24 May 10 amazing Kayak and Sup Locations around WA
There are plenty of locations around WA to go and actually use your SUP or Kayak. Lets explore a few locations around WA you can enjoy it.
Did you just buy your first Kayak or SUP? Or, are you guilty of having a SUP or Kayak and not making the effort to find awesome locations to use it?
Kayaks and SUP’s are not cheap, usually upwards of $1000, so making the most of your investment is a good idea. After all, that’s why you bought it in the first place, to use it.
Our SUP is always on the roof of the car when we are going away which generally make us look for locations to use it. Guilty to admit that we do go months and months without using it but always try to whip it out when we can.
Each location you plan to visit, camp or road trip should be an opportunity to SUP or Kayak around Western Australia. That way you can dust it off and enjoy the pleasant experience of paddling our local waters and oceans.
Why buy a SUP or Kayak?
Kayaking and stand up paddle boarding (SUP’ing) is a great way to get some exercise and also to soak in the location on a different level. To be clear, we have a SUP board and you need pretty good conditions to use it, we love it but at times we are limited to the weather. Kayaks are much more versatile and easier in windy or rough water conditions. Consider where you like to holiday and where you might like to enjoy it before your big purchase.
The guidelines we provide are only general because weather can be unpredictable. From our experiences… There are certain times of the year that are more ideal than others.
The only paddles mentioned that we didn’t get to enjoy personally, is because of the weather. Thankyou mother nature. Big Lagoon loop (in Shark Bay) was pinned to enjoy when we were there but the wind had other plans. Unfortunately SUP boarding does rely on calm amazing windless weather. When we arrived it was blowing a gale so naturally not ideal for SUP boarding. Also we did not paddle the Denmark River because we spent way too much time enjoying the beaches and the wineries. You can drive along part of the river and along the Wilson inlet and we were annoyed we didn’t make the effort or the time to SUP down the river… because it’s stunning amongst the tall karri forest.
So full transparency we would love to do these paddles in the future, however wanted to share that they are great locations. We will hopefully update this post with personal photographic evidence we enjoyed Big Lagoon and the Denmark River.
North Of Perth, Western Australia
- Monkey Mia
- Big Lagoon, Shark Bay
- Exmouth – Yardie Creek
- Murchison River
- Coral Bay + Ningaloo
South Of Perth, Western Australia
- Blackwood river (Warner Glen, Margaret River)
- Lucky Bay, Esperance
- Denmark River / Wilson Inlet
- Warren River, Pemberton
- Honeymoon Pool, Wellington NP
Locations NORTH
Monkey Mia – Shark Bay
Monkey Mia bay is a must to SUP and Kayak, weather permitting of course. The bay is generally protected from swell and string currents. It can get windy in Shark Bay, Denham and Monkey Mia but that’s just mother nature. According to the locals (in the pub) the wind will set in for a week then disappear for a while. If you snag some magic weather Monkey Mia bay is like a bath. Highly recommend a sunrise and sunset paddle because its ideal feeding times for the dolphins and when they seem to be most active in the distance. Hitting the water early in the morning is magic and you can paddle all the way out to watch the dolphins feeding and playing in the water. Obviously the ultimate dolphin experience when they are curious to see you up close and personal. What better way to do that than a SUP or Kayak.
The best times to visit Monkey Mia are in the WA late autumn / winter / early spring. Anywhere from May through to September. In this season the wind dies down and it’s usually a lovely warm mid 20’s to early 30’s temp to enjoy the ocean.
Big Lagoon – Francois Peron National Park, Shark Bay
Big Lagoon is a 4wd access only BUT if you are in Shark Bay and have access to the National Park (via 4wd) Big Lagoon is a stunning spot to explore. When you look at the landscape from above it snakes its way into the National Park 17kms and the water is a beautiful turquoise colour that contrasts against the amazing red dirt in places and white sandy dunes in other places.
Big Lagoon is a grueling 32 km return so ideally you will just jump on the water to explore as far as your fitness will allow. The tide will close off the mouth of the Lagoon at night and early morning with high tide usually during the day allowing you to access more of the lagoon. As mentioned above, Shark Bay can become windy at times so if you are SUP’ing keep an eye on the wind.
