'When I went to this Aussie town, everyone thought I was in Mallorca or the Seychelles.'

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I was casually posting my WA trip to Instagram when my group chat lit up. 

Did I secretly get on an international flight to the Seychelles or Mallorca without telling anyone? Did my Uber simply miss the turnoff to the Domestic airport? 

Watch: A lifestyle editor's must-pack travel essentials. Post continues below.

No, friends, none of that happened. But my camera roll did look like a Pinterest board of international tropical getaways, without ever having to crack my passport out.

It proved the point: you don't have to leave Australia to feel like you've travelled to some of the most iconic places in the world. 

A return to Oz.

The red dirt roads call me. Image: Cassandra Green.

Everyone I know is saying the same thing: international travel has become painfully expensive. Flights, accommodation, meals, taxis… it all adds up before you've even done the Euro to AUD conversion. 

So instead of chasing cheap flights to Europe, I decided to see what I'd been missing closer to home.

They call it "destination dupes" — local places that look and feel like international icons. And after a week cruising the coast in a van, I've officially found the best of them.

The only way to see WA's Great Southern region.

Our gorgeous Apollo camper (and a classic van life meal!). Image: Cassandra Green.

Of course, I told a few friends about my van life tour through WA. After they got over the initial shock (I'm more of a luxury resort queen than a granola girl), they could see the appeal.

And once I picked up my Apollo Euro Plus camper, I was shocked by how easy it was to handle. The driving was no harder than my little Suzuki, and I had all the creature comforts at my fingertips: a fridge big enough for wine and cheese, a gas stove, and even a hot shower with proper water pressure (a rarity in van world, apparently). 

There was a dining area that converted into a double bed, USB ports everywhere, and — most importantly for a woman travelling — a toilet. Having that peace of mind meant I could park anywhere, and do my business safely without having to exit the van.

While it did take a few hours to pick up the van (be warned, the Perth office is very busy on account of it being the best way to travel the area), once we were on the road we were filled with a sense of freedom.

Find a beach you love? Just stay another night. No biggie.

Plus, it's cost-effective. I made steak sandwiches, pasta dinners with a view, and fancy deli sandwiches for beach picnics, using affordable groceries from the store. I was a big fan of the travelling van lifestyle.

Destination dupes: the world, without leaving WA.

So, once you have your wheels, where should you go?

Esperance for Mallorca, Spain vibes.

LEFT: Caló des Moro in Mallorca Spain, RIGHT: Hellfire Beach, Esperance WA. Image: Instagram, @roamandthrive/Cassandra Green.

I'll start with Esperance, because honestly, it's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been — and I've been to most of Europe, including Mallorca.

Like the Spanish island, Esperance is a mix of long, white beaches and hidden coves framed by granite rocks and the kind of turquoise water you'd swear was edited. But unlike Mallorca, there are no crowds, no sunbed wars, and no €12 cocktails. 

Just quiet, empty beaches and the occasional kangaroo hopping through seaweed. (Yes, we actually saw one — it was the most Australian travel moment ever.)

A kangaroo spotted at the iconic Lucky Bay in Esperance. Image: Cassandra Green

We parked the van at Lucky Bay, which is inside Cape Le Grand National Park, and it was the kind of campsite you dream about.

Just steps from the sand, with ocean views from your pillow. In the morning, I'd slide open the van door, walk a few metres, and dive straight into the crystal-clear water.

The Apollo looks right at home perched above Lucky Bay. Image: Cassandra Green

Esperance's beaches — Lucky Bay, Hellfire Bay, Thistle Cove, Twilight Beach and Blue Haven — all have that postcard-perfect look. The only difference is you don't have to share them. And when you've had your fill of swimming, you can just stroll back to the van for a snack. 

Denmark for a taste of Seychelles, Africa.

LEFT: Anse Source d'Argent in the Seychelles, RIGHT: Elephant Rocks in Demark WA. Image: Instagram, @jonny.melon/Cassandra Green.

Next stop: Denmark, a place that looks so much like the Seychelles that when I posted a photo of Elephant Rocks, everyone thought I'd flown to Africa.

You've probably seen that iconic image of Anse Source d'Argent on La Digue island from your Windows screensaver — smooth, giant granite boulders rising out of turquoise water. 

Elephant Rocks is the Australian version, complete with a cove so clear it looks like a swimming pool. The only real difference is that instead of palm trees, you've got native shrubbery, and instead of resort crowds, it's just you and a few locals with eskies.

We drove the van right super close to the beach entrance — a total game changer. When we got hungry, we just popped back up for lunch in the van. There aren't many facilities in William Bay National Park, so being self-contained made it super easy.

