Hamelin Bay

**Hamelin Bay, WA — where the locals are friendly and so are the stingrays.**

Let’s be honest, our claim to fame is a bunch of rays gliding through ankle-deep water like they own the joint. Which, fair enough, they basically do. Urban List says it’s “a regular sight” and honestly, it’s the best customer service you’ll get in the southwest.

Sure, we notch up titles like being named sixth on Australia’s Best Beach list for 2023. Concrete Playground confirmed it. But let’s talk about what really matters: the Hamelin Bay Holiday Park. It’s 249kms from Perth, the mobile reception is limited, and honestly? That’s a blessing. Nothing says “get f*cked, emails” like staring at a stingray while your phone sits there uselessly.

**The one thing that kills us:** watching tourists misjudge the tide. Pedestrian TV literally documented a couple of utes “bobbing helplessly in the surf off Hamelin Bay.” The sea claimed them as her own. There’s no recovering from that. You either become one with the ocean or you become a cautionary tale on a Perth Facebook group.

**Who’d hate it here:** Anyone who needs constant wifi, a servo on every corner, or a guarantee that their four-wheel drive won’t become a reef ornament. If you can’t handle the idea of hand-feeding wild animals while camping in a spot that Time Out calls a top family destination, stick to the city.

**Who’d love it:** The fam who wants the kids to see glowworm-lit caves (apparently that’s a thing nearby) and stingrays up close. Also, anyone who reckons wine tasting in Margaret River needs a beach break to recover.

We’re not fancy. We’ve got friendly rays, a holiday park, and the occasional submerged ute. And honestly? Couldn’t be happier about it. 🏖️🐟