Perth

The capital of Western Australia and the most isolated large city in the world — around 2.2 million people, with the nearest major city, Adelaide, 2,700 km away. It appears consistently in the top ten most liveable cities on the planet. There are 19 beaches within 30 minutes of the centre and more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year. With the opening of the direct flight from London (Qantas, 17.5 hours) it holds the longest scheduled non-stop air link in the world.

Main sights

• Kings Park and Botanic Garden — one of the largest inner-city parks in the world at 4 km², bigger than Central Park, with a panorama of central Perth and the Swan River.
• Cottesloe Beach — Perth's main beach, with the Indiana Tea House and the Sculpture by the Sea festival in March.
• Rottnest Island (Rotto) — an island 30 minutes away by ferry, home of the quokka, an endemic marsupial with a permanent grin. No cars; cycling tours are the way to see it.
• Fremantle (Freo) — the port town 30 minutes from the centre, with a 19th-century historic core, the UNESCO-listed prison, fish restaurants and the Round House.
• Swan Valley — a wine district 25 minutes away, with 40 wineries.
• Margaret River — three hours south, Western Australia's leading wine region with more than 200 wineries, along with caves and surf breaks.
• The Pinnacles Desert — limestone spires in Nambung National Park, two hours to the north.
• Wave Rock — a 15-metre wave of rock, three and a half hours to the east.
• Elizabeth Quay — the restored waterfront in the centre, with bars and restaurants.
• The Perth Mint — a working mint, with tours and a gold pour demonstration.
• AQWA aquarium — the largest shark tunnel in the southern hemisphere.

Food and prices

The cooking is modern Australian and pan-Asian: seafood (Western rock lobster, Margaret River crayfish), fish and chips in Fremantle, and fusion cooking from across Western Australia. Lunch in a café is A$18-28 ($13-20), dinner in a restaurant A$40-80 ($28-56). A bottle of Margaret River wine costs A$25-50 ($18-35). A litre of petrol is A$1.40 ($1), Transperth public transport A$5 ($3.50) for two zones, and a taxi A$15-30 ($11-21). The CAT buses around the centre are free. Prices are as of 2026.

Getting there and getting around

Perth International Airport (PER) is served by Qantas, Singapore, Emirates, Cathay and Malaysia, along with the direct London flight. The airport bus costs A$5 ($3.50), a taxi or Uber A$30-40 ($21-28). Around the city there are Transperth trains, buses and bike hire. Fremantle is 30 minutes by train, and Rottnest is reached by ferry from Fremantle, Hillarys or Perth city (45 minutes).

When to go

March to November is 15-25°C and ideal. Summer (December to February) runs 28-38°C and is very hot, though the Indian Ocean stays cool at 19-22°C. Winter (June to August) is 10-18°C and rainy. January to March is the best time for the wineries. Quokka selfies on Rottnest work all year.