Ever wanted to sit on a world-famous pristine beach while watching the sunset over the beautiful Indian Ocean? Would you be able to contain your excitement as you swim side by side with whale sharks in the big blue? Does your inner-foodie crave delicious fine dining options with just a little wild bush food on the side, as prepared by knowledgeable Australian locals? Whatever your most adventurous travel checklist may involve, Western Australia has got you covered.

City living

The first point of contact for most tourists will be Perth: the burgeoning capital city of Western Australia (WA). Perth is home to approximately two million people and, while it was officially established as a city by colonialists in 1829, it was inhabited for more than 40,000 years prior by the indigenous Whadjuk Nyoongar people group, for whom the south-western corner of Australia (including the area of ‘Boorloo’, which is now called ‘Perth’) continues to hold central physical and spiritual importance.

Perth is also the ‘sunniest’ capital city in the world, enjoying an average of eight hours of sunshine on any given day! Additionally, this city is one of the world’s most isolated capital cities, giving it a unique character that is in many ways removed from the stock-standard sights of other other larger and better-known capitals such as Sydney or Melbourne. Within the past decade or so Perth has finally begun to developing as a quirky, individual city while retaining a strong connection with nature, that sets it apart from the rest of Australia.

One of the foremost reasons for this is the Kings Park Botanical Gardens, which occupies 4.06 square km of green space right in the center of the city. Indeed, this area is the largest inner city park in the entire world. Make sure you make a visit to Kings Park during your stay, so you can appreciate the incredibly diverse natural flora that WA has to offer while taking in breathtaking panoramic views of the city itself. Additionally, Hyde Park (located only 10 minutes from the city center) is arguably one of the city’s most peaceful and spectacular parks, so both of these are experiences not to be missed!

Beyond Perth, another notable destination worth making a trip to is the town of ‘Fremantle.’ Located 40 minutes south of Perth, this tourism town is considered by many to be WA’s ‘culture capital’ thanks to the ever-changing meander of people from a wide range of nationalities throughout this old port-city. Fremantle welcomes thousands of tourists per year who love to sit on the old shipping docks eating ice cream or fish and chips, while breathing in the fresh ocean air. If you start to overheat, just wait for the relief brought by the four-o-clock cool breeze — termed the ‘Fremantle Doctor’ — that rolls onto the shore to cool the coast after a scorching summers day. If Fremantle is on your to-see list, make the most of your time by doing a tour at the Fremantle Prison, where you can learn about the town’s convict-heavy history, experience the Fremantle markets (open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, as well as on public holidays) where you’ll find fresh produce, artisanal crafts, baked goods, local products and an interesting-sounding busker or two whose diverse tunes set the pace of this bustling town year-round.

Foodie’s delight

One of Western Australia’s biggest claims-to-fame is it’s booming foodie-scene, for which the fresh local products of the ocean, rich agricultural regions and rolling pasturelands provide an ideal foundation for some of the best restaurants and food experiences in the country. If it’s inner-city restaurant experiences you’re after, head straight to the restaurant and café strips in the suburbs of Leederville, Mount Lawley, Fremantle, and East Victoria Park. Here you’ll find a range of global flavors from places like Nepal, Thailand, Eritrea, Italy, Lebanon, Mexico and much, much more to please your palate.

If you’re looking for a more local, intimate food experience, the South-West corner of WA — specifically, the ‘Swan Valley’ and ‘Margaret River’ food region — should feature on your itinerary. The Swan Valley is only an hour or so from Perth, making for a great day trip during your stay. This picturesque area is situated at the base of the Darling Escarpment, and marks the intersection of city and country with its rich agricultural soils and productive fruit fields. This region is best discovered through a tour. Whilst it’s easy to rent a car and plan your own tour, you can of course hop on a pre-booked tour that will effortlessly whisk you around the valley for a day, without the hassles of a car. Some noteworthy sites to visit are the chocolate and cheese factories for endless free tastings, Houghton’s Estate and Vineyard for it’s beautiful restaurant, the Yahava Coffee Roasting House for an afternoon pick-me-up, and Mandoon Estate simply for its incredible grassy picnic area under the shady trees as you watch the peaceful river current move by.

If you have the time to venture further away from the city, take a week-or-so long trip to the Margaret River food region. It will take you approximately 4.5 hours to reach Margaret River by car from Perth, but is well worth every minute of the journey. Just watch out for the boomers (Kangaroos) during your drive! You’re sure to see a lot. Here you can spend your days walking through the fruit farms and providores in this world-famous location. Taste the delicacies on offer at places like the Margaret River Dairy Factory, Gabriel Chocolate Company, the Berry Farm Cottage Café, the Nougat Factory, and a plethora of fine dining options to tantalize your taste buds. You can even take a tour alongside a local indigenous guide who will help you learn about their extensive history in the region, and might even introduce you to some authentic ‘Bush Tucker’ or wild foods to try. Best of all, this region offers an intersection of great food, breathtaking views, and down-to-earth Australian hospitality that’s sure to leave you feeling refreshed (and well-fed!).

Getting in touch with nature

Australia is perhaps best recognized around the world for its range of peculiar — and often dangerous — native animals that can’t be found elsewhere. However, if you’re feeling brave, why not get a little closer to some of these wild beasts to quash both the world’s stereotypes and your own personal fears once and for all. Chances are you’ll go home feeling like a king for having held one of the snakes around your shoulders, or for getting up close and personal to some of the world’s most deadly spiders. There are a few places to consider making a visit to if you think you’re up to the challenge; among them is the Perth Zoo, of course, as well as the excellent (yet somewhat lesser-known) Caversham Wildlife Park, which is located within about 35 minutes of Perth City by car. This park houses a range of native animals in a wonderfully authentic natural setting for you to look at, touch and even hold in some cases. Here, you’ll get to tick off a few bucket-list items without the crowds of the city zoo, like hand-feeding baby kangaroo’s, patting a wombat, holding a snake, and feeding Eucalyptus leaves to sleepy koala bears.

If you decide to go down south during your stay (toward Margaret River, for example), you’ll certainly be in for a treat in terms of the stunning natural wonders that feature in the area. Just south of Margaret River you’ll find the Karri Valley, also known as the ‘Valley of the Giants’, where sky-high old growth forest trees will overwhelm your senses at every turn. Additionally, there are a number of extravagant and completely natural underground salt caves to see in the area, such as Jewel Cave, Mammoth Cave and Lake Cave. These combined natural wonders form an integral component of what makes the South-West region of WA one of 34 recognized ‘Biodiversity Hotspots’ in the world, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Whilst it’s a lot further away from Perth (and may require some air-travel if road trips are not your forté), you’ll make your trip well worth the long-haul flight it takes to get to Australia by venturing out to the Northern and North-Eastern parts of WA. Here you can experience Australia’s environmental diversity at its finest, from the fresh coastline to the dry inland deserts, and across to beautiful inland national parks that will leave you speechless. Among multiple must-see-and-do attractions, be sure to do some diving at Ningaloo Coral Reef (which rivals the well-known Great Barrier Reef off Queensland’s coast), along with seasonal whale watching in Exmouth, indigenous history tours at Uluru (sometimes referred to as ‘Ayers Rock’), and hiking and camping at the beautiful Karijini National Park.

Just do it

Many people often only talk about Western Australia in conjunction with the words “one day.” Yes, it takes some planning, and yes, the distance may put the average traveler off of the idea. But if anything-but-average experiences are what you’ve been craving, then Western Australia should be at the top of your list. From the beach to the bush, WA is sure to exceed your wildest expectations.

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