West coast - the best coast! Deserted beaches that will make your jaw drop, beautiful reefs, Snorkel friendly crystal clear turquoise water, red dirt that gets in everywhere and so much more! It’s hard to not fall in love and I’m here today to tell you about one of the gems of Western Australia.

From a distance, this will seem like any other sugar-white beach you may stumble across in Australia, but on this beach you won’t find so much as a grain of sand, instead, you will find billions and billions of tiny shells. The shells covering the shore are mainly from the cockle species Fragum Erugatum that lives in this area. Thanks to the high salinity level it has made it hard for predators to adapt, making it easier for the cockle species to flourish and create this unique beach. Only a handful of these beaches exist around the world which makes them so much more special, don’t you agree?

With a pristine shoreline that stretches for of over 60 km you will likely be able to find a spot of the beach that you can have all to yourself and if you feel like going for a stroll along the seemingly endless beach, I would suggest you bring shoes if you’ve got sensitive feet. If you’re like me and used to roughed earth underneath your bare feet then you should be fine walking barefoot as long as you’re okay with the occasional ‘‘ouch’’ and ‘‘fuck’’ noises you’ll make from stepping on sharp shells, haha.

Can you swim here?

Yes you can!! Because it is located in a bay, the ocean swells are calm and because of the high salt level, it is easier to stay afloat which will be beneficial if you’re not a strong swimmer! Sunset here is beautiful and floating around while the sun slowly disappears down in the horizon is like something taken straight from a cheese romantic movie.

Get here!

If you’re driving along Shark Bay road you will find the beach on the right hand side when you’re driving towards Denham and it’s the perfect stop if you’re heading for Monkey Mia to see the dolphins!

If you are heading north from Perth (towards Coral Bay, Broome etc.) it will be a little detour from the main road but it is definitely worth it. It is easily accessible with any car (No 4x4 needed) and there is no entrance fee for the beach!

did you know?

Because of its great quantity, the tiny cockle shells used to be compacted and cemented into solid masses known as coquina! More than one building in Shark bay were built from blocks cut out of the coquina and you can find one of the old quarray sited along the Boolagoorda trail. If you head to Denham, you can still see a few of these buildings still exist today, one of those buildings are the Old Pearler Restaurant!

Have you ever witnessed anything this magical? That was everything for now, and until next time, take care! xo Nathalie