Rise early for breakfast at Firewater Grille before being picked up for a short transfer to Perth’s Barrack Street Jetty (alternatively, a short 10-minute walk is optional and pleasant on a sunny Perth morning).
Today, you’ll discover the magic of Rottnest Island with return ferry tickets from Perth and full-day bike hire for two. Departing Perth at 8.30am, your adventure begins with a scenic 90-minute ferry ride past the shimmering Swan River and Perth city skyline. Once ashore, set your own pace as you cycle past hidden bays, grassy headlands, sweeping ocean views and abundant wildlife. Keep watch for the island’s cheeky mascot – the quokka – and have your camera ready to capture its signature grin.
Return to Perth by approximately 6pm in time for another discounted dinner and an evening at your leisure.
Duxton Hotel Perth inclusions:
- Rottnest Island experience, with return ferry transfer and full-day bike hire
- Daily buffet breakfast at Firewater Grille
- Welcome beer, wine or soft drink per adult at The Bar
- Welcome bottle of wine in-room on arrival
- 10% dining discount at Firewater Grille or The Bar
- 25% discount on laundry services
- Guaranteed 12pm late checkout
- Inclusions valid for two guests
Travel time: Ferry – approx. 90 minutes each way
Five-star Duxton Hotel Perth stay
After one more early start and another delicious Duxton Hotel Perth breakfast, make your way to Victoria Quay in Fremantle by 8am to embark upon your 12-night cruise aboard the Coral Geographer. By 9am, it’ll be smooth sailing – so begins your journey along Western Australia’s Coral Coast.
Settle into your cabin and explore the ship’s facilities, including a lavish dining room, lounge room and the Bridge Deck Bar, before the Captain’s welcome drinks kick-off the adventure.
The remainder of the day is yours to spend at your leisure. Mingle with fellow travellers, make friends with friendly staff and embrace the open Indian Ocean stretching out before you with panoramic views from the bridge deck.
Your Coral Coast cruise inclusions:
- 12 nights of accommodation in a Coral Deck Stateroom (rooms serviced daily)
- All meals, chef-prepared on board
- House wines, beer and spirits included with lunch and dinner meal service (including soft drink and juices)
- Captain’s welcome and farewell drinks
- 24-hour tea and coffee-making facilities
- Excursions aboard the Xplorer expedition tender and inflatable zodiacs
- All guided activities and services indicated in cruise itinerary
- All port and national park entrance fees and taxes
- Standard Wi-Fi, expedition log and trip image gallery
- Post-cruise transfer to Oaks Broome Hotel
Coral Expeditions Cruise
A full day at sea gives you a chance to relish your nautical adventure. Sleep in, enjoy tasty meals and find peace in the passing azure waters from the bridge deck or dining room. Make new friends at the bar and listen to knowledgeable crew offer insight into the landscape ahead.
The Coral Geographer has a unique open bridge policy, allowing guests to enter the ship’s bridge at any time unless otherwise advised. Enquire with the captain and gain an expert insight into the vessel’s inner workings and navigational instrumentation.
If you’d rather leave the sailing to the sailors, head to the gym or lounge the day away in your spacious stateroom.
Today marks your first foray into the Abrolhos Islands – specifically, the most southerly true coral reef in the Indian Ocean known as the Pelsaert Group.
Hop off the ship at Post Office Island and visit Liddon Pearl Farm. Here you’ll learn about pearl cultivation and the families who have worked the Abrolhos waters for four generations.
Snorkel by the island jetty, hop back aboard the Coral Geographer and sit back for a slow journey through this picturesque group of coastal gems.
Wake to another day in paradise on the Coral Coastline, as the cruise continues its tour of the Abrolhos Islands – almost 500km north of Perth. Today, your next onshore excursion awaits with the opportunity to visit Little Sandy Island’s sea lion colony – the largest in the Abrolhos Islands.
Australian sea lions love swimming and playing in these protected waters, so strap on a snorkel and enjoy making the first of many aquatic friends for the trip.
Later, you’ll have further opportunities to snorkel vibrant coral reefs at Squid Hole, Anemone Lump or Morley Island, where marine life thrives in clear waters.
