Top things to do in Albany, Western Australia!

Albany was one of my favourite parts of our Western Australia road trip from Perth to Esperance. There are lots of great things to do in Albany and I’ll be telling you about the best beaches in Albany, drone spots and more! Also where to camp in the ‘wild’, not on a campsite and where to camp among kangaroos! Don’t miss these very instagrammable white sand beaches. Have you ever walked across squeaky sand?? Honestly it’s better than the sand in the Maldives (did you know that you can visit the Maldives on a budget?!). Back to Australia, after visiting Dunsborough (for the epic beaches) and Denmark, home to Elephant Rocks and Greens Pool, your next stop will be Albany before heading further along the coast to Esperance.

By @boyanoo

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.

Things to do in Albany Western Australia: Go to some of the best beaches in Western Australia!

Frenchman Bay

This is one of the most ‘instagrammable’ beaches here. Unless you have a drone then they are all instagrammable! There is a long set of steps that leads down to the beach here with a view over the white sand and bright blue sea. There is one car park here with great public toilets with showers even. Don’t stop here though, there is a small road that leads to another car park. Here you can literally back up and eat on the beach and grab things out of the back of the van as you need them. The sand is super squeaky! If you have ever been on squeaky sand then you know what I’m talking about. If not then find out where the best sand is below!

Some of these beaches are even as beautiful as those on Rottnest Island!

Top Tip!

There are actually two ‘bays’ here. As you enter the car park there is a small road that leads to another car park to the left that is also signposted as Frenchman Bay. It unfortunately looks nothing like the photos! It might have been the season in February but there was sea weed ALL over the beach. Not the white sand we were expecting. There is also white sand but by the water there is so much seaweed it won’t be like you expected. However, don’t worry as the other bay is perfect! Head to the bay over the top of the hill to see the ‘insta’ spot! As you drive out of Albany and through Torndirrup National Park there are lots of lovely beaches to stop at if the popular ones are busy.

For the drone photographers: If you need any tips at all why not head to this Drone Photography Tips and Ideas guide for some tips on using symmetry in your shots as well as which filters to use and when!

Misery Beach

Misery Beach is perfect, white sand and blue sea. We unfortunately didn’t make it here as the weather wasn’t so good. You would be surprised how different all the beaches look in the sun and when it’s cloudy. I wouldn’t be selling it to you if I showed you a photo of it on a cloudy day. However, in the sun it looks just incredible. If Frenchman Bay is a bit busy the head over to Misery Beach! Another long stretch of beach just perfect for a day of sunbathing.

Salmon Beach

Salmon Beach is a longer beach and also very close to the two beaches I have mentioned above. A lot of people recommended this one to me! Also as all of these beaches are on a long peninsula, stay until sunset and find yourself a good spot. I know the sunset is good from the Bridge and Natural Gap which I will tell you about later on.

By @boyanoo

Then drive further along the coast to these amazing beaches!

These are two of the most instagrammable beaches for drones! It looks great from down below but really amazing from the sky! ALSO be warned, the two rocks on the beach aren’t at Two people’s Bay but at Little Beach. Everyone calls it Two People’s Bay but you have to go to the beach next door. These two beaches are on the other side of Albany, but still only an hours drive from Torndirrup National Park and Frenchman Bay. Remember, if you are in a camper van, to stop off in Albany to stock up on food and supplies while you are in a bigger town!

Little Beach

This is the beach home to the famous two rocks. I have seen a lot of photos of people on top of these two rocks but they are huge. So don’t get your hopes up of a photo of you stood on top of the big one as it probably won’t happen! It is a lovely small beach and perfect blue sea as so much of Western Australia’s beaches. 

By @boyanoo

Two People’s Bay

Yes another lovely beach! This one is much longer than Little Beach, so might be a better option to relax for the day. Definitely take a walk to Little Beach though if you can just to have a look.

By @boyanoo

Top Tip!

Drag the pin to the exact car park you want to go to!

