Description: Many people often consider taking a sightseeing flight when visiting places like New York City or Hawaii, although once looking at the actual cost of the flight, drop that idea from their mind, instead opting for a more budgeted use of the money. Rottnest Island offers a number of different sightseeing flights for those interested in seeing Rotto from above, with prices that work with the pocketbook of any budget-minded traveller.
The Rottnest Island airport is just a short walk or bike ride outside of the main settlement at Thomson Bay, and really isn't anything more than an extremely small terminal and a single runway. The bus that runs around Rottnest Island also stops in front of the terminal, although the schedule to the bus is something that I have yet to understand.
Rottnest Air Taxi offers both sightseeing flights, as well as chartered connections to Jandakot Airport or to Perth Airport. Rottnest Air Taxi has a fleet of two planes, a four-seater Cessna 172 and a six-seater Piper Cherokee 6 to cater to the needs of the customer.
The sightseeing flights above Rotto allow you to see some amazing views that you would otherwise not be able to experience if you had left your feet on the ground. Three different sightseeing flight options are available: a 10-minute Rottnest Island circle flight ($35 pp), a 30-minute Perth city circle flight ($85 pp), and a 35-minute flight that combines the 10 minute and 30 minute flight together ($100 pp). All the prices are per person, with a minimum of two people, so if you are a solo traveller, you can wait around hoping that someone else will show up that wants to take the same flight as you, or book the whole plane yourself. When taking my sightseeing flight, I simply rode my bike to the airport and asked to go up, although reservations can also be made. When booking a charter to Jandakot or Perth for connections to other flights, a reservation is a must.
As I am a plane-lover, I couldn't pass up this chance to fly in a new type of aircraft and see the beauty of Rottnest Island from above. I embarked on the 10-minute (which ended up being around 15 minutes) circle flight around Rottnest Island and was able to see the far reaches of the island, which I had bicycled to earlier. The views from above give an entirely different perspective to the island and reefs along the coast. The flight is perfect for someone who can't bike all the way to the ends of the island or for someone who simply wants to get away and try something new. On our approach back into the airport, we pulled a tight bank and circled above the settlement area at Thomson Bay giving a bird's eye view of the activity below.
In order to appreciate this beautiful island to the fullest, a short sightseeing flight from Rottnest Air Taxi is a must. Reservations can be made by calling 0411 264 547 or via email. Their website can be found at www.rottnest.de
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