10 Best Beaches in Esperance, Western Australia – Kangaroos + Map

Esperance is home to some of the most incredible beaches in Australia. Think ridiculously white sand, crystal-clear turquoise water and huge stretches of coastline where you can sometimes have an entire beach to yourself.

We’ve spent multiple summers exploring the beaches in Esperance and, even after travelling all around Australia, this is still one of our favourite coastal destinations in the country. We ended up spending around three months here on one trip alone, which gave us plenty of time to find the well-known spots as well as some of the quieter beaches outside of town.

From Lucky Bay and its famous kangaroos to our personal favourite, Wharton Beach, these are 10 of the best beaches in Esperance that we’d recommend adding to your trip.

Map of the best Esperance beaches

The beaches in this guide are spread across three main areas. The main beaches in Esperance, including Twilight Beach, West Beach, Blue Haven and Eleven Mile Lagoon, are found along the Great Ocean Drive close to Esperance town.

Lucky Bay, Hellfire Bay and Thistle Cove are around 50–60 kilometres away in Cape Le Grand National Park, while Wharton Beach is the furthest east.

If you have a few days in Esperance, it’s best to split them up into groups rather than trying to see everything at once. Spend one day driving the Great Ocean Drive, another exploring Cape Le Grand National Park and give Wharton Beach its own half or full day.

1. Wharton Beach

If we had to choose just one beach in Esperance, it would be Wharton Beach. After travelling all around Australia, there’s honestly not much that compares. The sand is incredibly white, the water is that insane shade of blue Esperance is famous for, and the beach is long enough that it rarely feels crowded.

What really made us love Wharton, though, was being able to spend an entire day here. We’d park up on the beach, set up for the day, swim, catch small waves on our longboards and, best of all, watch all the dogs enjoy this slice of paradise. The protected end of the beach is also a beautiful spot for swimming when conditions are calm, and it’s worth going for a snorkel along the rocks.

Wharton is outside Esperance town, so allow roughly an hour to get there. It’s definitely further than any of the other beaches on this list, but don’t skip it because of the drive. It’s a place that’s even better in person.

Best for: Full beach days, travelling with a dog, surfing small waves, 4WDing and incredible turquoise water.
Our tip: Go early and make a day of it. Just be sure to check the wind and weather conditions, as this beach really relies on good conditions to look like the photos.

2. Lucky Bay

If there’s one Esperance beach you’ve probably already seen on social media, it’s Lucky Bay. Located inside Cape Le Grand National Park, Lucky Bay is famous for its incredibly white sand, turquoise water and kangaroos that are sometimes spotted around the beach.

Seeing kangaroos here was one of the highlights of our time in Esperance. We found them close to the beach entrance during an evening walk, so I’d recommend visiting early in the morning or later in the afternoon when it’s generally a little quieter. Even without the kangaroos, Lucky Bay is worth visiting for the scenery alone. The beach is huge, and you can easily spend hours swimming, walking along the sand and exploring the surrounding national park.

Lucky Bay is inside Cape Le Grand National Park, so national park entry fees apply. If you’re travelling with a dog, keep in mind that dogs aren’t permitted within the national park. There’s also a campground directly behind Lucky Bay. It’s one of the most popular places to camp around Esperance, so it’s best to book well ahead if staying here is high on your list. You can check Lucky Bay Campground availability here.

Best for: Kangaroos, iconic Esperance views and camping
Our tip: Visit early in the morning or later in the day for the best chance of seeing the kangaroos. If there are no available campsites, keep refreshing the booking page every day. There are usually cancellations, so you might get lucky.

3. Twilight Beach

Twilight Beach is probably the most recognisable beach close to Esperance town. Its most famous feature is the huge granite rock sitting just offshore with a distinctive hole through the middle. The rock is a popular spot for cliff jumping. For the adventurous souls, you’ll have to swim around 100m out and climb the rock, but you’ll be rewarded with one of the best views over the beach. Combined with the white sand and bright blue water, it makes this one of the most photogenic beaches along the Great Ocean Drive.

It’s also one of our favourite beaches in Esperance for a swim close to town. The bay can be relatively protected from large waves compared with some of the more exposed beaches along this stretch of coastline, and it’s easy to access, making it ideal for families and people looking for a relaxing swim.

