Perth, Australia: everything that you must know

In this post you will find out the best things to do in Perth, where it is, how far from Sydney and much more.

Perth is the fourth biggest city in Australia and a great place to visit and to live because of the variety of things that any big city can offer but with the advantage of a stunning nature all around.

It is not the most common destination in Australia, although in this “small big” city you can find out different things to explore and to do, it is possible to practice outdoor sports, go to the beaches, take a selfie with quokkas, and also have fun at night. Everyone that goes to Perth falls in love with this charming town.

In this post you will discover everything that you must know about Perth and will be able to start planning your trip!

Where is Perth, Australia

Perth is the capital of Western Australia (WA) with a population of 2 million people. It is one of the furthest capital in the world, also, it has the sunniest day with an average of 8 hours sunshine per day.

Fun fact: Can you believe that Perth is closer to Indonesia than to Sydney? From Sydney, Perth is 3,291 km whereas Indonesia is 3,002 km away.

Perth on the Map

Airport

There is an international airport, Perth Airport or PER, just 15 minutes away from the city center.

Flights to Perth, Australia

From Europe, it is possible to take a direct flight from London to Perth within 17h. From the US, there is a flight between Los Angeles and Perth, with one stop only in Sydney, what makes the trip shorter with a 21 hours flight.

Although, it is rare to find a direct flight to Perth, the most common stops are in Dubai or Johannesburg.
From South America there is a possibility to fly from Chile, with one more stop in Melbourne or Sydney. An average time of flight is 25 hours.

From Sydney or Melbourne, it will be around 4 hours flight.

Transport in Perth

Public transport in Perth is quite new and modern. There are buses and trains all over the city.
In some areas, there are CATS (Central Area Transport Service) available and it is for free!

Furthermore, public transport in Perth is always on time. It is possible to check the time table on Google Maps. However, during the weekend it is a bit harder to catch the bus because there are fewer options in a limited time. That’s the reason for some people to rent a car.

Fun fact: Perth is the city with more cars and freeways per capita in the world! That’s why, in some periods of time, you can face traffic.

Perth local Time

From New York the time difference is 12 hours ahead.

From UK, it is 7 hours ahead.

And Sydney is 2 hours ahead from Perth.

There is no need for daylight saving in Perth because during summer time the sunrise is at 5:15am and sunset is at 7:30pm, so the day is long enough.

The Weather in Perth

Summer goes from December to March and the hottest month is February, when it reaches 40°C. This is the dry season.
The winter is really wet with a lot of rain, especially between May and September. During this time, the forecast can reach 4°C.

Hint: on the wet season it is better to have a rain jacket and waterproof boots because Perth is a very windy city, so with an umbrella, you won’t be dry and probably you will see broken umbrellas in the bin.

Perth Currency

The currency in Australia is Australian dollar, which is lower than American dollars, you can check conversions on the Travelex website.

Australian Visa

To come to Australia you must have a visa. Usually, a tourist visa allows a stay of up to 3 months and it is possible to apply on the Internet.

On the website homeaffairs, you can check out all sort of visas that are available and which documents you will need to apply.

Yellow Fever Certificate

If you come from a country which is considered a yellow fever risk area, you will need a yellow fever certificate to get in Australia.

Travel Medicine: Get tips to stay healthy while traveling!

Where to stay in Perth, Australia

The city is small, but also it is large in the territory and it is very spread out. Getting a place to stay depends on your route and what you would like to do in Perth.

Booking.com

City Center

The good thing about the city center is to be close to all kinds of transport so it will be easy to go to other places, and also there are a lot of options of bars and restaurants.

If you choose this area you will always have something to do, it doesn’t matter which season of the year it is. You can find cheap accommodations, like hostels, to 5 stars hotels.

Scarborough Beach

This is one of the most famous beaches in Perth, with beautiful and blue ocean, great waves for surfers and perfect wind to do kitesurf. However, if you are just looking for a place to chill, this can be your place too.

In this area, it is common to rent just bedrooms or even houses, but you can find hotels with different rates as well.

Cottesloe Beach

It is really popular beach among backpackers because of a famous hostel that runs summer parties.

Fremantle

Fremantle (Freo) is kind of a small city and just 40 minutes away from Perth by train. Usually, who decides to stay in Freo doesn’t leave there because of the beautiful beaches, local markets, and lovely streets, with art galleries and restaurants.

Also, the city center is charming, the nightlife is great, and there are a lot of cool hostels.

There are other neighbourhoods and beaches, but most of them are residential and not much popular between travellers because they are a bit further from the city center and it is not easy to get there by bus or train.

What to do in Perth, Australia

Here are the best things to do in Perth:

Perth Beaches

These are the 7 most popular beaches among tourists.
They are the closest beaches to the city center and easiest to visit:

• Scarborough
• Cottesloe
• Trigg
• Mettams Pool
• City Beach
• Floreat Beach
• Sorrento

Bear in mind that the beach gets busy since early in the morning, starting from 8am. Specially because after midday it gets super windy.

