Guide to Perth, Western Australia

Perth is a beautiful coastal city and it has a lot to offer visitors, including some of Australia’s best beaches and wineries!

How to get there

You can fly directly to Perth from most cities in Australia and many cities in Asia. Keep in mind that there is a 2/3 hour time difference (depending on the time of the year) from the east coast of Australia.

Perth Airport is about 12km from the CBD. You can take the 380 Bus which runs every hour. Alternatively, you can take an Uber or taxi, but it will be more expensive.

Where to stay

There are some great areas to stay in and around Perth, depending what you want to be close to. There are some great affordable Airbnbs in Perth CBD and nearby areas such as Northbridge and East Perth. We stayed in a private room at an Airbnb in East Perth for about AUD80 per night.

Other nice areas outside of the CBD that you could stay are Fremantle, the famous portside suburb, or Cottesloe, by the beach.

What to do

Take a d’Vine Wine tour in the Swan Valley

The Swan Valley is just a 25 minutes drive from Perth, which makes it the closest wine region to any capital city in the world and the perfect day trip from Perth!

There are over 150 wineries in this beautiful part of the country and a tour is a great way to visit some of the best of the area.

We went on a d’Vine Wine Tour and it was absolutely fantastic! It started at 10am and we had the option of being picked up from multiple locations. Our lovely tour guide Breana arrived on time and greeted us with a smile. She explained a lot of about the history of the area and had a wealth of knowledge. She even gave us some excellent wine tasting tips, which made it more interactive and enjoyable.

Our first stop was a beautiful winery called Lancaster. The cellar door was outside and we tasted fantastic wines right next to the vineyard. We were also treated to a delicious cheese board. This was my favourite winery throughout the day (and not just because of the cheese board).

The second stop was Mondoon Estate, a huge vineyard with a cellar door, restaurant, micro brewery and accommodation. We had a fantastic lunch which consisted of pizza, salad and wine and sat outside in the fine dining restaurant.

Our third stop was Sandalford wines. They had a great selection of tastings at the cellar door and we were also given some more cheese and crackers.

The 4th stop was quite a spectacular property which had the Margaret River Chocolate Company, Providore and Coward and Black Winery. We started off at the Margaret River Chocolate Company and were provided with a private chocolate tastings, which were delicious.

We were then given the option of a wine tasting at Coward and Black Winery, which included chocolate liqueur tastings!

The Providore store held a huge selection of delicious preserves including jams, chutneys, syrups and olive oils – it was a foodie paradise.

Our 5th stop was a German inspired brewery called Elmar’s in the Valley. Here we had a sample of one of their beers and spent time relaxing in their gardens to some live music.

Our last stop was at an adorable french patisserie Maison Saint-Honoré. We were given macaroon samples and could buy some to take home.

I would highly recommend d’Vine Wine Tours to anyone visiting Perth. You can book a tour at their website: https://www.dvinetours.com.au/

Take a day trip to Rottnest Island

Rottnest Island, or “rotto” as the locals call it, is a tropical paradise just 19kms off the coast of Fremantle and 30 minutes by ferry.

Although quite an expensive day trip ($130 for a return ferry ticket), it was AMAZING and was definitely worth it.

It is very popular to ride bikes on the island and we booked this with the ferry ticket online for $30 each.

The ferry arrived on the east coast of the island at the settlement town, and we cycled north and south to explore some of the many beautiful bays. All of the beaches were beautiful with white sand and crystal clear water. There are a lot of great spots for snorkeling, so if you enjoy this I would recommend renting snorkel equipment ($20).

In the settlement there are quite a few cafes and restaurants to have lunch. Thomsons Rottnest is right on the water and has a sensational view. Wherever you go, expect to see some adorable quokkas wanting food!

We cycled north of the settlement to the Bathurst Lighthouse which had a lookout onto Pinky Beach. We cycled a bit further on to The Basin which was a very popular bay to sun bake and snorkel.

We cycled south of the settlement and reached Henrietta Rocks, a quiet serene white sandy beach. This was a good spot for snorkeling as there is a submerged wreck just off the shore.

 Enjoy the nature in King’s Park

King’s Park is one of the world’s largest inner city parks. It is home to over 3,000 species of flora and holds a lot of culture and history. Set up on a hill, there are many lookouts which boast spectacular views of Perth CBD and the Swan River. This is a wonderful place to take a walk and enjoy the natural surroundings.

Sun bake at Cottesloe beach!

Perth and Western Australia is known for stunning beaches. If there’s only one beach that you can get to during your time in Perth, I would recommend visiting Cottesloe beach. You can take a bus from Elizabeth Quay in about 30 minutes.

Discover Fremantle

Fremantle is a historic port suburb south of Perth. It is quite an interesting area and has quite a few things to see including Fremantle Markets, Little Creatures Brewery, the old Fremantle Prison and a picturesque waterfront.

There are bars and restaurants near the water and it is a lovely place to watch the sunset. I would recommend Bathers Beach House as it is right by the water.

Nightlife

In Perth CBD I would recommend the Aviary. It is a huge rooftop bar and has a great atmosphere. Otherwise, head to Northbridge just north of the CBD for a selection of bars.

How long to stay

There is quite a lot to see in Perth and the surrounding areas. I would recommend a minimum of 4 days so that you have time to see the Swan Valley, Rottnest Island and Perth city. I spent 3 days in Perth and would have liked  few extra days to spend in Fremantle and Rottnest Island.