Western Australia to-dos: Star-gaze from a bubble dome, wake up to the ocean, & more cool digs

Ditch the ordinary for the extraordinary.

| Fiona Tan | Sponsored | June 04, 2022, 09:54 AM

Here’s a piece of good news: Travellers are no longer required to take a pre-departure test to enter Australia.

If you’re planning a trip to Western Australia, why not consider alternative lodging options?

Now before you go searching for your hotels and accommodations, hear me out because I’ve got you covered.

From star-gazing from a bubble dome surrounded by nature, waking up in a luxury tent to the sound of ocean waves, to cruising down a scenic river in a houseboat, here are some extraordinary accommodation options for your next vacay.

Stargazing in a bubble dome nestled in nature

Image from Mile End Glamping website.

Located south of Perth, Mile End Glamping is in Yelverton which is strategically nestled between the towns of Margaret River, Dunsborough and Busselton.

These towns are merely a short 20-minute drive away from Mile End Glamping, allowing you to explore and take in the sights and sounds of the surrounding towns.

Margaret River, known for its good eats, and even better drinks, needs no introduction.

Known for its world-class cabernet, sauvignon and chardonnay, savour all that the region has to offer by hopping from one winery to another through a wine trail.

Image from Margaret River Region website.

After a long day of feasting and exploring, retreat to Mile End Glamping and kick back in the peace and tranquillity in its geodesic dome.

Star gaze to your heart’s content, and enjoy a restful shut eye under the stars in the luxury glamping domes, which are situated in a private estate.

Image from Mile End Glamping website.

Wash off the day’s activities under the stars and soak in the surrounding nature and rolling hills in the outdoor bath on the dome’s deck.

Image from Mile End Glamping website.

Wake up to the sound of the ocean

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to live on a beach, look no further.

Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef

Located north of Perth, Sal Salis offers eco-luxe safari tents that are pitched amongst low-lying coastal dunes and a mere 50m away from the beach.

Image from Sal Salis website.

The view from inside a Sal Salis’ eco-luxe safari tent. Image from Sal Salis website.

Image from Sal Salis website.

Sal Salis is not fringed by just any plain ol’ bridge but the Ningaloo Coast, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

It is also home to the world’s largest fringing reef – Ningaloo Reef – where Whale Sharks, Humpback Whales and Manta Rays have been sighted.

Swim with these majestic gentle giants and check an item off your bucket list.

Image from Sal Salis website.

Image from Sal Salis website.

Cap off the amazing experience with an uninterrupted view of the milky way, right from the comforts of your luxury tent.

Image from Sal Salis website.

Image from Sal Salis website.

Samphire Rottnest

If you’re after a similar beach living experience but not too keen on travelling further out from Perth, you can consider Rottnest Island.

Transfer from Perth to Rottnest Island with any of the two ferry operators for a change of scenery and a short island getaway.

Home to the happiest animal on Earth, Quokkas are aplenty on the island.

In fact, the island was originally called Rotte Nest, which means Rat’s Nest, as it was named after the marsupial.

Image by Tourism Western Australia.

Besides Quokkas, you can also expect to see other wildlife while you’re visiting the island’s other attractions or participating in its multiple activities in the day.

After a long day of exploring, consider unwinding at Samphire Rottnest.

Image from Samphire Rottnest website.

Newly opened in October 2020, it is one of the island’s newest luxury accommodation offerings.

It is located on Thomson Bay – imagine fine white sand surrounded by crystalline turquoise waters – and all just a stone’s throw away from the waterfront.

Image from Australias.guide Western Australia website.

If that’s not enough, you can lounge beneath the shade of the umbrellas at the daybeds by the resort’s lagoon-like pools that are suitable for everyone, from the young to the young at heart.

Image from Samphire Rottnest/Facebook.

Image from Samphire Rottnest/Facebook.

Discovery Rottnest Island

Another beachfront accommodation you can consider is Discovery Rottnest Island.

Discovery Rottnest Island is nestled behind the dunes of the iconic Pinky Beach, which is a short distance away from Thomson Bay.

Both are known for their vibrantly blue water, except Pinky Beach comes with a view of the majestic Bathurst Lighthouse, which is one of two lighthouses on the island.

Image from Discovery Rottnest Island website.

Image by @mfildzafadzil from Unsplash.

Once you’re ready to call it a day, you can catch a restful shut-eye at any of the 83 luxury eco-tents available at Discovery Rottnest Island.

Image from Discovery Holiday Parks website.

Image from Discovery Holiday Parks website.

No matter if you’re a couple, a family of five, or a large group of friends, Discovery Rottnest Island has an accommodation just for you, and suited to your budget.

Image from Discovery Rottnest Island website.

Image from Discovery Rottnest Island website.

Discovery Rottnest Island has been designed to complement the idyllic coastal setting, while having minimal impact on the surrounding environment.

While the eco-tents are made from sustainable materials, they provide for a comfortable and luxurious stay and each comes with fluffy pillows and bed linen.

Sleep in a retired military aircraft

The Lily offers one of the most unique accommodation options in Western Australia, and perhaps even the world: An original 1944 DC3 Dakota C47 Gooney Bird.

Image from Flying the Outback website.

The Dakota DC3 military aircraft is fully renovated and functional and comes with two beds, a TV, dining table, an ensuite, and plenty of authentic Dutch décor.

Image from Flying the Outback website.

Image from Flying the Outback website.

And to top it all off, the aircraft is parked right beside The Lily Dutch Windmill, a fully operational five-storey traditional brick windmill that is one of the largest in the country.

Image from Flying the Outback website.

The Dakota DC3 and the rest of The Lily’s accommodations, are situated a stone’s throw away from Stirling Range National Park, which lies south-east of Perth.

Stirling Range is a wildflower wonderland and is home to as many as 1,500 flora species, many of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Image from Australia Southwest website.

Cruise down a river and cast a line from a houseboat

Houseboat Holidays is yet another unconventional accommodation option.

Image by Tourism Western Australia.

Like the name suggests, you’ll get to live on a houseboat, which you can use to explore the surrounding Walpole and Nornalup Inlet System.

Image from Walpole Online website.

A haven for nature lovers and anglers, the inlets are surrounded by a forest of karri trees, and filled with popular angling species such as King George Whiting and the prized Black Bream.

Growing as tall as 90m, karri, or Eucalyptus diversicolor, is one of the tallest hardwood trees in the world.

It only occurs in south-west corner of the Southwest Botanical Province of Western Australia.

Image by Tourism Western Australia.

Regardless if you’re a couple looking for a romantic honeymoon on the river, a group of friends looking to celebrate a special occasion, or a family looking to spend some quality time together, Houseboat Holidays has houseboat accommodation options suited to your party size.

Image by Tourism Western Australia.

Explore Western Australia

Now that you’ve seen some of these sweet digs, which are by no means exhaustive, hopefully you’ll consider some of these options for your next trip to Western Australia.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg that Western Australia has to offer.

Book your next trip to Western Australia, where boundless adventure awaits you.

To find out more, check out Tourism Western Australia’s website here.

The author reminisced about her 4D3N liveaboard experience while writing this sponsored article by Tourism Western Australia.

Top image from the websites of Mile End Glamping and Sal Salis