Perth Hotels

Obviously, you’re not going to hop in the car and drive to Perth – unless you’re prepared to spend a decent chunk of your time on a long, flat road through the guts of the country. There’s no doubt Perth’s remoteness counts against it, but making the effort to go west (by plane) will certainly be rewarded.

Hugging the beautiful Swan River is the Central Business District, stretching into refined Subiaco with its leafy streets and grand homes. Beyond that are the wide, clean beaches lapped by the Indian Ocean. Then there’s Cottesloe – a real surfer’s paradise, Scarborough with its dazzling sunsets, and, off the coast of Fremantle, charming and historical Rottnest Island with its native quokkas.

Perth contains all the essential ingredients for the perfect getaway. With gorgeous weather, clean, wide roads that are so open the locals think a traffic jam is an exotic type of conserve, and a picturesque city to rival the most beautiful in the world, if Perth isn’t on your must-see list, it should be.

With a melanoma-inducing 3000 hours of sunlight per year, Perth is just waiting for you to drop by. And even if you don’t, it’ll continue to shine on without you.

PERTH’S TOP 10

PERTH LOCAL

Fremantle

A mere 30-minute drive southwest of Perth, ‘Freo’ is a culturally-diverse hotspot. Grab a coffee and take a stroll through the streets, where you’ll find beautiful heritage buildings and Victorian architecture. The Western Australian Maritime Museum (where you’ll discover relics and artefacts from sunken ships) is a great spot for brushing up on local history and Fremantle Prison is the best place to learn about WA’s violent history. On the weekend, Freemantle Markets has a wide range of stalls and a fun (albeit slightly chaotic) vibe.

Burswood

The home of the WACA, this is also Perth’s entertainment district. The Burswood Entertainment Complex houses the Burswood Casino and a heap of bars, clubs and restaurants. Take a punt or enjoy a drink at a hip bar where the beautiful people go.

Northbridge

The perfect place to soak up some of the finer things Perth life has to offer. Check out the Art Gallery of Western Australia for the best in WA doodlings (and some foreign stuff that isn’t too shabby, either). The Perth Institute of Contemporary Art provides a more abstract but still worthwhile fix. Once you’re done, you can remove your pretentious black beret and take in an exhibition at the museum of people-watching over a good coffee at one of Northbridge’s trendy day spots.

By night, Northbridge is another hub of entertainment, and you can’t stay in Perth without visiting the iconic Brass Monkey Hotel. It’s the most-photographed hotel in WA, so you can either amuse yourself by trying to get in the tourist pics or you can simply enjoy the incredible range of boutique Aussie beers (that’s right, no VB here). The local Matilda Bay Brewery Redback Original will reaffirm your faith in the beauty of life. Even if you’re not a beer drinker, don’t leave without trying it

Swan Valley

Swan Valley is a 30-minute drive from the city, and is the place to indulge in truly fabulous local produce. Hit up the Sandalford Winery, one of the country’s oldest and largest vineyards, and sample a few (and then a few more) award-wining reds and whites. Caversham Wildlife Park is also a fun attraction where you can watch native animals on their home turf while you work out who is sober enough to drive back to the city.

Rottnest Island

‘Rotto’ is a short ferry-ride from Perth and is the best place to experience some of Australia’s most fascinating coral reefs and pristine beaches. With azure waters and white sand, The Basin and Geordie Bay are top-quality beaches, but the island also boasts a rich colonial, convict and indigenous history. Check out the Aboriginal Burial Ground and the Oliver Hill Battery.

Unique to Rotto is the quokka. Imagine a basketball covered in fur hopping awkwardly along and you’ve got a rough idea. Local legend has it that the fig trees on the island had to be removed because after their fruit dropped it would ferment and be eaten by the quokkas, who would get rat-arsed as a result (which is kind of appropriate for something that looks half-rodent and half-roo). Once you’ve seen them, the image of these pint-sized fur balls barrelling down Rotto’s many hills will make you giggle all the way home!

PERTH EAT & DRINK

Perth’s culinary scene is innovative and exciting and while Sydney and Melbourne might boast a bevy of hatted restaurants, Perth has the skill and quality without the pretentiousness or the price-tag. While you’re here, make sure you try marron if you get the chance, a WA specialty. It’s a land-dwelling shellfish with a lobster-like taste.

PERTH EVENTS

January’s Fremantle Sardine Festival is a guaranteed good time. We’re talking heaps of food and drink stalls, and freshly-caught sardines served every which-way and ready for devouring.

Early February to the beginning of March each year sees the Perth International Arts Festival. Venues across the city get crammed with people wanting to experience the most electric and energetic displays of music, theatre and dance from both local and international stars.

Acrobats and gigantic puppets come together at the Fremantle Street Arts Festival in late-April. This unique experience brings cool people from across the globe and showcases awesome physical feats, comedy, circus-like tricks, sexy cabaret and more. This is a family-friendly festival with plenty of kooky characters mixed in.

Kings Park sees The Perth Wildflower Festival come into bloom in September. Totally unique and utterly beautiful, even if you’re the most macho man imaginable.

The Perth Royal Show in early October is like the Show in every other city, with rides, games, food, drink, art exhibits, animal shows, showbags, etc, etc. It’s fun, but nothing new.

WHEN TO GO

· One of the more amusing sights is the people of Perth wrapping themselves in scarves and overcoats when the mercury drops below 18°C in winter. Which is pretty much a heatwave in Tasmania! Otherwise, T-shirts, shorts and thongs are the weather-appropriate dress code.

WHAT TO MISS

· Feeding quokkas on Rottnest Island. If caught, you’ll get an instant fine. Plus, some of them can be a little antsy and may attack – and imagine having to ’fess up in your travel journal that a football-sized marsupial ran you off the island.

· Perth in summer, if you hate heat. 42°C days are common and the humidity will turn you into a sweaty ball.

· While Perth is a relatively safe city, suburbs like Cloverdale, Balga and Armadale can get a bit dodgy after dark. They’re mostly residential-based, though, so you’re not missing much if you stay away.

GETTING AROUND

· Transperth provides all your bus, train and ferry needs. Plus, they have SmartRider passes (multiple tickets on the one card) to give you more bang for your buck.

· If you want to re-visit the ’90s, the Swan River has a great path on its banks that just begs to be roller-bladed on.

· Taxis in Perth are reliable, clean and pretty standard in terms of fare. A trip from the airport to the city shouldn’t cost more than $30.

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