Travel
Perth is closer to Asia. If your round-the-world journey is taking you through Asia before you head to Australia and New Zealand, then Perth is a great stop along the way. It can take around five hours to fly down from Asian hubs like Singapore and Malaysia. Perth is also in the same timezone as these cities, so you don’t have any issues with ‘lost’ time.
- Mushrooms And Another Hike
Well yesterday I was back off to my Dad's place. Kevin dropped me off in Perth where my Dad met me and then we headed off to his place stopping along the way at one of our usual hiking spots, the Baird Trail just outside of Middleville. Click here...
- Excitement At My Dad's!
Well just like Kevin said in his post, it has been hot the last couple of days. Luckily yesterday my shift at the campground was in the store/office so I was in air conditioning. I was off at 1pm and headed back to Sherman to get lunch for Kevin and...
- Jumping Deer
Well sorry the blog is late today. Kevin drove me up to Perth yesterday to meet up with my dad to go to his place again, and he thought I was going to do the blog and I thought he was. So now I am doing the blog. Click here to read more......
- Going To Visit My Father
I went to visit my father this past week. Kevin drove me to Perth on his driving route that he does every afternoon during the week and Dad met me there. Click here to read more......
- New Job
Boy, I have been lazy with the updates! We continue to wait for summer to begin. Well, we’ve been getting the odd nice day, maybe highs of 23C (75F) or so, but certainly not as warm as it should be, and too much rain as well.I started a new job, while...
Travel
Why Would You Visit Perth, the Most Isolated City on Earth?
Perth, Australia is often left off the Aussie traveller’s agenda. It’s far away from the east coast cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast which are more accessible for most people. So, why on earth would you visit Perth?
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| Perth Wheel by Craig |
Perth is closer to Asia. If your round-the-world journey is taking you through Asia before you head to Australia and New Zealand, then Perth is a great stop along the way. It can take around five hours to fly down from Asian hubs like Singapore and Malaysia. Perth is also in the same timezone as these cities, so you don’t have any issues with ‘lost’ time.
Perth has a wine region, the Swan Valley which lies just minutes from the city centre. There are plenty of minibus tours, which means you don’t have to drive yourself around and can enjoy some of the fantastic local whites, with Sauvignon Blanc-Semillion (Sauv-Sem) being the most popular blend.
Perth is really interesting because of its relative isolation - it is considered the world's most isolated continental capital city - Perth has developed a unique social scene with lots of small, independent shops, cafes and breweries (Little Creatures being a stand-out example). You have a chance to get away from the relative homogenity of most high-street chain stores (although almost anything you need will still be easily available).
Perth has a great outdoor cinema season stretching throughout the long Summer evenings. There are over a dozen outdoor cinema spots set up in parks around the city, with everything from art-house thematic shows to the latest hollywood blockbusters being screened. Bring your picnic and a bottle of wine to enjoy or buy from the food vendors at most locations.
Perth has outstanding accommodation options to meet the needs of any traveler. Booking a hotel in Perth before arriving in the city allows you to choose the one that best suits your needs. South Perth is a particularly popular destination because it not only features hotels to fit any budget, but it is also close to the Swan River, the Perth Zoo, and is right across from the Kings Park and Botanic Garden. By staying in a central location while enjoying the city, you can ensure that everything that you want to see is easily accessible.
Perth is a great gateway to the national parks which showcase Western Australia’s unique blend of animals and flora. There is fantastic diving and hiking to be done, and off-road driving tours that open up these amazing natural spaces. Doing a southern loop or doing a massive trip up north then out towards Alice Springs and Uluru is fantastic independent travel itineraries.
You can get to Perth by flight, but the best way is either by self-driving or by train.
Heading cross-country in a van or car is something absolutely amazing. Make sure you have adequate water and fuel when you get west of Adelaide; don’t let your car overheat and check your tires for wear whenever you’re near a settlement with a garage; and don’t drive at night, as hitting a kangaroo will do serious damage to any vehicle.
The India-Pacific train runs all the way from Sydney to Perth and back again; one of the world’s great cross-country trains. You can pick up tickets and seat reservations for any section or the whole journey. Discounts are available for backpackers when you book locally, so keep an eye out in travel agencies after you’re on the ground in Australia.
All in all, Perth is a fun city to visit and it’s distance from the cultural ‘centres’ of Australia makes it much more of a highlight than you might expect.
About the Author: Craig Martin and his wife, Linda, have been travelling full-time since February 2006 and have visited over 50 countries around the world. They blog and podcast at the Lonely Planet award-winning Indie Travel Podcast (iTunes). Check out their Oceania travel section for more Australia travel information.
- Mushrooms And Another Hike
Well yesterday I was back off to my Dad's place. Kevin dropped me off in Perth where my Dad met me and then we headed off to his place stopping along the way at one of our usual hiking spots, the Baird Trail just outside of Middleville. Click here...
- Excitement At My Dad's!
Well just like Kevin said in his post, it has been hot the last couple of days. Luckily yesterday my shift at the campground was in the store/office so I was in air conditioning. I was off at 1pm and headed back to Sherman to get lunch for Kevin and...
- Jumping Deer
Well sorry the blog is late today. Kevin drove me up to Perth yesterday to meet up with my dad to go to his place again, and he thought I was going to do the blog and I thought he was. So now I am doing the blog. Click here to read more......
- Going To Visit My Father
I went to visit my father this past week. Kevin drove me to Perth on his driving route that he does every afternoon during the week and Dad met me there. Click here to read more......
- New Job
Boy, I have been lazy with the updates! We continue to wait for summer to begin. Well, we’ve been getting the odd nice day, maybe highs of 23C (75F) or so, but certainly not as warm as it should be, and too much rain as well.I started a new job, while...