Yanchep Lagoon is one of the most popular snorkelling locations in Perth, it’s got everything for beginners through to more advanced snorkelers. Perfect for summer explorers of all ages, this is one beach for your Perth bucket list. 

Where is Yanchep Lagoon?

Yanchep Lagoon is located about 45 minutes north of Perth, which is pretty much the tip of the Perth metropolitan area. Simply drive up the Mitchell Freeway, at the end, turn right onto Hester Avenue, left onto Wanneroo Road, left onto Yanchep Beach road, then left at Brazier Road. There are other ways to get to Yanchep Lagoon but if you go this way, you’ll minimise the number of traffic lights and roundabouts you’ll need to pass through.

It’s pretty easy to get to Yanchep Lagoon, we don’t have any road tolls in Perth and parking is FREE. We also don’t allow smoking on the beach and everyone does a ripper job at taking care of their own litter. The sand is white, the water is clean, what more could we ask for? 

Planning your trip to Yanchep Lagoon

Yanchep Lagoon is super popular in summer, so be sure to check Beachsafe for the ultimate snorkelling weather and get in early for parking. Beachsafe is a website run by Surf Life Saving Australia and has all the info you need to plan a day out at the Yanchep Lagoon, whether you’re snorkelling, swimming or just soaking up the sunshine. 

The Beachsafe website has photos of the beach, so you can see how busy it is and what the water is like. For snorkelling at Yanchep Lagoon, you’ll want a slow, easterly wind, but a SE or NE wind is okay too. Winds of 5-10 knots are ideal. High tide is ideal if you would like to explore the back of the reef. I find that in low tide the waves crash against the back of the reef churning up sediment making it hard to see. On the Beachsafe website you can also see if the beach is “open” — sometimes our beaches are closed due to things like the occasional shark sighting. 

Yanchep Lagoon is patrolled by the Surf Life Saving Club over the summer during daytime hours, with loads of families opting to swim in the lagoon where it’s sheltered from the waves. There is a kiosk up the top and showers near the beach so you can rinse off before heading home. 

Why Yanchep Lagoon is such a popular snorkelling spot

So as I mentioned, Yanchep Lagoon has something for everyone. You can swim in the shallows or in the deeper parts of the lagoon, you can check out rockpools, laze on the sand, snorkel and if you walk further up the beach you can even go surfing. 

If you’re new to snorkelling, you can opt to stay in the more sheltered section in the lagoon, or if you’re more experienced you can head over the back of the lagoon. 

Yanchep Lagoon snorkelling tips: if you’re a newbie to snorkelling…

If you’re a beginner to snorkelling, I recommend staying inside the lagoon and swimming between the flags where the lifeguards can keep an eye on you. 

Yanchep Lagoon is a fairly long reef system that you can access from the beach. In my video you’ll see where it starts at the south and it travels north for about 800 metres. At the southern end, the reef has completely closed off a section of the beach from the ocean, creating a protected beach zone. A lot of people choose to swim there but this section is not patrolled by the life guards so please take care. 

However if you also watch my second video filmed at Yanchep Lagoon, around the halfway mark you will see that shifting sand throughout the year can completely swallow that protected swimming section of the beach so you can no longer swim there, but thats okay this is only temporary and will constantly shift and change through the year. In the centre of the reef and closer to the life guards you’ll find a rock pool to explore and if you are lucky you might even find an octopus or two. 

Inside the lagoon exploring from the centre up towards the north you will find plenty of fish like large schools of herring that swim into the shallows. If you watch my snorkelling tips video you will also see me pointing to a darker circular section of the inner part of the reef. The water drops down to about 3m in this spot so take care. 

Yanchep Lagoon snorkelling tips: if you’re confident at snorkelling…

If you’re fairly experienced at snorkelling or a strong swimmer, you can consider heading outside of the lagoon. Personally, I think the northern end is the best part of the reef to explore. But this is outside of the flags so care needs to be taken, it might even be worth stopping and saying hi to the life guards and just letting them know your intentions. I have done this in the past when swimming on my own and the lifeguards have always been approachable and willing to chat. 