The best time to visit Shark Bay is in late autumn / winter / early spring. Anywhere from May through to September. In this season the wind dies down and it’s usually a lovely warm mid 20’s to early 30’s temp to enjoy the ocean.
Yardie Creek Gorge – Exmouth
Yardie Creek is a short gorge at the tail end of Cape Range National Park in Exmouth. SUP’ing or Kayaking down amongst the gorges is a great experience. If you are lucky you will spot the black tail rock wallabies that live in the walls of the gorge. It’s not a long paddle but it is beautiful. It is nice and protected from the wind in the gorge so don’t be put off if it’s a little windy at the mouth. If you are concerned you can take a short walk along the trail at the top of the gorge to check conditions. We went in winter when it’s the dry season so it was quite shallow at points but we managed to get right into the gorge.
The best time to visit Emouth is in late autumn / winter / early spring. Anywhere from May through to September. In this season the wind dies down and it’s usually a lovely warm mid 20’s to early 30’s temp to enjoy the ocean.
Kalbarri – Murchison River Mouth
The Murchison River is quite long and alot of it is dry. The mouth of the river begins at Kalbarri which is a coastal town along the coral coast. Kalbarri is about 7 hrs north of Perth. It is a great place if you like exploring, you can venture into Kalbarri National Park to climb the gorges however, you may not know this but you can kayak and SUP down the Murchison river and there are beautiful smaller gorges and rocky banks all the way along the river from the mouth.
The Murchison river is quite long and it covers a lot of ground, however a lot of it is dry and barren. At the mouth of the river starts in Kalbarri town which has sandy banks. You can launch your kayak or SUP and cruise down the river. We stayed at the Murchison House Station which sits on the banks of the river. So we were able to wake up and jump straight on the water. It’s a lovely spot to explore because it’s not a busy waterway so you will mostly have it all to yourself.
The best time to visit Kalbarri is in late autumn / winter / early spring. Anywhere from May through to September. In this season the wind dies down and it’s usually a lovely warm mid 20’s to early 30’s temp to enjoy the area with minimal wind.
Ningaloo – Coral Bay
I’m not shy about this… The ningaloo coast is one of my fav spots. Being able to SUP or Kayak off the coast into a thick and rich coral reef is pretty special, the Great Barrier Reef is a boat trip away, luckily the Ningaloo reef is just a short distance off shore. In Coral Bay you can literally swim out to the reef and at South Le Froy in Ningaloo Station. Usually the coral reef is protected (from man eating predators) so it’s very safe to explore, teaming with marine life, coral, fish and just amazing.
Along the Coral Coast from Coral Bay to Ningaloo Station you can SUP or Kayak out to the reef which makes is so accessible without a boat. One hot tip… get a small Kayak anchor (for about $50) so you can leave your SUP or Kayak at a good reef spot to jump off, explore and snorkel around the area. You should be able to find a small one at most adventure places you can buy Kayaks.
The best time to visit Ningaloo is in late autumn / winter / early spring. Anywhere from May through to September. In this season the wind dies down and it’s usually a lovely warm mid 20’s to early 30’s temp to enjoy the ocean.
Locations SOUTH
Warner Glen – Blackwood River – Margaret River
The Blackwood river is renowned for being a great Kayak spot. It stretches a lengthy 300km’s, but let’s be real you are not going to SUP 300km’s. If you are exploring the South West and the Margaret River region it’s worth stopping in at Warner Glenn for the day. Warner Glenn is just 20mins South of Margaret River on the outskirts of the Blackwood River National Park. It’s a small but lovely National Park that has a small campground if you want to stay the night. The river here is guaranteed to always have water here because it leads down into August and Hardy Inlet at the mouth of the river and its a main South West water catchment. Warner Glenn NP offers a little activity and adventure to the South West if you need to burn off some of the gourmet food and wine.
There are campsites dotted along the river so you can definitely camp along the way if you are game or like us… just wanted to dust off the SUP while you were down sth.
Best time to visit is all year round. It will get exceptionally cold in winter with misty mornings which would be amazing. Summer and Spring would be lovely to explore the banks basking in some sunshine.
Lucky Bay – Esperance.
