #culinarytravel #localtravel #cooking #cookingtime #curry #homemade #currypaste #grantourismotravels
My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recip My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recipe makes tender meatballs doused in a delightfully tangy-sweet sauce, sprinkled with crispy fried shallots, with carrot-daikon, crunchy cucumber and fragrant herbs. 

The dish is inspired by bún chả, a Hanoi specialty, but it’s not bún chả. No matter what Google or food bloggers tell you. Names are important, especially when cooking and writing about cuisines not our own.

This is an authentic bún chả recipe:  https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-bun-cha-recipe/ You’ll need to get the outdoor BBQ/grill going to do proper smoky bún chả meat patties (not meatballs).

My meatball noodle bowl is perhaps more closely related to dishes such as a Central Vietnam cousin bún thịt nướng (pork skewers on rice noodles in a bowl) and a Southern relation bún bò Nam Bộ (beef atop rice noodles, sprinkled with fried shallots (Nam Bộ=Southern Vietnam) though neither include meatballs. 

Xíu mại= meatballs although they’re different in flavour to mine, which taste more like bún chả patties. Xíu mại remind me of Southern Italian meatballs in tomato sauce.

In Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, home to millions of Khmer, there’s bánh tằm xíu mại. Bánh tằm=silk worm noodles. They’re topped with meatballs, cucumber, daikon, carrot, fresh herbs, crispy fried onions. Difference: cold noodles doused in a sauce of coconut cream and fish sauce. 

Remove the meatballs, add chopped fried spring rolls and it’s Cambodia’s banh sung, which is a rice noodle salad similar to Vietnam’s bún chả giò :) 

Recipe here: (link in bio) https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-meatballs-and-rice-noodles-recipe/

For more on these culinary connections you’ll have to wait for our Cambodian cookbook and culinary history. In a hurry to know? Come support the project on Patreon. (link in bio)

#recipe #recipes #vietnamesefood #cambodianfood #asianfood #southeastasianfood #ricenoodles #rice #noodlebowl #meatballs #igfood #igfoodie #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #writingacookbook #writingacambodiancookbook #patreon #patreoncreator #grantourismo
It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour matches the furnishings of our rented apartment. So, no, I did not colour-coordinate the interiors to match our cat’s eyes. 

I keep getting DMs from pet clothing brands wanting to “partner” with Pepper and send her free cat clothes and cat accessories. Although she did wear a kerchief for a few years in her more adventurous fashion-forward teenage years, I cannot see this cat in clothes now, can you? 

#pepper #blackcat #blackcats #blackcatsofinstagram #blackcatsrule #blackcatsmatter #cat #cats #catsofinstagram #catstagram #catlover #catlovers #catlove #catoftheday #catphoto #catpic #catpics #cambodiancat #cambodiancatsofinstagram #catlife #catloversclub #catoftheday #catgram #catstagram #cats_of_instagram #catphotography #catsofig #catsoftheworld #catsofinsta #cats🐱 #siemreap #cambodia

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