The town of Denmark itself is adorable, full of little cafes and general-store energy. Think of it as the Seychelles with better coffee and a bakery that serves sausage rolls.

Albany; giving San Vito Lo Capo, Sicily.

LEFT: Cass visits San Vito Lo Capo in Sicily, RIGHT: Cass visits Little Beach in Albany. Image: Cassandra Green.

If Denmark was my Seychelles, then Albany was pure Sicily — dramatic coastlines, rocky cliffs, and that warm, slightly sleepy seaside-town vibe.

We spent a day at Little Beach in Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, and it instantly reminded me of San Vito Lo Capo. The water was impossibly blue, framed by orange-lichen-covered rocks and backed by mountains.

You can see Mt Manypeaks and the Torndirrup peninsula looming in the distance, which feels just like the Sicilian coastline.

LEFT: Zingaro Reserve in Sicily, RIGHT: The unnamed beach in Two People's National Park. Image: Cassandra Green.

For the adventurous types, you can climb over the hill to a smaller, secret beach that doesn't even have a name — it's completely empty, save for a few birds and your footprints. That's the magic of WA: it's still wild, still undiscovered.

After a day of swimming and hiking, we drove the van back into town and had dinner and a pint at The Earl of Spencer, one of Albany's oldest pubs.

That's what made travelling by van so easy — no need to commit to one area or book a string of hotels. We could spend the day at remote beaches, then roll into town for dinner like locals.

Little Beach one minute, then you're in town at a cosy pub! Image: Cassandra Green.

Margaret River… or Bordeaux, France?

LEFT: Saint-Julien Bordeaux, RIGHT: Voyager Estate Margaret River. Image: Atlas Bordeaux/Cassandra Green.

By the time we reached Margaret River, I was convinced I was living in a parallel version of France — one where Bordeaux's vineyards meet Australia's surf coast.

The drive alone is gorgeous, with rolling green hills and vineyards as far as you can see. We spent an afternoon at Voyager Estate, wandering through the gardens and sampling Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc Semillon. The kitchen garden smelled like thyme and lemon myrtle; and was filled with roses.

An afternoon at Voyager Estate was on the cards. Image: Cassandra Green.

Lunch at Swings & Roundabouts was another highlight — pasta with local wine overlooking the valley, the kind of slow lunch you promise yourself you'll start having at home but never do.

When we weren't eating or sipping, we explored Margaret River's natural beauty — The Aquarium for snorkelling, Injidup Natural Spa for a saltwater soak, and Eagle Bay for white sand that rivals anywhere in the Mediterranean.

The best snorkelling spot! So good I've been twice. Image: Cassandra Green.

Also, the town is small and walkable, so we'd simply park the van and wander around. Yet, it also gave us the freedom to beach-hop with all our gear — and a fridge full of cold wine from the vineyards.

(Enjoyed responsibly, of course, by the designated driver of the day.)

Rottnest Island, Australia's The Maldives.

LEFT: Rannalhi Atoll in The Maldives, RIGHT: Little Parakeet Beach in Rottnest Island. Image: Pinterest, @Farouha /Cassandra Green.

I'll admit — Rottnest was the only part of the trip where we left the van behind. But even so, it was the perfect finale: my Maldives dupe.

Rottnest, or Wadjemup, is just a short ferry from Perth, and you'll get that same shimmering, crystal-clear water that makes the Maldives famous. Except here, your beach buddies are smiling quokkas instead of resort guests.

The best way to see the island is by e-bike — trust me, after doing it twice now on a regular push bikes, I've learnt my lesson. There are over 60 beaches and bays to explore, from Little Parakeet Bay to Little Salmon Bay, each one a new shade of turquoise.

The water at Rotto is unparallelled. Image: Cassandra Green.

After a full day of swimming and snorkelling (and quokka selfies, obviously), we wrapped up with dinner at Isola — the blue swimmer crab pasta is one of the best things I've ever eaten, and the tiramisu comes straight out of the dish. It's heaven.

And the logistics? Easy. We parked the van at Fremantle's B Shed before catching the ferry — no stress, no parking nightmares, just a smooth end to an unforgettable road trip.

A quokka is my spririt animal. Image: Cassandra Green.

The case for looking west.

When I think back on that trip, what stands out isn't just the beaches (though they are next-level). It's the feeling of freedom — waking up to the sound of waves, cooking dinner under the stars, and realising that travel doesn't have to mean airports, time zones, and jet lag.

The Great Southern region of WA genuinely competes with the most iconic destinations in the world — and in some ways, it's better.

It's quieter, cleaner, and more untouched. You don't have to book beach chairs or queue for restaurants; you just go.

Featured image: Cassandra Green.