Esperance – your portal to an iconic Australian holiday. Lay down a towel on the whitest sand you may ever experience and watch kangaroos laze on the shore at Lucky Bay, or charter a course among the untouched islands of the Recherche Archipelago. It’s a beachside beauty spot, where coastal parks await discovery and relaxation is the order of the day.

Prepare for an outdoor adventure surrounded by stunning seascapes. A one-and-a-half-hour flight or an eight-hour drive south from Perth, Esperance instantly dazzles visitors with its pristine sandy stretches and turquoise waters.

Head to Lucky Bay and sink into what is officially Australia’s whitest sand with a bunch of friendly kangaroos for company. Regularly spotted sunning themselves on the squeaky-clean shore, the kangaroos are just some of the wildlife who call sprawling Cape Le Grand National Park home.

Tackle all or a section of the park’s 20-kilometre hiking trail, and spot hermit crabs, starfish, seals and dolphins along the coast. Enjoy an unforgettable sunrise or sunset experience as you view the Recherche Archipelago’s 110 sun-kissed islands from the summit of Frenchman’s Peak. Across the water, Hellfire Bay’s high dunes make for an idyllic picnic spot.

There are more waterside wonders to be uncovered along the stretch of shoreline just south of Esperance. Admire Twilight Beach’s iconic ‘rock with a hole’ and follow a winding staircase to discover the sheltered swimming spot of Blue Haven Beach. Meanwhile, surfers can tackle the reef breaks at West Beach, Fourth Beach or Observatory Beach, and fishing enthusiasts should cast a line at Bandy Creek Harbour.

Further afield, hundreds of native plant species flourish in Fitzgerald River National Park, where the rugged terrain is best explored in a four-wheel drive. Tour more awe-inspiring natural landscapes with a scenic flight over the bubblegum-pink waters of Lake Hillier, or join a whale-watching tour between June and October to see these gentle giants make their annual migration. Finally, catch a ferry to Woody Island and spend the night in idyllic isolation in a safari hut, with the sound of the waves lulling you to sleep.