How I snorkel at Yanchep Lagoon

When I snorkel at Yanchep Lagoon, I like to drift snorkel along the inside of the reef and check my gear. I make sure my fins are strapped in place correctly and ensure my mask has a tight seal around my face. 

We do have sharks in our waters and even though I have never seen a large shark in this area, it is their home and there is always a chance they are nearby. So for a little extra peace of mind I swim with my Freedom7 Shark Shield. As I swim along the inside of the reef I also make sure that my Shark Shield is turned on and ready to go as I venture into deeper water.  

> On the ocean side or unprotected side of the reef it can get up to 7 metres deep, so as I mentioned before don’t do this if you’re not a confident swimmer.

Along the back of the reef there’s some great marine life to see, like large silver drummer, octopus, crayfish, snapper and more. I have even seen a wobbegong shark there once as well. 

When you’re snorkelling at Yanchep Lagoon, you might also come across blowfish, Banded Sweep, Woodward Pomfrets, and whiting. Banded sweeps are easily identified by their arrow-looking shape and their silver and black stripes — their bodies are silver with black stripes and some red. 

Woodward Pomfrets are small silver fish with yellow fins. If you look at them front-on, they’re quite slim and they tend to swim in large schools. 

Marine life you might see at when snorkelling at Yanchep Lagoon 

If you walk over to the rock pools, you might come across sea urchins and small orange or purple sea stars — you’ll see these in my video as well. 

Although it seems like you’re walking on a hard surface, it is a delicate marine environment so please watch your step and try sticking to the sandy areas as much as possible, so that you don’t damage coral or step on abalone, barnacles, crabs or other small sea creatures.

What do to if you’re caught in a rip

Warning: I actually made a mistake in my Yanchep Lagoon snorkelling tips video and corrected that in my second video. You see, as a young kid I did some swimming lessons at the beach. During those lessons, our swimming instructor tried to educate us about rips. I remember her pointing to a section of water and saying do you see the different coloration in the water as she pointed out over the ocean. I looked out over the water and saw the blue water but then I saw silver streaks travelling in lanes across the surface and assumed that was what my teacher was pointing too. I was wrong and from that day till now I always thought I knew what a rip looked like. It wasn’t until someone watched that video and pointed out what I was looking at was actually wind trails created by the wind moving across the water and not a rip.

What is a rip?

A rip is a current that travels out to sea. They can also travel along the beach or around in circles. Here is a link to the Surf Life Saving Australia YouTube channel that helps people to gain a better understanding of how rips form. 

What to do if you’re caught in a rip

If you’re caught in a rip, it can take you out to sea or along the shore, further than you might want to be. 

If you’re ever in a rip, remember the most important thing to do is stay calm. It’s easy to panic and try and swim back to shore — don’t do that because you will start to get tired and then scared. Here is another great video to watch about rips

If you’re caught in a rip, either float with the current on your back to protect your airway and tread water. Once you’re floating on your back, go with the flow and raise your arm to call for help. 

If no one can come and help you, stay calm and go with the flow of the current until the rip dissipates. Then swim sideways if you can see the white water and where the waves are breaking, until you’re out of the rip, then swim back to safety.

Here is more advice that is worth watching:

It’s important to avoid walking on a reef, but if you need to for safety reasons, you can climb onto the reef. The water there is only about knee or waist deep. The reef connects to the beach so it is possible to walk back to shore if you absolutely need to, just watch your step as mentioned before . 

Snorkelling equipment

In addition to snorkelling mask and fins, a couple of things you might find useful are:

• A weight belt. I use two 3 pound weights to give me a bit more stability in the water.
• Diving gloves. Diving gloves will protect your hands if you touch the reef to stabilise yourself. 
• Dive boots are handy if you need to walk on top of the reef, because there are sharp barnacles there, but again, avoid walking on the reef. 

Enjoy your snorkel at Yanchep Lagoon

I hope this article and my video have helped you in some way. It’s a beautiful spot, Australia really is something special. If you have any questions about snorkelling at Yanchep Lagoon, drop your questions in the comments below or hit me up on social media. 

If you’re into snorkelling, check out my articles and videos about snorkelling at Rottnest Island and snorkelling with the whale sharks at the Ningaloo Coast.

Well that’s it from me! Enjoy life! Have a great time and I’ll see you all on the next adventure!

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