Sandboarding Lancelin Sand Dunes: Your Ultimate Adventure Guide

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One of my favourite day trips from Perth is to the mesmerising Lancelin Sand Dunes. Behind the small coastal town of Lancelin, 90 minutes from Perth, the Lancelin Sand Dunes are a haven for those seeking to glide down the giant dunes by sandboard.

Whether you’re a seasoned sandboarder or a first-timer, this guide will give you the lowdown on making the most of your visit. From the best time to go, to where to hire your gear, and tips on how to master the Lancelin sand boarding experience, you’ll find everything you need in this guide to plan your adventure.

This article was first published in August 2021.

Where are the Lancelin Sand Dunes?

Lancelin is a small seaside town located 125 kilometres north of Perth, a 1.5 hour drive along the Indian Ocean Drive. You will need a car to reach Lancelin, otherwise there are a couple of day tours from Perth that include a visit to the sand dunes – read on below for my recommendations.

If you need to hire a car in Perth, compare prices across a large range of suppliers on Discover Cars to make sure you get the best deal!

Thanks to the strong winds and swell, Lancelin is a popular spot for water sports and windsurfing. Just to the north of the town, you will find the large white sand dunes which are accessible by 2WD car.

The Lancelin sand dunes are the largest in Western Australia. Stretching for over 2 kilometres long, the brightness of the white sand is exacerbated by the distinct lack of any other vegetation in the area other than a few scrubs. 

Aerial view over the rolling sand dunes at Lancelin

Lancelin is the closest sand dunes near Perth. You’ll also find sand dunes at Sandy Bay, near Jurien Bay, and in the South West of Western Australia at Yeagarup Dunes near Pemberton.

Lancelin is the spot for the easiest and best sand boarding near Perth.

Best Time to Visit 

Generally, the best time to visit the Lancelin sand dunes is in the morning when the winds are lighter. By the late afternoon, a strong westerly breeze sets in which can make sandboarding a bit harder. 

You can visit the sand dunes all year round, but you want to avoid visiting when raining or after rain (the sand gets sticky and difficult to board down).

As Lancelin is located fairly close to Perth, it is a popular day trip spot on the weekends, so expect weekends to be busier.

Visiting the Lancelin Sand dunes at sunrise or sunset is stunning, particularly sunset as you can see the sun sink below the waters edge from the top of a sand dune. 

I visited in the morning on our way to the Pinnacles and Jurien Bay at the very beginning of a 10 day Perth to Exmouth road trip. We spent about an hour sandboarding and then headed to Offshore Café & Bakery for lunch before continuing our journey north.

You might also like: Perth to Pinnacles Road Trip guide (with a visit to Lancelin Sand Dunes).

Opening Hours

Entry to the dunes is free, and they are open every day all year round. There are no formal opening hours for the dunes, but vehicles are prohibited on the dunes after dark. 

Entrance is via the unsealed road (but suitable for 2WD) from Beacon Road. 

As you drive towards the sand dunes you will see a kiosk which is where you can hire sandboards.

You can park here near the sand dunes, or drive further along the hard rock closer to the base of the sand dunes. Otherwise it is about a 300 metre walk from the hire kiosk to the base of the sand dunes. 

Lancelin Sandboard Hire

You can hire sandboards at the kiosk at the sand dunes or various places around town, such as the Have a Chat general store or Gull service station.

Sand board reservations aren’t essential, but you can pre-book a board on the Lancelin Tourism site. I would only consider pre-booking during busy periods such as public holidays.

Board hire costs $10 for an hour, and I left my drivers license with the kiosk as security. I would say one hour is generally long enough for most people.

At the kiosk they hire out two types of sandboards – sitting and standing.

If you hire a sitting sandboard, you can stand on it anyway so I’d recommendation hiring this one to give you more flexibility. Sitting on the board is less scary and a better option for beginners to build up confidence going down the dunes. After a few goes you will be ready to have a go standing! 

Heading further north after visiting Lancelin? Check out my guide to visiting Hutt Lagoon Pink Lake, 4.5 hours north of Lancelin sand dunes.

What to Do at the Lancelin Sand Dunes?

Sandboarding at Lancelin sand dunes is the most popular activity, but there are other activities available.

From the kiosk you can hire 4WD quad bikes and buggies to drive out onto the dunes. Prices start from $60 for 30 min solo hire. Two people can fit on the quad bike too, with hire prices from $80 for a duo. There are also organised tours you can join as well. 

Tips for Sandboarding in Lancelin

  • Hire a sitting down sandboard, you can stand or sit down on these 
  • Make sure you wax your board with the nob of wax given to you by the kiosk. Rub more wax on after every 3-4 trips down the dunes. 
  • Make sure you bring sunglasses as the reflecting sun off the sand can be very bright
  • There are no facilities at the sand dunes so make sure you stop at toilets or shops in the town before heading to the dunes. 
  • Be prepared to work up a sweat – your thighs will be burning when walking back up the dunes!
Lancelin Sand Dunes near the coast

Lancelin Sand Dunes 4WD

You do not need a 4WD to access the base of Lancelin sand dunes.

Experienced 4WDers can head up the sand dunes (don’t forget to reduce tyre pressure). As you head further towards the sand dunes, a sign will alert you that the track continues for 4WDs only. 

Another option is to hop onto a 45 minute 4WD tour, that departs from the base of the sand dunes.

Perth to Lancelin Sand Dunes Tour

There are two highly-rated tours that I recommend that include stops at both Lancelin Sand Dunes and the nearby Pinnacles Desert. The first one includes an adventure in the 4WD bus pictured above.  

  • Pinnacles, Koalas & Sandboarding Tour Day Trip: Your first stop will be Caversham Wildlife Park, where you can see koalas and hand-feed kangaroos. Next, travel to Cervantes for lunch and a tour of the lobster factory. The next stop will be the Pinnacles Desert, before driving over the Lancelin Sand Dunes in a custom-built 4WD vehicle. This will be an adventurous day to remember! 
  • Pinnacles Desert Sunset and Star-Gazing Tour: Join this bus tour which first stops at Lancelin Sand Dunes for sandboarding. You’ll then head to the Pinnacles, enjoying a barbeque dinner in the middle of the desert, while sipping on local wine. See the sunset before marvelling at the clear night sky with the help of astro binoculars and a telescope.

Other Things to Do in the Area

After a few hours exploring the sand dunes, have a rest break at the beer garden at Lancelin Sands Hotel.

Other things to do nearby include visiting Cervantes and tour the Lobster Shack (or simply have a delicious seafood lunch)

Drive a further 15 minutes north and you’ll reach Jurien Bay. Read my detailed guide with ideas for things to do in Jurien Bay here.

If you are heading to Jurien Bay or Cervantes, don’t forget to visit the extraordinary Pinnacles Desert!

The Pinnacles

Final Thoughts on Lancelin Sandboarding

Sandboarding can be tricky at first, but it is a lot of fun once you get the hang of it!

The Lancelin Sand Dunes are an incredible place to visit and take photos at, even if you don’t want to sandboard. Visit Lancelin as a day trip from Perth, spend a few nights there or stop by on your way further north to destinations like Kalbarri or Hutt Lagoon Pink Lake

Continue your adventures in Perth and along the Coral Coast:

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