What comes to mind when you are thinking about Perth? Most people who have visited the city say a lot of good things about it. Perth is associated with rich and diverse wildlife, vibrant culture, beautiful gorgeous beaches, and sunny days. No wonder if Perth is said as the sunniest city in Australia. If you have 4D3N to explore Perth, where should you go?
Things to Consider
Australia is strict about the things you can (or can’t) bring to the country. Make sure that you have prepared your passport and visa. Also, check their lists of prohibited food and items so your process through the custom can go smoothly.
Day 1
You should start your trip by coming to some exciting places and taking pictures along the way. So, where should you go on the first day?
1. The CBD
CBD or Central Business District is located in the centre of Perth. Besides being busy with activities, the spot is buzzing with fun stuff and beautiful view. You can literally take a walk to explore the areas while taking exciting photos while doing so. There are some cool places worth checking out, so open your eyes and wear something comfy.
2. Wolf Lane
Don’t underestimate the area because it has its own hidden alleyway. Once you go there, you will be surrounded by beautiful abstract paintings and urban street art. Every wall is covered in such a unique art. You can even take pictures with the colourful mural paintings as your background. Be ready to take some shots, especially by popular artists like Maya Hayuk.
3. Elizabeth Quay
This is the spot you can find everything: monuments, foods, mosaic walls, and sports areas. Finding cycling or jogging trails would be a breeze. The monuments and mosaic walls are also Insta-worthy. Let’s not forget that your phone will be loaded with so many photos. In Elizabeth Quay, you can find Carousel and Spanda. The previous one is basically a Venetian handcrafted carousel with its chirpy music a vibrant (and bold) colours while the latter one is the sculpture of ripple-wave patterns (found on the pavement) and also elliptical orbits of galaxies.
4. Yagan Square
If you continue your walk from Elizabeth Quay, you will finally get to Yagan Square. It only takes 10 minutes to reach the square from the Quay. Again, don’t forget to take pictures because the view is just beautiful. While you are there, make sure to come to the gorgeous garden and the market hall.
5. Insan’s Cafe
Have you tired already? Feeling the grumble of the tummy? Then you should head to Insan’s Cafe (situated at Murray Street) and enjoy the hearty meal. No need to worry about halal foods because everything provided here is halal. If you like dishes like Nasi Lemak or Nasi Goreng Kampung, this would be the perfect spot to find them. This place is popular among Malaysian tourists or students because the foods remind them of home.
Note: The cafe is permanently closed.
6. King’s Park and Botanical Garden
This would be an ideal place if you like to go on foot and explore around. Another interesting fact about this park is that it is larger than Central Park in New York City so you can imagine how vast and wide it is! If your legs are sore and tired, no need to worry because you can always join the Segway Tour. It allows you to glide along with the botanic garden, open parks, and bush trails with the skyline. It is going to cost you AU$ 129 per adult and AU$ 115 per kids or senior citizens. If you tag along with your family, it only costs you AU$ 414 for 2 kids and 2 adults. The ride itself takes 90 minutes.
7. Lotterywest Federation Walkway
This should be your next destination if you decide to walk. The view is just breathtaking – you can sit at the Swan Riverbank and enjoy the city skyline view. Do it while waiting for the sunset. After sunset, go back to CBD to enjoy tasty dinner.
8. Lord of the Fries
Keep in mind that if you decide to stay late at the CBD, finding a spot for dinner can be difficult. Well, not only in CBD but also in the entire Perth, really. Most stores close at 5 PM, but not with the Lord of Fries. This fast-food chain is open until late, selling different kinds of meals, including vegan, kosher, and halal. They have a shared menu of Halal Snack Pak consisting of chips and doner kebab meat. This is an ideal menu if you want to share.
Day 2
If you want to enjoy the entire area of Perth, you should leave the cosmopolitan on the second day. Where should you go, then? Head to the south – to the region of Margaret River. After all, the place has some interesting spots to explore.
1. Busselton Jetty
This is one of the most popular landmarks in the area. It takes you 2 hours on the road from Perth’s central area to reach this place. The spot is known for its history as well as its underwater observatories. They have 5 observatories – along with the longest (timber) jetty in the country. You can ride and try electric Jetty train and take part in the Underwater Observatory tour. As you are going down the 8 meters length of the journey, you will be pampered with amazing views of corals. There are more than 300 marine species.
2. Chocolate Factory at Margaret River
In this place, you can see the chocolate making process as well as trying some of the samples. If you love chocolate, this trip must be listed in your itinerary. Imagine, being able to try the bars, truffles, and other types of choco treat. Different techniques of glazing and dipping will result in different products. A word of advice, though. Some of the chocolates have alcohol so make sure to ask them first before tasting.
After the exploration, you can go to their cafe and enjoy some light snacks. Of course, these options don’t include chocolate. But they have scones and salad to appease your appetite. This cafe doesn’t have a halal certification but they have a vegan menu. Make sure to check and ask the staff before you order anything.
3. Mammoth Cave
This is a family-friendly cave in the area. There are actually a lot of caves in Margaret River, but this one is the safest, especially for families. You can take part in the self-guided tour and learn about the exciting facts of the cave. Ancient fossil of mammoth and limestone walls will definitely make your exploration worthwhile.
