Maru and I have spent the past few days on Rottnest Island. Its nearest landmass (bar the Australian mainland) is more than 3,000kms away. It’s a small island with a 24km ring road and 63 bays and beaches.
Rottnest receives thousands of visitors per day, but with only two hotels on the island, most visitors are day trippers. They hire bikes, cycle round the island, take a few selfies with the impressively docile Quokkas, and then head back to the mainland.
Maru and I decided to stay for three nights, and we are so thrilled with our decision. The island is practically deserted in the early morning, and in late afternoon onwards (as the last ferry to the mainland is at 04:30pm).
I went for a sunrise run this morning and hardly saw a soul. And yesterday evening Maru and I found a high point, watched the sunset, and cycled back to the settlement on silent roads.
We’ve also been impressed with the infrastructure on Rottnest. It seems like each detail has been thought through carefully; from the quality of the roads, hydration stations, signage, rubbish bins, walkways and paths, and the few bakeries, cafes, public toilets, and restaurants on the island. They’ve made it easy for people to travel here and not leave a trace of rubbish or cause any damage to the local flora and fauna.
These fewer days have been magical and we’re thrilled with our decision to stay a a few nights.