Just around the corner is Picnic Cove, accessed from the same car park. It often gets overlooked, but we loved coming here towards the end of the day for sunset.

Best for: Swimming, families and iconic Esperance scenery
Our tip: Combine it with the other beaches along the Great Ocean Drive.

4. Hellfire Bay

Another of our favourite beaches inside Cape Le Grand National Park is Hellfire Bay. It has everything you expect from an Esperance beach. Soft white sand, incredibly clear water and granite headlands surrounding the bay.

It’s a great place to stop for a swim while exploring Cape Le Grand, and there are toilets, BBQs and an undercover picnic area near the car park, making it easy to spend a few hours here. Like most of the beaches in Esperance, Hellfire Bay is best visited in the morning, before the southerly winds tend to pick up. We found mornings generally worked well across Esperance anyway, particularly during summer when afternoons typically get very windy.

If you have extra time, walk to Little Hellfire Bay, which is just a short 20-minute hike. The track climbs over the neighbouring headland and gives you some incredible views back over Hellfire Bay before dropping down to an even smaller, secluded beach.

Best for: Swimming, picnics and beautiful Cape Le Grand scenery
Our tip: Visit in the morning before the wind picks up.

5. Blue Haven Beach

It’s pretty easy to see where Blue Haven Beach gets its name. This small beach along the Great Ocean Drive is surrounded by granite boulders and filled with bright blue water. A steep staircase leads from the car park down towards the beach, and the view on the way down is one of our favourites.

Because of the rocks surrounding the bay, Blue Haven can feel more protected from the wind than some of the more exposed beaches in Esperance. The flat rocks along the side of the beach were some of our favourite places to set up for a few hours, jump in for a swim and then warm back up in the sun.

Best for: Swimming and sunbaking.
Our tip: Visit earlier in the day when it’s quieter, as parking is limited.

6. Eleven Mile Lagoon

If you’re looking for one of the quieter beaches in Esperance, continue along the Great Ocean Drive to Eleven Mile Lagoon. This was one of our favourites whenever we wanted to escape the busier beaches closer to town. Eleven Mile is also dog-friendly, making it a great option if you’re travelling around Esperance with a dog.

A large offshore reef creates a beautiful natural lagoon, making the water inside much calmer when conditions line up. On the other side you’ll find a longer stretch of beach and rock pools to explore. One of the best things about Eleven Mile is that the two sides can offer quite different conditions, which came in handy on windy days. The lagoon is generally best around high tide, when there’s more water over the reef.

You can also drive down onto the beach, but the access is steep and the sand can be very soft. We’d only recommend attempting it if you’re experienced with driving a 4WD on sand and have recovery gear.

Best for: Sheltered swimming, rock pools and escaping the crowds.
Our tip: Check the tide and aim for high tide if you want to swim in the lagoon.

7. West Beach

Just a few minutes from Esperance town, West Beach is one of the first major stops along the Great Ocean Drive. The view from the top of the stairs gives you a great introduction to how dramatic the Esperance coastline is. Huge cliffs run along one side, while turquoise water and granite formations stretch along the other. The beach is also dog-friendly, and you’ll often see locals walking their dogs along this stunning coastline.

West Beach can be rougher and more exposed than some of the other beaches in Esperance, like Twilight or Blue Haven, and there is often a strong current through the reef, so it’s best to use caution before jumping straight in.

There are reef breaks around this part of the coast, and you’ll often see surfers out when the conditions are right. Even if you’re not planning on swimming, it’s worth stopping for the view while driving the Great Ocean Drive.

Best for: Coastal views and surfing
Our tip: Stop here at the beginning of your Great Ocean Drive beach day.

8. Nine Mile Beach & Lagoon

As you get further around the Great Ocean Drive, the beaches in Esperance start to feel noticeably more rugged and quiet. The open ocean here can get rough, but further along the beach, the reef creates a protected lagoon where you can find much calmer water in the right conditions.

We also loved the views from around the Nine Mile Beach car park towards the end of the day. You’re looking straight out across the rugged coastline, making it a beautiful place to stop around sunset.

Best for: Lagoon swimming, surfing and sunsets.
Our tip: Be careful around the exposed ocean and stick to the protected lagoon when conditions are rough.

