Western Australians are not known for their modesty when it comes to discussing beaches. Naturally, Western Australia has the world's best beaches - and you wouldn't want to argue with the occupiers of Australia's biggest state, most of whom live by the coast which stretches a staggering 5,000 kilometres.
Indeed, it would be rare to find a beach in Western Australia that does not excite all the senses. In the capital of Perth alone, there are 19 pristine beaches that never seem overcrowded - even on a busy summer's day with the mercury hovering in the mid-30s (90s on the old Fahrenheit scale).
Spoilt for choice, surfers and sun lovers weigh up the attractions of the best surf break versus the best swimming areas; or a seafront restaurant against ease of parking for a quick swim after work.
Sunset on the Western Coast
Perth is the only Australian city where the sun sets over the ocean horizon. Not surprising then that Perth's white, sandy coastline is known as the Sunset Coast. Like the beaches, the sunsets are simply sensational.
Popular beaches for surfing, swimming and families include Cottesloe, Scarborough, City Beach and Trigg. For those who prefer to go au natural - not a problem. If you want an all-over suntan, Swanbourne beach is the place to expose yourself. It's right next to Cottesloe, but with enough distance between the two to avoid any embarrassing moments.
Clean and predominantly safe, Perth's 35-kilometre Perth coastline - from Fremantle in the south to the northern suburbs, is easily accessible by the city's suburban bus and train network. Alternatively, there's ample car parking. And, like the beaches, it's free.
So, too, is the fishing - both from the beach and the man-made groynes along the coast. Hordes of people are attracted to the annual early tailor summer run, while herring are available year-round. Boat anglers chase big, succulent dhufish, pink snapper and samson fish offshore.
Rottnest Island
From Hillarys Boat Harbour, as well as Perth and Fremantle, you can catch a high-speed ferry to the beaches at Western Australia's top "overseas" destination - Rottnest Island. Just a short hop from the mainland by ferry or plane, the island's beaches are reached either by bike or on foot Rottnest is traffic-free apart from a few tour buses and service vehicles.
Dolphins are a regular sight off Rottnest, as they are along Perth's beaches where they playfully swim alongside unsuspecting surfers. But the best beach to interact with dolphins is a few hours north of Perth at Monkey Mia in the crystal-clear blue waters of World Heritage-listed Shark Bay. Here, the bottle-nosed dolphins come into shore to feed and play. Tourists stand shoulder-to-shoulder in a long line as the shiny grey dolphins swim in closer for a fishy feed or two, always under the supervision of a ranger.
Broome
Further north - closer to Asia than Perth - Broome sits on the edge of the Kimberley outback. It's renowned not only for its pearl showrooms, but its beach. Cable Beach is regarded as one of the world's most stunning beaches with its 22 kilometres of gleaming sand and its amazing and inspirational sunsets.
Just before the sun goes down over the clear, tropical waters washed clean by Broome's 10-metre tides, there's a familiar plod of long, elongated feet along the beach. It's the daily camel train arriving to pick up tourists for a romantic ride along the water's edge as the sun sets over the ocean. There are many secluded beaches north of Broome, but the vast majority are accessible only by four-wheel drive.
The vast Pilbara coastline in the State's North West is dotted with unspoiled offshore islands, sandy beaches and coral reefs, all brimming with marine life, while further south along a 600-kilometre stretch of the coast from Exmouth to Shark Bay, are some of WA's most alluring beaches. Names like Turquoise Bay, Sandy Bay, Pilgramunna and T-Bone, to name just a few, have captivated visitors, not only for swimming but for snorkelling and fishing.
Ningaloo
The marine life along the Exmouth and Ningaloo coastline is among the richest in the world. In fact, there's something happening year-round in these waters - turtle sightings, manta rays, dugongs, coral viewing and scuba diving. But the main event occurs from mid-March to mid-June each year when whale sharks, the world's biggest fish species, appear in large numbers in the Ningaloo Marine Park, attracting visitors from all over the world.
Sweeping white beaches are a feature of the Batavia Coast which encompasses the coastal stretch from Dongara, through Geraldton and Kalbarri, and includes the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, known for their clear water, coral reefs and historic shipwrecks. The Batavia Coast was the site of the first landing of Europeans in Australia, long before Captain James Cook was born. The seaside resort town of Kalbarri has great fishing, rugged coastal cliffs and secluded beaches for safe swimming.
South West
South of Perth, from the city of Mandurah to Bunbury, Busselton and Dunsborough in the South West, there are excellent family beaches, some with barbecue facilities. Like Monkey Mia in the north, Bunbury boasts its own dolphin family. At Koombana Beach, visitors are encouraged to wade and swim with the wild dolphins.
Busselton, too, has something to boast about - the longest jetty in the southern hemisphere, while Dunsborough's dotted beaches to the nouveau rich of Eagle Bay are a far cry from the rugged limestone coast between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin, which offers long beaches and sheltered bays, good fishing and world-class surfing.
Yallingup and Margaret River are two of the State's most popular and accessible surf beaches. At Margaret River, the great ocean swells of the Roaring Forties provide unrivalled surfing action with some of the world's top board riders testing their skills every year at the state's biggest surfing event.
The south coastal holiday towns of Denmark and Albany boast picturesque, sandy beaches ideally suited for families. Albany has a coastline enriched with spectacular cliffs and caves, bays and beaches and for those seeking a remote beach all to themselves, these can be discovered both by conventional and four-wheel-drive vehicles, all along the coast to Esperance.
A paradise for sea and sun lovers, Esperance's natural attractions are as rich as its history - and it has a year-round Mediterranean climate in which to enjoy them. Its beaches provide ideal conditions for fishing, surfing, sailing and sandboarding. Just off the coast, there are hundreds of islands offering top-class diving and snorkelling.
Little wonder then, that many Western Australians regard life as a beach.
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