Indijup Natural Spa – Western Australia’s amazing hidden gem

I hope this post will make you add Indijup Natural Spa to your Western Australia road trip itinerary! This stunning rock formation is perfect for a quick dip or to chill and take some photos. It is located just past Dunsborough, near Yallingup. If you are doing a Perth to Esperance road trip then you must add Indijup Natural Spa! Don’t forget Canal Rocks just 10 minutes away too. Read on for the best beaches, sunset spots and why van life is the best in Western Australia! Ps. If you are in Perth then don’t miss a trip to Rottnest Island!

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links and any sales made through these links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you.

What is Indijup Natural Spa?

This is an incredible rock pool set right by the open waters of the Indian Ocean. The waves crash over the rock ‘barrier’ into a small pool called Indijup Natural Spa. As they crash over the rocks they water forms a kind of waterfall that leads right into the pool. It really is amazing to see. I am calling it a hidden gem of Western Australia because you really can’t see it until you are standing in front of it.

Taken with a 70-200mm lens

Ps the water is FREEZING. Just so you don’t think it will be nice and easy and you will sit there and chill. It took me quite a while to get in and in the end I had to just go for it! Maybe it was coming from Bali and warm waters but a lot of people agreed with me that the water in Western Australia is very cold.

Pps – a 70-200mm lens is perfect for spotting kangaroos! Check out all our photography gear to see what we use on a daily basis, drones, GoPros and all! 

Where is Indijup Natural Spa?

It is just by Yallingup, in Western Australia on the Cape to Cape track.

How to get to Indijup Natural Spa?

If you are doing a Perth to Esperance road trip then you will most likely come from Dunsborough. From Dunsborough it Is only around 25 minutes to get to Indijup Natural Spa. Alternatively, if you are lucky enough to stay in Yallingup (everything was fully booked when we arrived) then it will take under 10 minutes!

Screen grabs from our Western Australia video!

There was some kind of festival on at Yallingup when we were there and we couldn’t find a camping spot at all and had to drive back to Dunsborough. We were told that it would be super easy to rock up and stay somewhere for the night but it is clearly worth checking beforehand.

Best time of year to go?

Any time around summer! We went In February and it was much less busy than the height of summer. It was still super warm and that makes it easier to get into the cold water as it is very refreshing.

Best time of day to go?

Morning or evening! To avoid the crowds but also because there is no shade and it gets super hot there. For photos it is also better not to be there in the midday sun. It is lovely at sunrise and sunset!

What to bring when you visit?

Sunscreen! A camera, towel and swimwear! That is really all you need as there isn’t much space to put anything. Also the waves can come in fast so you don’t want to leave anything on the rocks or it might not be there for long. You could also wear some water shoes if you have some to make it easier to climb on the rocks.

Where to stay nearby?

We stayed in Dunsborough only because we couldn’t find any space in a campsite in Yallingup. Yallingup is the closes so probably the best option!

How long do you need to visit the Natural Spa?

We stayed there for a few hours! If you just want to take some photos and carry on then 1 hour is probably fine. However, if you want to get in for a quick dip and watch the surfers do their thing on the waves then give yourself a few hours here!

Where to next on your Western Australia road trip??

If you are doing a road trip from Perth to Esperance then you will probably have been to Canal Rocks on the way to Indijup Natural Spa but if you haven’t then it is very close! And if you missed Cape Naturaliste on the way then this is a must do for all the amazing beaches. Or maybe you are doing Esperance back up to Perth then this will be the right order for you. If you are heading down to Esperance then don’t miss Margaret River and Hamelin Bay.

Canal Rocks

Canal Rocks is a great place about 15 minutes drive away from Indijup Natural Spa. Here you will find some incredible rock formations that you can walk along. There is also a wooden walkway that goes up to a certain point making it much easier if you are with children or not steady walking along the rocks. To get to the part where I am standing in this photo you will need to climb over some rocks so make sure you aren’t carrying much if you plan to make it this far.

I had my camera around my neck and it definitely made it a challenge to climb/ jump across the rocks. We even saw a person on a jet ski in between the two rocks behind me in the photo. This I definitely would not recommend!

There is a large car park here but the walkway is quite small and narrow so it is best to come early. Also come before it gets too hot if you are coming in or around summer time.

Cape Naturaliste

I absolutely loved this whole area, I think it was one of my fave parts of Western Australia. I say that but most parts were my favourite part! Cape Naturaliste is found just when you pass Dunsborough and it is almost like a very large spit that goes out to sea. This means that there are beaches all around, and you can easily pass from one side to another. I’ll list my favourite beaches here below, and the best spot for sunset! Dunsborough has some stunning beaches, but make sure you make it to the beaches of Albany too!

Eagle Bay

Pure white sand and blue sea. This is also a great beach for sunset. The beach is also super long so you can find a nice little secluded spot. We were here in February at the end of the season so I’m not sure what it is like in summer! You can also do a nice walk here to Gannet Rock to see some more of Western Australia’s great rock formations! This is just a small one in comparison to the sunset spot if you read on!

By @boyanoo

Meelup Beach

Meelup Beach isn’t huge BUT it has lots of things to do which makes it a great day out! If you are here with family, they have kayaks and all sorts of fun water sports. In the parking area there are also lots of lovely shaded benches for a picnic. We didn’t end up being on the beach here for long but did end up stopping here for lunch with a sea view and in the shade! As with most beaches in WA, the water is bright blue and the sand is perfect!

Bunker Bay

I don’t know how it happens, but the waves make the most beautiful patterns here! It’s a super clean and when we went it was one of the quietest beaches. There is a nice wooden walkway right to the beach too.

Sugarloaf Rock

The PERFECT sunset spot. Right at the tip of Cape Naturaliste you will find Sugarloaf Rock. This is a huge rock formation and the sun sets right behind it. As you drive down the long straight road towards it you will already see why I loved it so much.

If you have a drone you might also want to stop for a photo. As the road faces the sunset perfectly, you get some incredible long shadows that look amazing from the drone. Take a walk up to Sugarloaf Rock, but if you are also there in February then take some layers as it is super windy!

Margaret River

Once you continues further south, you will make it to Margaret River. This is famous for it’s wineries, so make sure you can take a taxi after those visits! We actually tried to go to one then realised it was a Sunday after two were closed…. Don’t make the same mistake we did!

Hamelin Bay

STING RAY heaven! Stay at Hamelin Bay campsite to see them at sunrise and sunset. They swim right up to the shore and it is just amazing. Unfortunately when we were there it was a bit stormy so there was a lot of seaweed in the way and we still managed to see so many! I really couldn’t believe just how huge these things are.

By @boyanoo

I hope you enjoyed this post on Indijup Natural Spa! Remember to go nice and early or you will be photobombed like I was! Also it gets very hot later on in the day and there is no shade so morning or evening is much better. Make sure to go to the left hand side too and just chill watching the surfers for a bit it is amazing what they do and the waves are huge there. Then I hope you can make it to some of the amazing beaches in Dunsborough if you are going that way. OR Hamelin Bay if you are heading further south like we did!

Pin this post on Indijup Natural Spa for later!