4. Turkish Bakery and Kappadokia Kebabs
A short visit to this place will wrap up your trip on the second day. Before going back on the 2 hours road trip, stop by at this halal-certified bakery. They have pizzas, kebab meat, and also fish and chips. There is an abundance of dishes and foods there – see them on your own.
Day 3
Now it is time to leave the main island and go to Rottnest Island, a small island not far from Perth. You can take Rottnest Express and cross the sea in 35 minutes. If you like outdoor or adventurous activities, a trip to this island will be worth it.
1. Bike Rental
Rottnest Island is an area that is free of the car so you should also manage a bike rental when booking the ferry ticket. Besides the bikes, you can also rent the Segway. The bikes are coming in different sizes and models. There are bikes for adults and kids. Even parents travelling with babies can rent bikes with trailers and baby seats. You will also be provided with helmets when renting the bikes.
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2. Segway Rental
If you choose the one hour tour, there are different options for prices:
- AU$ 89 for adults
- AU$ 79 for kids and senior citizens
- AU$ 285.60 for a family consisting of 2 adults and also 2 kids
If you choose the 90 minutes (one and a half hour) tour, the costs are:
- AU$ 129 for adults
- AU$ 115 for kids and seniors
- AU$ 414.80 for a family
In the event that you are travelling in a large group, you can always use the Island Explorer Bus Tour. The ticket is AU$ 20 for adults and AU$ 15 for kids. It takes only AU$ 50 for a family of 2 kids and 2 adults.
3. Quokkas Hunting
This is a native marsupial animal you can find only on this island. You need to find them first. Once you do, you shouldn’t feed or touch them.
4. Snorkelling
The island has some of the best spots for this activity, including Parakeet Bay, Little Armstrong Bay, Parker Point, Little Salmon Bay, and the Basin. You can rent the snorkelling set if you don’t have it.
5. The Lane Cafe
They have acai bowls, smoothies, and fresh juices – perfect for the tired souls and rumbling tummy. They don’t have halal certification, but they do offer a vegetarian menu.
6. Visitor Center Gift Shop
Want to have some mementoes and souvenirs to bring home? This is the place to do your shopping. You can find baby clothes, hand-painted scarves, books, postcards, and tea towels.
7. Cicerello
This restaurant is located not far from the harbour. It serves only the freshest and tastiest seafood. The popular meal is its fish and chips. The foods are halal so you won’t have to worry about a thing.
8. Esplanade Reserve
You can have a picnic as well as enjoying the Tourist Wheel, where you can enjoy the best view of Fremantle harbour and town. You only need to spend AU$ 60 for the private gondola, where you can enjoy the sunset. Kids will definitely have a blast at the playground.
Day 4
This would be your last day in Perth but it doesn’t mean that you can’t still have fun. Don’t forget that Perth is packed with tons of exciting spots.
1. Penguin Island
Located in Rockingham, Penguin Island is located not far from Shoalwater Islands Marine Park. The island is only 45 minutes and it is home to sea lions, ospreys, pelicans, dolphins, stingrays, and penguins. Go with the ferry, which only takes 5 minutes. Their feeding time is every 10.30 AM, 12.30 PM, and 2.30 PM. Make sure to arrive there at these times to see the feeding process.
Keep in mind, though, that most of the restaurants aren’t offering halal foods. You should pack on your lunch and have a picnic.
2. Rockingham Pizza and Kebab
If you get back to Rockingham, you should stop by at Rockingham Pizza and Kebab. Take a bus at Penguin Road and get off at St Rockingham Kent Post Office. You should be able to find the Turkish halal restaurant there. They have a wide menu of Meat Lovers, Beef and Lamb, and more!
3. Perth Zoo
In this place, you can find the rare species like little otters or Red Pandas. If you want to have a closer and more personal experience, join Eye to Eye program where you can touch the bearded dragon, meet the koala, and feed the giraffe. You can also go to Zoorasic Park, the interactive park featuring robotic prehistoric creatures. Yup, that’s right. You can see the robotic dinosaurs! How cool is that?
4. D’Ankasa
This is a Malay restaurant so you can be sure that the foods are halal. Located at Hay Street, the restaurant is serving classic roti canai, sauteed kangkung, and satay. There are also some side dishes, like chicken or seafood dishes that will taste great when consumed with white rice.
For your last day, don’t forget to do some shopping. You can go to the Direct Factory Outlet or Watertown Brand Outlet. There are hundreds of outlet stores and shops that will satisfy your shopping desire. Whether you are looking for souvenirs, a new pair of shoes, or kids apparel, these two places won’t disappoint you.
Transportation in Perth
There are CAT (Central Area Transit) buses that are offering free service within the areas of Joondalup, Freemantle, and CBD. It gives you a fun (and free) travelling experience. As long as you are exploring the free zone areas, you won’t have to pay a dime. Moreover, they are easy to use and pretty convenient.
Perth does offer a fun atmosphere so it is no surprise if it attracts a lot of visitors. If you are interested in coming here, make sure to manage and reserve everything, including your flights. Go to Airpaz. You should see that there are a lot of airline services to and from Perth, such as Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Thai Airways, and Scoot TigerAir.