Don’t just enter ‘Little Beach’ into your navigation. Often this won’t lead to a proper road and the pin for your destination may even be in the sea! It isn’t easy as there aren’t always lots of roads to choose from, so once you’re on the wrong road it might not be that easy to get back.

Download offline maps!

ALSO your internet will inevitably cut out every time you go near a beach or leave a bigger town, so download offline maps! Otherwise if you want it to re navigate then you have a problem… our car sat nav didn’t want to cooperate so we used our phones most of the time. Offline maps will make your life so much easier and prevent any unnecessary arguments with your partner…..!! Honestly do it before you even get to Australia so you don’t have to use up your data downloading the maps as you will rarely have WiFi in Western Australia.

Where to camp near these beaches?

East Bay Campground

If you want to spend one night right on the beach then camp here for the night! It is RIGHT by the beach and such a nice spot. Of course it isn’t a proper campsite so facilities are limited but waking up overlooking the blue water is priceless!

Van Life lunch stop!

Things to do in Albany, Western Australia that aren’t a beach!

Visit Torndiurrup National Park

I mentioned Torndirrup National Park earlier but it’s not all beaches. There are soma incredible rock formations and places to see. As always, you will need to pay an entry fee each time you enter the park unless you get a park pass beforehand which I would recommend doing. There are self service machines where you pay and it is based on trust but there are also rangers around so you don’t want to get caught out!

Dare to stand on the platform at the Gap and Natural Bridge

This place is apparently all about the Natural Bridge BUT the walkway hanging over the sea was my favourite part. To the right of the path towards the walkway is the natural bridge. It is just a hole in the rock basically due to erosion. However, go towards the walkway and it is epic. You literally stand over the sea on a high up walkway and you can look through the holes at the waves. It is a bit unnerving but I though it was amazing. Took me a while to get a good drone shot as people were inching closer and closer and walking sooo slowly. It is worth the wait!

Head to see the blowholes

If you are nearby, go to see the blowholes in Torndirrup National Park. It is basically a series of rocks and the waves crash against them to create a huge shower of water.

Things to do in Albany, Western Australia – Hiking!

Hike the Bibbulman Track

We hiked the Bibbulman Track way back in Denmark to get to the Elephant Rocks this is how long it is! The Bibbulman track is 1,000km long so you have plenty of places to choose from where to start your hike. It goes from the outskirts of Perth all the way down to Albany. As the roads were closed near Elephant Rocks when we were there, we chose to walk the whole way along this track. It is a lovely coastal path but bear in mind not very shaded so make sure you have enough drinks and a hat is essential!

Things to do in Albany, Western Australia – On the way to Albany

On your way to Albany why not head to this beach?

Shelley Beach

From Denmark to Albany it takes around 40 minutes to drive. We made the detour to Shelley Beach just to stop off for lunch. It isn’t the quickest detour as it does double the journey time. However, if you are a photographer or fly drones then it is perfect. It is also one of the few places where you can camp right by the beach! The scenic winding road goes right along the shore and is so beautiful from above.

Where to camp in Albany?

There are lots of options here but not many involve any phone signal. I needed to use the internet for work so we chose to camp at Kalgan River Caravan Park. It is also 20 minutes away from the centre so you don’t have to drive through the centre in the morning and can get straight on the road to continue your road trip. It wasn’t the most amazing campsite but it will do! The best part are all the kangaroos jumping around everywhere!

If you aren’t camping..

There are a few motels, apartment and chalets in Albany to choose from if you aren’t camping. 

Fuel up at Wellstead on your way to Esperance!

I hope you enjoyed this post on the best things to do in Albany, Western Australia! If you are a beach lover then Albany is just the BEST. Don’t miss Frenchman Bay and make sure to go to both the beaches there. Remember Frenchman Bay is also one of the best places for lunch by the beach as you can drive right down and almost on to the beach. Then Torndirrup National Park with it’s bridge overhanging over the waves is a must see. As you leave Albany on to your onward journey, stop by Little Beach and Two People’s Bay for perfect sand and views. If you are in a van and want to camp wild, then Shelley Beach and East Bay Campground are great options.

Pin this post on the best things to do in Albany, Western Australia for later!