9. Thistle Cove

Thistle Cove doesn’t get quite the same attention as Lucky Bay or Hellfire Bay, which is part of what makes it so nice. A short walk from the car park brings you down to a secluded bay surrounded by huge granite boulders. On a calm day, it’s a beautiful place to swim or simply find a spot on the sand and relax.

While you’re here, don’t miss Whistling Rock, a naturally shaped granite formation near the car park that can create a whistling sound as the wind moves around it. Thistle Cove is also connected to other parts of Cape Le Grand by the park’s coastal walking trail, so it’s worth allowing some extra time if you want to explore beyond the beach. We actually visited Thistle Cove via the coastal walking trail while we were camping at Lucky Bay. It’s an easy 5km return trail that took us around 1.5 hours to complete.

Best for: Quiet swims, beautiful scenery and coastal walks
Our tip: Combine Thistle Cove, Hellfire Bay and Lucky Bay on the same Cape Le Grand day trip.

10. Wylie Bay

Wylie Bay feels completely different to many of the other Esperance beaches on this list. It’s particularly popular for 4WDing, with beach access and huge white sand dunes stretching behind the coast.

One of the most recognisable spots is the sandy strip leading towards the granite rocks, where you can find turquoise water on either side when the conditions and tides are right. The dunes were actually one of our favourite parts. The sand is unbelievably white, and climbing higher gives you incredible views back towards the ocean.

Best for: 4WDing, sand dunes and photography.

Best time to visit Esperance beaches

For beach weather, we’d recommend visiting Esperance during the warmer months between December and April. We spent time here between January and April and had some incredible weather. Over the three months we were in the region, we only had a handful of rainy days.

That said, Esperance is on Australia’s southern coastline and the weather can change quickly. Even in summer it can get surprisingly cool, particularly once the wind picks up. The wind is definitely something to consider. We found that mornings were generally the best time to explore the beaches in Esperance. We’d get up early, head straight to the coast and make the most of the calmer conditions before the afternoon winds arrived.

How many days do you need in Esperance?

I’d recommend spending at least five days in Esperance. It’s a long way from Perth, so you don’t want to arrive and rush through everything in two days.

Five days gives you enough time to explore some of the best beaches in Esperance along the Great Ocean Drive, spend a full day in Cape Le Grand National Park, make the trip out to Wharton Beach and still have some flexibility if the weather isn’t perfect.

If you’re doing a longer Western Australia road trip, you could easily spend a week here. We ended up staying considerably longer and never really got sick of the beaches.

Do you need a 4WD in Esperance?

No, you don’t need a 4WD to explore the beaches in Esperance. All of the main beaches along the Great Ocean Drive and within Cape Le Grand National Park can be accessed by 2WD. A 4WD does give you the option to drive onto some beaches and explore further along the coast, but it isn’t essential for an Esperance trip.

Dog-friendly beaches in Esperance

Esperance is a great destination to explore with your dog, with plenty of beautiful dog-friendly beaches to choose from.

Dogs aren’t permitted inside Cape Le Grand National Park, so Lucky Bay, Hellfire Bay and Thistle Cove aren’t options if your dog is travelling with you.

Outside the national parks, there are plenty of options. Our personal favourite is Wharton Beach, but some other dog-friendly beaches close to town include West Beach, Blue Haven, Eleven Mile Beach and the left side of Twilight Beach.

Where to stay in Esperance

The best places to stay are either in Esperance town or, if you can secure a campsite, inside Cape Le Grand National Park for part of your trip.

Staying in town makes it much easier to access supermarkets, restaurants and many of the best beaches in Esperance along the Great Ocean Drive. You’ll also have a much wider choice of accommodation, from caravan parks to holiday rentals and hotels.

We liked RAC Esperance Holiday Park when travelling through the area. It was affordable, convenient for town and had modern facilities, powered sites and cabins.

If you want to wake up closer to some of the best beaches in Esperance, Cape Le Grand has campgrounds at Lucky Bay and Le Grand Beach. These are incredibly popular, particularly during peak periods, so book as early as you can.

Planning a Western Australia road trip?

Esperance is just one of the incredible stops you can add to a Western Australia road trip. If you’re planning a bigger trip around Australia, my Australia Travel Guide includes easy-to-follow itineraries, travel tips for every state and hundreds of pinned places we’ve personally visited around the country.

You can also read my 14-day Perth to Exmouth road trip itinerary for another of our favourite Western Australia routes.