Thanks so much to Bailey from Destinationless Travel for this awesome guest post about Perth! She travels the world with her partner, Dan, and they currently live in Queenstown,  New Zealand. Their incredible storytelling, beautiful photos inspire wanderlust in me. I’m sure they’ll do the same for you!

Perth is one place that everyone who travels to Australia needs to visit, but unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. As the most isolated city in the world, Perth isn’t exactly easy to get to and for this reason many tourists skip it completely when visiting Australia. This is a shame as Perth is an incredible city and offers so many amazing things to see and do that differ from the east coast. 

Perth is a city of 1.6 million people and sits on the west coast of Australia. As the capital of Western Australia, Perth is not only a great metropolitan city offering amazing nightlife and places to eat and drink, but for anyone who loves a great beach or the outdoors Perth is also ideal. 

I have personally visited Perth three times in the last couple of years, and every time I am blown away at how few tourists are there! The summers are hot, the beaches are quiet, and the places to explore are endless.

5 reasons to visit Perth right now

1. Beaches on your doorstep

Yes, the east coast has some amazing beaches, but so does the west coast and they are always much less busy! Although Perth is a big city, drive only a few minutes and you will find yourself at one of the many beautiful beaches. 

Some of the most beautiful beaches to visit in Perth are Cottesloe, Trig, and Scarborough. Most tourists opt to go to Fremantle beach. While the area of Fremantle is beautiful and the nightlife there is the best in Perth, the beach isn’t the best. Make sure to venture a little bit further than Fremantle and check out some of the other beaches Perth has to offer.

2. Rottnest Island 

One of the most iconic, and beautiful places to visit in Perth is Rottnest Island. This remote and stunning island is located 20km from Perth by Ferry. Once there, the island is yours to explore however you want.

Rottnest Island is only 30 minutes from Perth by ferry. In my opinion, it is one of the most beautiful places in Australia. The hidden bays and bright turquoise waters are pure magic. If you can manage to check out Rottnest during the weekdays it is very possible that you may even get a whole beach to yourself!

Most people get around Rottnest Island by bike. The road around Rottnest is 22km and cycling is a great way to explore all the island has to offer. Rottnest can be explored on a day-trip or if you want more time there (which you probably will) then book accommodation and stay a night or two in paradise!

Rottnest Island is also home to the Quokka, a friendly little marsupial that is only found on Rottnest Island. Because these cuties don’t have any predators, they are very friendly and will be happy to take a selfie with you! 

3. Sunsets

Western Australia has some of the best sunsets in Australia. In the evenings, the sky always puts on a show. It is actually rare not to have a good sunset in Perth. 

There are a few places that are especially great to watch the sun go down in Perth. From the beaches mentioned above to bars and restaurants on Perth’s Elizabeth Quay. If you want to stick to Aussie tradition, watch the sun go down while eating fish and chips (and don’t forget a beer too!

4. Camping and the great outdoors

If you want to get a good dose of the great outdoors you don’t have to travel very far, there are some awesome outdoorsy places that make for perfect day trips from Perth. Black Diamond Lake is a gorgeous blue lake that offers camping nearby and is only about 1.5 hours from Perth city center. Logue Brooke Dam is also an awesome recreational place to go camping. 

If you have some extra time then it is worth going on a trip in Western Australia. Jurien Bay, Coral Bay, and Exmouth are just of the highlights in Western Australia. Rent a vehicle in Perth and escape into the wilderness of western Australia for a few days – believe me, you won’t regret it! 

5. Wine

The Swan Valley wine region is only 45 minutes from Perth city center and there you can go from winery to winery tasting some of Australia’s amazing wines. Driven tours can be arranged from Perth or even a boat tour along the Swan River can also be arranged. Besides wine, at the Swan Valley there are chocolate factories, cheese factories, and even a nougat factory! 

If you want to venture a little further the region of Margaret River is one of Australia’s best wine regions and it is located on three hours from Perth. Here, you can go on a Margaret River wine tour to try tons of award winning wines as well as enjoy incredible views of the coast! Margaret River is also a great places for those who like hiking, camping, and surfing.

The lack of tourists and untouched feeling of Western Australia will have you in awe, and Perth is the epicenter of it all. While these are only 5 of the reasons to visit Perth, the list of things to do in Perth is almost endless! A visit to Perth is a great to escape from the most touristic destinations on Australia’s east coast and see what the west coast has to offer. 

-Bailey Busslinger

Bailey is a 25 year old Canadian who satisfies her need for adventure with travel. Having not lived in Canada for 4 years Bailey has travelled to more than 40 countries and has made some crazy memories! Right now, you will find her in New Zealand. You can follow Bailey on her travel blog Destinationless Travel, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!

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