Perth City Guide

A spacious, modern city with wide streets, beautifully situated on the banks of the Swan River. The city has beautiful tropical parks and life is good here. Perth is a bit remote; the closest metropolis is several hours away by plane. However it doesn't seem like the 1.5 million inhabitants of this city seem to mind too much about that. This city has it all.... it has 'big city life', but without the chaotic crowds. There are wide sandy beaches nearby and the sun shines year round here.

Perth in a nutshell

Perth is a great city for wandering, shopping or lounging around in one of the parks (Queens Park or Hyde Park). An absolute must is Kings Park, it's a 4km2 park filled with tropical trees and a fabulous view. Tip: hire a bicycle and go for a bike ride through the park right after sunrise. There are also welcoming pubs and fine restaurants in the area; although you shouldn't expect a spectacular nightlife in Perth. If you're interested in Aboriginal art, there's a great local shop in King Street for you to visit. A visit to Perth wouldn't be complete however without a visit to the beach:

Beaches

You can choose from beaches by the Swan River, Como or Crawly, or from beaches (with excellent surfing opportunities) along the Indian Ocean, such as Swanbourne. Then take the 205 bus. Rottnest island (also known as Rotto), located 19km off the coast, is one of the most popular spots among locals. There are plenty of ferries that sail to the island every day, fast ones and regular ones. The 11km x 5km island is home to white sandy beaches and the sea surrounding holds unspoiled coral reefs. Go for a bike ride, go snorkelling and look down on the shipwrecks and enjoy the ever-present sunshine. The island was once discovered by a Dutch adventurer who called it a 'rat's nest'. Although what he referred to as rats were actually the common quokkas, a type of wallaby or mini kangaroo.

Transfers and transport

Perth's airport is located 10km away from the city. There are plenty of shuttle buses that will take you to the most common hotels. However, taking a taxi cab is also a relatively affordable option.

The city centre can easily be explored on foot. The public transport company Trans Perth has an excellent bus line, so you may want to try it out while you're here. There's plenty of parking space for those who have a hire car.

Tips & Trips

Freemantle: ('Freo') a Victorian harbour town located approximately 20km south of Perth. It's a must while staying in the area since it's one of the most enjoyable places in West Australia. Many historic buildings, sunny terraces and restaurants can be found here and there's plenty to see and do.

The Pinnacles: ages and ages of erosion created these limestone pillars that shoot straight of the yellow desert at Nambung National Park. The Pinnacles are a very unusual natural phenomenon, but be prepared for a long bus ride to reach them. They're located 260km north of Perth. Along the way you'll reach the coastal town of Lancelin and its spectacular sand dunes.

Tip: Perth is a great addition to your Australia trip and it's the perfect stopover on your way to Sydney! Three to four days here should be enough: one day in the city, one day in Freemantle, one day at the beach on Rottnest and maybe a trip to the Pinnacles.