Staying at The White House puts you 80 meters from the Denham foreshore — close enough to walk to cafes, shops, and tours without touching your car keys. But Denham is also your gateway to one of the most remarkable regions in Australia: the Shark Bay World Heritage Area. Here’s how to make the most of it during your stay.
Start Right Outside Your Door
Because The White House sits on the foreshore in central Denham, you can do a surprising amount without driving anywhere. Stroll the waterfront at sunset, wander into town for a coffee, or book a tour that picks up nearby. It’s the kind of base that lets you slow down between adventures rather than spending your holiday in the car.
Meet the Ocean Park Family
As a guest of The White House, you get 10% off experiences, tours, and dining across a group of local favourites right in Denham:
- Ocean Park Aquarium — A relaxed, family-friendly marine experience with guided tours and shark feeds, right on Shark Bay’s waters, located 10km out of Denham.
- Shark Bay Eco Tours — Small-group boat and 4×4 adventures, from snorkelling the hidden reefs to exploring Francois Peron National Park with expert local guides.
- Shoreline — Part cafe, part dive store. Grab a coffee, then gear up with everything you need for a day on the water.
- Oceans Restaurant — Laid-back dining with Shark Bay flavours front and centre, ideal after an aquarium visit.
It’s worth building at least one of these into your itinerary — ask us anytime or give the Ocean Park Team a call on 08 9949 1765 and we’ll help you line up bookings.
Wild Dolphins at Monkey Mia
No trip to Shark Bay is complete without Monkey Mia, about 25 minutes’ drive from Denham. Wild indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins have visited these shallows for generations, and rangers run supervised interactions each morning — usually between around 7:45am and midday. Get there early for the best chance of a close encounter. The experience involved the iconic dolphin feeding, where you get to see these marine mammals up close, and learn about just how fascinating they are from the Monkey Mia DBCA team.
Stand Among the World’s Oldest Living Things
At Hamelin Pool, hypersaline water has created one of the only places on Earth where living stromatolites still grow — the same kind of organisms responsible for shaping Earth’s early atmosphere, billions of years ago. A boardwalk lets you view them respectfully, and it’s a genuinely humbling stop on the way out of town. At the time of writing this the boardwalk is closed due to damage from a cyclone, they have just started to rebuild the new one with it hopefully opening in 2027.
Walk a Beach Made Entirely of Shells
Shell Beach is exactly what it sounds like — over 100 km of coastline built from tiny white cockle shells, in places meters deep. The unusually salty water here makes for a buoyant, almost effortless swim if you’re up for a dip.
Get Out on the Water
If fishing or boating is more your pace, a few trusted local operators can get you out on Shark Bay’s waters:
- Monkey Mia Boat Hire — self-drive boat hire for exploring the bay at your own pace
- Shark Bay Fishing Charters — guided fishing charters for a proper day on the water
- Shark Bay Kite surfing — lessons for something a little more active
Explore Francois Peron National Park
For rust-red dunes rolling straight into turquoise water, Francois Peron National Park is unmissable — and one of the best places in the region to spot dugongs grazing the seagrass meadows offshore. Much of the park needs a high clearance 4WD, so a guided tour (Shark Bay Eco Tours runs daily trips) is the easiest way in if you’re not set up for the sand tracks yourself.
Where to Eat in Denham
After a full day exploring, you’re spoiled for choice just a short walk from your suite:
- Oceans Restaurant (Breakfast and lunch only)
- Shoreline Cafe (short eats until 5pm)
- The Old Pearler (reservation only)
- Shark Bay Hotel – Your classic Shark Bay Pub
- Shark Bay Heritage Resort
- The Monkey Bar (Monkey Mia)
- The Boughshed Restaurant (Monkey Mia)
Plan Your Stay
Whether you’re here for the dolphins, the diving, or simply to watch the sun go down over the water from your private deck, Denham makes a relaxed, walkable base for exploring everything Shark Bay has to offer.
Ready to book your stay? Check availability at The White House Denham or CONTACT US and we’ll help you plan the rest of your trip.