West End
4.5
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience West End and nearby attractions
The area
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Attractions
42 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
83 reviews
Excellent
61
Very good
20
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
0
gfsc5
Perth, Australia1,787 contributions
Feb 2021
This is a great spot for getting a good view of some New Zealand fur seals. We caught a bus out there and it's only a short walk to a very good viewing platform. Some nice views and rocky coastline but the highlight is the seal colony which is well worth a look.
Written 27 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeffry b
Essendon, Australia13,601 contributions
Feb 2022
The West End of Rottnest Island is interesting. It has numerous bays and coves. The West End has lots of wildlife, including waterbirds and seals. You're likely to find quokkas, especially later in the day. One of the highlights of the West End is the Wadjemup Lighthouse. THe original Wadjemup Lighthouse was built in 1849; it has been rebuilt several times since. The West End is a long ride from Thompsons Bay, but you can take the bus,
Written 19 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David M
Cairns, Australia34 contributions
Oct 2021
We rode there on our hire bikes on a chilly windy day. Gale force and a bit of rain. Took over 2 hours to get there against the wind and 30 mins to get back with the wind behind us. :) Loved it
Written 5 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nanoKnowledge
Perth, Australia6 contributions
Jan 2021
A beautiful part of the island where you can see wild seals. Simply gorgeous. There was a new boardwalk and a pop-up cafe when I visited in Jan 2021. Venue needs more shade and shelter. There were no shady trees in the area, and not enough shelters for weary visitors to relax and enjoy the views.
Written 7 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bartonbears
Coffs Harbour, Australia2,740 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
This was definitely the scenic high point of our tour of Rottnest Island. The rugged limestone cliffs, sapphire blue bay, and eroded arch are very photogenic. A great spot to spend an hour or more.
Written 20 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Allan B
Auckland, New Zealand400 contributions
Nov 2018 • Couples
A perfect spot for watching the 50+ of whales swim by and the seals playing and sunbathing with good walk ways and information boards. Not much shade around so come prepared.
Written 1 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JaneClough
Perth, Australia311 contributions
Oct 2018 • Friends
Rottnest Island is accessible by boat or ferry from Fremantle. It takes around 30 minutes by ferry with Rottnest Express. Once there you can walk bike or bus around the island. Well worth the visit. On this trip over we saw whales and at the island quokkas seals and lots of lizards. Great day out.
Written 18 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeffry b
Essendon, Australia13,601 contributions
May 2018
The West End of Rottnest is quite a hike from the settlement at Thompson's Bay where the ferries dock but it's worth the effort. If you hire a bike, the return trip will take several hours. Remember to take plenty of water with you. You may want to take a tour, which is easier. The main sight at the West End is the New Zealand fur seal colony. The seals, who don't do much apart from sun-baking and jumping in and out the water, are worth a visit. Rottnest's beaches and bays have been a favourite playground for generations of Western Australians, many of whom are day trippers who arrive by ferry. The island is 11 km (7 miles) long and 4.5 km (2.7 miles) in breadth at the widest point. If you only have a day, you may like to take the bus, but biking it is fun.
Written 7 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jasmine
93 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
We arrived by the Islander Explorer Bus - a 2 minute walk to where the fur seals were, my goodness they were huge! A whole group of them were by shore with one fin up in the air and a couple were soaking up the sun on the rocks. I was very surprised by how many there were! It was a spectacular view.
Written 19 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
copyrabbit
Singapore, Singapore936 contributions
Apr 2017 • Solo
Took the day bus to this area. The view is fantastic. Good for some photo taking. There is public toilet near by but the bus stop is not sheltered.
Written 17 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How many kilometres is it from Thompson Bay settlement to the west end of Rottnest island?
Written 2 January 2018
Depends. On a map, not far. On a very hot day, FAR. Allow yourself 60 to 90 minutes cycling each way, to allow for admiration and water stops. Worth the energy expended??? YES, glorious.
Written 2 January 2018
Showing results 1-2 of 2
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing