Little Parakeet Bay is one of Rottnest's quietest family snorkels. The Rottnest Island Authority describes calm, shallow water suitable for younger children, with blue-scaled fish, graceful starfish and the occasional stingray, and SeaLink calls it a quiet, secluded location with coral gardens. Its larger neighbour, Parakeet Bay, is listed by the Authority among the island's most popular snorkel spots.

The bay is small and sheltered by limestone headlands, and the reef inside it has patches of coral and weed in water only a metre or two deep. That makes it ideal for young children and nervous snorkellers, who can stand up when they need to and still see fish. Stingrays feed on the sand, and starfish are common on the reef.

It is not a scuba site - the water is too shallow - but it is a pleasant stop on a north-coast cycle and a good alternative when The Basin is crowded. Visibility is best on calm mornings with southerly winds.

As with all the north-coast bays, boats anchor offshore in summer, so snorkellers should stay close to shore or use a float and flag.

Rottnest's north-coast bays are the island's summer snorkelling grounds because they sit in the lee of the prevailing south-westerly sea breeze. The Rottnest Island Reserve bans spearguns and handspears across all island waters, so fish throughout the bays are relatively approachable, and the Island Explorer bus and flat cycling road link them all. The general rule is simple: in a southerly, snorkel the north side.

About 3 km from the settlement - a 12-minute ride along the north-coast road past Geordie Bay, or Island Explorer bus Stop 18; the Geordie Bay accommodation shuttle also runs close by. Walk down from the road to the beach and enter from the sand. Snorkel gear can be hired in the settlement; scuba divers must bring filled cylinders from Perth on the ferry, as there are no fills on the island.

SeaLink lists south-east, south, south-west and west winds as suitable. North and north-westerly winds bring chop and swell into the bay. General pattern at Rottnest: summer brings calm morning easterlies followed by a strong south-westerly sea breeze from late morning, so dive early; winter brings north-westerly fronts and large swell, with clear, calm spells between them.

Check the Bureau of Meteorology coastal forecast for swell height and period before committing.

Enter from the beach and snorkel the shallow coral gardens and reef edges inside the bay; Parakeet Bay next door can be added in calm weather. Snorkellers should stay within easy reach of the exit point and swim with a buddy; scuba divers at these depths need no safety stop but should ascend slowly and surface near the float.

No operator needed - self-guided snorkel/shore dive. Snorkel gear hire from Pedal & Flipper and other outlets in the Thomson Bay settlement; guided snorkel tours (Rottnest Snorkel) run from Thomson Bay. Scuba divers bring cylinders from Perth - no fills on the island.