Does anyone know a cheap option to visit Rottnest Island? We will be in Perth for 4 nights in August and would like to visit the island, but I seems the standard price for 2 people is pushing $300 just in ferry / transport costs.
Is there another way to visit the island for cheaper that any locals might know about?
Edit: Or are Rottnest Island tours ever featured on Groupon, Scoopon, Perthon, Hardon deal sites etc? Should I set up some email alerts for the Perth editions of those sites?
Thanks!
That's the way we are leaning too… it is a lot of money for a one-day activity.
Bit disappointing really!
Cheap option = don't go to Rottnest since there's not much to do there and the prices are a ripoff :P Terrible value, just like most things in Perth.
Fair enough :) Are there any other islands or good day-cruises that you can recommend instead that would be a good replacement?
penguin island, rockingham.
Unfortunately it looks like Penguin Island is closed during Winter :( Otherwise that would have been perfect!
There's some sweet cruises that leave from barrack street jetty and head inland up the swap stopping at wineries. Much better value than a rottnest trip.
(Or the ferry from barrack street to fro isn't bad either)
As above - Rotto is a waste of time. It hasn't changed much in 25 years!! Just a ripoff destination. Sure the beaches are nice but you can get that in WA without having to fork out $$$$$ to get to an island.
Perth people (and tourists) like to go there because they don't know any better or have limited options. An island with such great potential that's been hit by the WA stick of stagnancy!
Can't agree. Lived in Perth for a few years and couldn't get enough of Rotto. Beautiful. And very different from Qld/other beaches. For those with with time there is good Government owned accomodation that I think is decided by ballot so as to be fair.
$150 a head? My goodness, what have they done, lined the ferry with gold or something? The last time I went there it was less than $20. I wouldn't say Rotto is a waste of time, but it's not worth spending $150 a head to go there. If you want to see Quokkas, go to the zoo.
$36 return on a Tuesday from Fremantle, or $56 from Perth appears to be about the cheapest option, with half price bike hire available for $15
http://www.rottnestexpress.com.au/Deals/telethon-tuesday/
Book a couple of weeks in advance and select the 'red hot deal' fare and you'll get 2 people return any other day for $149. Bike hire would be on top of that though.
+1 to this, very cheap IMHO since there are government charges in that $36 of around $12-$13
We were in Perth in January and didn't end up going as we couldn't justify the expense! The company has a monopoly and the prices are exorbitant.
From memory, I think Tuesday may be a bit cheaper