One final day in the Abrolhos Islands means making the most of every second in this coral wildlife wonderland. Onshore, you’ll tour the Wallabi island group where tammar wallabies, skinks and endemic Abrolhos dwarf bearded dragons linger in the sunshine.
You’ll cruise past the Pigeon Islands, rich with history and marine life, before a potential stopover at Beacon Island – the site of the infamous Batavia mutiny of 1629.
Later, another evening is yours at your leisure to find a favourite cocktail or soak in the west coast rays from one of many viewing decks.
After another sumptuous breakfast, peer out the windows to witness Western Australia’s first ever UNESCO World Heritage-listed site – Shark Bay. Spot rare and colourful flora and fauna, including 35% of Australia’s bird species.
Along the way, visit Dirk Hartog Island – the state’s westernmost point and the first recorded landing place by Europeans in 1616. In Francois Peron National Park, you may have the opportunity (conditions permitting) to walk the Wanamalu Trail at Cape Peron, boasting outstanding views of the vibrant coastline.
Then, settle in for a relaxing evening aboard your cruise, ready for tomorrow’s adventures.
Spend another day uncovering the natural gems of Shark Bay. Then, retire to your vessel for a peaceful evening as the Coral Geographer charts a course north towards Exmouth and the Cape Range National Park.
Today’s stop at Muiron Islands is found roughly 15km off the North West Cape and showcases a spectacular reef system where a great diversity of marine life thrives among the coral and turquoise waters.
This is your first sight of Ningaloo Reef – Australia’s largest fringing reef, stretching 300km along the coast of Western Australia. Expert divers will ensure you get the most out of your reef diving experience and witness the best that the Ningaloo Reef has to offer (surcharges apply).
Another day of snorkelling and coastal exploration awaits after breakfast, today stopping at Exmouth for a bus tour of Cape Range National Park. The landscape is home to an ancient collection of limestone canyons and pristine beaches, rolling into one another beneath a blanket of red dust and hardy native shrubbery.
Trained guides will uncover all there is to know about the otherworldly environment and offer insight into the history of Western Australia.
With only a few more stops on the journey to Broome, it’s time to branch out in the dining room and find an exciting cocktail or two. You’ll have plenty of time to share stories with newfound friends as the coastline slips by.
Today’s stop in the Montebello Islands is a favourite for birdwatchers as the marine park’s limestone islands and islets host countless fairy and roseate terns. The area is a treasure trove of marine life and human history, though first-timers may have no inkling on arrival.
These islands saw multiple atomic bomb tests by the British between 1952 and 1956. Marvel at the island group’s incredible reclamation of once-bombed out land, now covered in native plants and wildlife, including the rare rufous hare-wallaby.
Wake to another morning of glorious sunrise as the Coral Geographer pulls into the Dampier Archipelago. The impossibly blue coastline laps at these rust-red islands with vivid contrast as your guide leads you onto land and the day’s adventure begins.
The islands are dotted with millennia-old rock carvings, artefacts and stone arrangements courtesy of the Traditional Yaburara people, all of which will be explained by expert Murujuga Land and Sea Rangers. Plus, 25 of the archipelago’s islands are recognised nature reserves to protect both Aboriginal and European heritage, so respect and curiosity are vital as you tour the ancient landscape.
This will be your final stop on the mainland before pulling into Broome, so soak in the Coral Coast’s magnificence and hop back aboard for one final leg of lounging and all-inclusive dining.
A full day at sea gives you one final chance to relish your nautical adventure. However you choose to spend it, the spectacular scenery is sure to make for an unforgettable backdrop.
Today, your luxurious cruise comes to an end. After breakfast, disembark at Broome Port Jetty and head into town. Your cruise arrives in Broome at 8am, affording plenty of time to explore Cable Beach or the historic streets of Chinatown before transferring to Oaks Broome Hotel.
Enjoy the hotel’s large pool and self-contained apartments as you debrief after your cruise. Perhaps meet your deck mates for one final dinner in Broome where a collection of laid-back cafes, bars and restaurants await.
Today, your exclusive Luxury Escapes tour comes to an end. After breakfast, bid a fond farewell to Broome and your newfound friends before making your own way to Broome International Airport (BME). This concludes your journey.