Set in the southwest corner of Australia, Perth is the capital city of Western Australia and synonymous with everything that is attractive about this great nation. Located between the tranquil waters of the Swan River and the bush land of Kings Park on Mount Eliza, Perth is a fast growing metropolitan city that is also within grasping distance of one of the most stunning stretches of coastline in the world. With average temperatures of more than 20C all year round, Perth is an excellent location to begin your Australian holiday.
International and domestic Perth flights arrive via Perth International Airport (PER), around eight miles outside of the city centre. Taxis are available from the airport and will take 20 or 30 minutes to get into the city. All taxis are meter operated and the journey should cost approximately AUD$20.00 - AUD$30.00. The airport operates a shuttle bus service with convenient pick up points located throughout the city. Many hotels in Perth can also arrange a shuttle pickup and drop off from their reception areas.
| Just a 45 minute drive east of the city centre will bring you to the wide fertile ranges of the Perth Hills... |
The downtown CBD of Perth has the best selection of clothing malls and shopping outlets to be found in the state of Western Australia. Alternatively, head to the Northbridge area and experience the cultural heart of city, revered for its diversity of restaurants, art galleries, museums and music venues.
The west of the city has a chilled out beach vibe, with swimmers and surfers flocking to the beaches of Cottesloe, Scarborough, Leighton and Swanbourne. Whilst nature lovers head to Kings Park, a mixture of botanical gardens and natural bush land.
Just a 45 minute drive east of the city centre will bring you to the wide fertile ranges of the Perth Hills, a sprawling area of forests, streams and charming townships. If you're feeling active there are a number of nature treks in the area, or if not simply follow The Mundaring Hills Wine Trail, which will lead you to some of the oldest wineries in the region. Alternatively visit the famous Swan Valley growing region just 25 minutes east of the city centre. Journeying south will take you to Margaret River, a great spot to sample the world renowned wineries and restaurants.
Just a 30 minute drive outside of the city you can soak up the bohemian vibe of Freemantle or 'Freo' as the locals refer to it. The city is a multicultural mix of buskers and artists with a growing selection of micro-breweries and a great nightlife.
Just a short ferry ride from Freemantle is the relaxed holiday island of Rottnest. With virtually no cars on the island, the most popular form of transport is bike hire, failing that there are a small number of coach tours to show you the finer points of the island. Explore the island's secluded bays by glass bottom boat, visit one of the family fun parks or get your photo taken with the island's signature marsupial, the Quokkas.
It is worth considering taking a day trip north to Nambung National Park to visit The Pinnacles; a field of vertically placed pieces of limestone in the barren desert. Venturing even further north to Monkey Mia is well worth the extra distance. Several times a day the wild bottle nose dolphins come up to the shallow waters for feeding time, provided by smiling crowds of tourists.
Further up the coast you can visit the gold mines of Kalgoorlie, relax on the sands of Cable Beach in Broome, before arriving at Kimberley at the very top of Western Australia.
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