Who doesn’t want to explore the south west edge? Esperance is a beautiful part of the world. Experiencing the crystal clear turquoise water is worth the 8hr drive from Perth. Esperance is renowned for its amazing beaches, it does have more to offer but when in rome… explore the beaches. Kayaking or SUP boarding along the coast or exploring any of the bays is a must on a lovely wind free day. Lucky Bay, Hellfire Bay, Wharton Beach… you name it. They are there to be enjoyed and explored by you. The scenery in Esperance is stunning so when you are 2 km’s offshore looking back it’s a beautiful sight. If you are lucky you might have an encounter with the local surfing dolphins.
The best time to visit Esperance is in the Summer months and Autumn. It does get windy in the summer afternoon and in winter. So if you are going for a kayak or SUP, keep an eye on the wind and weather. The wind usually drops off in Autumn so a great time to explore however the weather can still be unpredictable. Esperance is not a super warm region although you can get warm weeks.
Denmark River / Wilson Inlet
When you bought your Kayak or SUP… did you think you would be able to paddle down the Denmark river only to be dwarfed by the tallest Karri Trees? The forest in Denmark is stunning. Its quiet and serene and it opens out into the beautiful Wilson Inlet. Denmark river is similar to Warren River, however the trees really tower over you here. In Denmark town there is a lovely jetty/launching place for water sports so you can park right in town and explore from there. Going either north into the thick forest or south towards the Wilson inlet.
The Wilson inlet is teeming with birdlife and loads of pelicans. When the current and the wind dies down it’s a beautiful place to explore on the water. The opening of the inlet is Ocean Beach which has some classic Denmark turquoise water you can explore when the tide is right.
The best time of year to visit is always depending on the weather. The south west is best all year depending on the weather. Summer is great for water sports however you will always have the sea breeze in the arvo. Autumn + Spring the sea breeze will die off and you will get warm calm days with the occasional random wet or bad weather day. Although cold in winter the area will be still and stunning on a lovely winter’s day. Winter you may get mist in the inlet and along the river if you are game for an early start.
Warren River, Pemberton
Similar to Denmark, Pemberton is blessed with thick lush Karri tree forest. A SUP or Kayak down the Warren River is not going to disappoint. The river snakes through the forest. With a launching pad at Dusty’s Campground in Warren National Park it’s a great place for a leisurely paddle as far as you can go. In summer it will dry up in places but in winter you should be able to get a good distance. The forest is so quiet, full of wildlife and an amazing place to really relax and enjoy being surrounded by thick forest.
The best time to visit is Winter and Spring, this river will be the fullest. Summer and Autumn you may reach dry areas preventing you from exploring all the way… but it would still be worth the visit.
Honeymoon Pool, Wellington NP
Look I’m the first to admit it’s hard to camp in the freezing forest in winter BUT camping at honeymoon pool or in Wellington NP you can enjoy this location and explore approx 7-8kms along this stretch of the lovely Collie River. Depending on the time of year you go there might be parts you will have to walk around if the water is too low or if there are very small rocky rapids if the water is high. There are long stretches to paddle if you are looking for a short weekend getaway. In summer there will be areas that dry up so ideal to go in either winter or spring. We mentioned this paddle because its in close proximity to Perth so if you don’t want to drive all the way up north or down sth this is a short 2 hrs drive from perth but you can feel totally isolated and relaxed in the forest here.
Best time to visit is in Winter and Spring for the most water. Summer and Autumn you might get low points or areas you need to walk through.
Final thoughts on WA SUP boarding and Kayaking locations
If you are looking to dust off the SUP or Kayak to enjoy part of Western Australia its a good idea to plan your travels around a location where you can use your gear. Sounds stupid but if you don’t plan you will forget to pack these bulky items or you will miss out on the opportunity to really enjoy and explore Western Australia form a different perspective.
If you are on the fence about investing in a SUP or a Kayak then its wise to do a bit of research about where and when you will enjoy this activity, hopefully this has provided you with some great locations to check out.
Living an active life requires action. SUP or Kayaking are great activities to plan into your trip around. There are so many places around Western Australia to enjoy this activity. Western Australia has so many waterways and oceans to enjoy. Getting close to marine life or going deep into the quiet forest gives you a deeper appreciation for our amazing State. SUP and Kayak your way around Western Australia and tag us when you head out to enjoy this big bad state.
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