LUCKY BAY, CAPE LE GRAND NP – WESTERN AUSTRALIA

BEST FOR… Kangaroos, white sand, solitude

WHY GO? This is, according to the National Committee on Soil and Terrain, officially Australia’s whitest beach (apparently it’s all down to the quartz-based sand). The turquoise water is just as dazzling and, better, you’ll only have to share it with a few sunbathing kangaroos or, from June to December, the odd migrating whale.

WHAT DO TO: Swim and snorkel. Walk the 15km Le Grand Coastal Trail between Cape Le Grand Beach and Rossiter Bay, via Lucky. Hike up Frenchman Peak (262m) for panoramic views. Bed down at the Lucky Bay campground.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Cruise the 100-plus pristine islands of the Recherche Archipelago. Visit the Kalgoorlie Goldfields.

GET THERE: Cape Le Grand NP is a 30-minute drive east of Esperance, which is an eight-hour drive from Perth.