Discovery Rottnest Island

The Dutch explorer who stumbled upon Rottnest in 1696 named it after what he believed was a community of rats living on the island. Actually, the furry creatures he saw were quokkas—rare and adorable marsupials that now draw hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. Discovery Rottnest Island, which in March became the island’s first new accommodations in decades, caters to travelers who want to stay near what’s been dubbed the world’s happiest animal. Its 83 eco-tents are connected via raised boardwalks to minimize impact on the sand dunes—and on the quokkas, around 10,000 of which run free around the island. —Ciara Nugent