It is good to be aware that Australia is right under the ozone layer hole and skin cancer has a hight index, so don’t forget to wear an eco-friendly sunscreen!

Don’t miss:

• Sunset at the beach: it is always a surprise what is going to happen in the sky.

• Barbecue on the beach: there are free barbecues and kiosks in most of the beaches. Just please make sure you clean up afterwords =)

Sports

These are some of the popular outdoor sports in Perth:

• Surf
• Kitesurf
• Snorkelling
• Kayaking
• Diving
• Ride a bike or run through the coast
• Skate
• Footy: Australian football
• Basketball

Things to do in Perth for a day or a weekend

These are some places around Perth that it is totally worth it to go and spend some time.

Rottnest Island

This beautiful island is famous because it is there the only place in the world that you can find the quokkas, the little animals that it is possible to take a selfie. Spend at least one night there to be able to explore the whole island riding a bike and enjoy the beautiful landscape.

Penguin Island

It is a little paradise and just one hour away from the city center. If you are lucky, you can find penguins around the island.

Once you get there, you can swim to reach the island or, if you don’t feel adventurous, there is a ferry available.

Fremantle

It is a district city from Perth just 40 minutes away by train. It is a lovely town with so many art all around.

Go to one of the most famous breweries in this area, Little Creatures, and get a delicious beer tasting and find out which kind of beer you like more.

During the weekend, there is a market with fresh and organic products.

Also, if you want to see street art, go to East West Design. It is a furniture store, but all their front is with amazing art and looks like a 3D painting.

Swan Valley

If you love wine, you will get lost between so many wineries.

Margareth River

It is famous because it is the place where World Surfing Championship happens and also there are more wineries all around this area. Definitely a must go place.

Busselton

Famous because of its long jetty, Busselton gives you also the opportunity to do snorkel or scuba dive among the colourful corals.

Coogee Beach

It is one of those places that you keep asking yourself if it is real or not. There is a shipwreck where you are able to go snorkeling around. And believe me, it is worth it.

Moore River

It is a stunning and unique landscape, where the river and the ocean meet.

Black Diamond Lake

Black Diamond is a lake with clear and blue water, really good for stand up paddle, to relax on a floating or just do a picnic around there. It is located a bit more than 2 hours away from the city center.

Things to do in downtown Perth

The Blue Boat House is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Perth at the moment. If you love taking beautiful pictures, you must go there and check it out.

To get there can be a bit trick, but there is a bus from the City Center that just stop in front of this little house, and it is only 15 minutes away.

Hint: During the sunset it will be the perfect scenario, just like this photo 😉 , but if you want to avoid the crowd and the queue, it is better to get there early.

Here is a list of other things you can do in the city center and nearby:

• Picnic on Kings Park: this is the biggest park in the world, even bigger than Central Park, in New York!
• On summer time, there are movies sessions on roof top and parks around the city.
• Have breakfast between 7am and 11am by the Swan River.
• Join a pub crawl to get to know the most popular bars in the city for backpackers.
• Have a walk in the city center and explore the hidden lanes.
• Try the espresso martini: one of the most popular cocktails in the city.
• Go to the roof top bars.
• Go to Crown Casino, you can try your lucky or just enjoy the bars and restaurants.
• Watch a footy game or cricket game, the most popular sports in Australia, at Optus Stadium.
• Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park: Besides it is a memorial, it is a beautiful place and you can find so many wild kangaroos around there. The best thing is that this place doesn’t charge any fee!

Important: It is not allowed to drink on the street or on the beach as you can get a fine if an officer approaches you.

Perth Business Hours

Perth business hours are a little different from big cities and it can drive newbies a little crazy =)

However, to make your life easier, here is a list of the times that the establishments are usually open:

Supermarket: From 8am to 21pm on weekdays / from 8am to 5pm weekends.

Shopping centre: From 9am to 5pm Mon to Sat/ 11am to 5pm Sun

Cafe: From 7 am to 3pm

Restaurant: Lunch – 11 am to 3pm and dinner from 5:30pm to 9pm.

Bars: Most of the bars have happy hours between 4pm to 6pm.

Night clubs: Usually starts from 9:30pm and goes up to 2am. Although, there are a few places that are allowed to be open until 5am.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is extremely important to ensure peace of mind and security during your international adventures. It offers coverage and assistance during the trip in case of medical emergencies, accidents, or unforeseen events. We currently use Safety Wing travel insurance due to its competitive price, good coverage, and flexibility for digital nomads. See more information on the website.

Fox alerts🦊: Regardless of which insurance you choose, read the complete policy to avoid surprises. Each person may have different needs depending on the sporting activities or even in relation to their health conditions before the trip.

Digital SIM Card

Buying a cellphone eSIM (digital SIM card) in advance for an international trip will make your life easier. It allows you to stay connected, making communication easier, ordering an Uber right from the airport, having access to maps and useful information in real time. We recommend Airalo eSIM.

In conclusion, if you come to Perth you won’t regret, it is just Perthect! That is the reason why I have decided to live here.

Lia Palácios

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