Perth, in Western Australia, is known to be a fairly sleepy and unexciting city. The city is not the most hustling and bustling town center you will visit, but the surroundings around the city are some of the most breathtaking you will ever encounter.
From the Pinnacles to White sand beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see or explore Rottnest with those adorable smiling Quokka’s. Perth is the pinnacle of it all.
I have compiled this Perth itinerary for 4 days for you. So, you won’t miss out on any of the must-see attractions. Let’s dive in, shall we…
PERTH BASIC TRAVEL INFORMATION
Underneath you can find some basic information about Perth.
| Language | English |
| Time Zone | UTC +8 |
| Electricity | Flat three-pin plug. Electrical power in Australia runs on a cycle of 50hz, and a voltage of 230 Volt. |
| Currency | Australian Dollar ($). |
| Tipping | In Australia, you don’t have to tip – ever. But you can if you want too. |
| Weather | January is the hottest month in Perth with an average temperature of 76°F (25°C) and the coldest is July at 55°F (13°C) with the most daily sunshine hours at 13 in January. The wettest month is June with an average of 140mm of rain. |
How to get around Perth
The easiest way of getting around Perth by public transport if by using a Transperth SmartRider card.
This card can be bought at Transperth Infomation Center and entitles you to a fare discount and a daily maximum spend. The purchase cost of the card is $10.00 and you need to have an initial minimum value of $10.00 as well. Fares vary, but typically cost only a few dollars for rides within and close to the city. Simply tap on when you board your selected mode of transport and be sure to tap again when you disembark.
The cool thing about this card is that you can also use the public ferries! It is a great and cheap way to see the city from the water (A whole lot cheaper than a cruise). From Elizabeth Quay Jetty, a ferry departs for Mends Street Jetty every 15-30 minutes between 6:30 am and 11:30 pm. This is a great way to access Perth Zoo.
Rottnest Island can only be accessed by private ferry. From Perth, you can catch the Rottnest Express or the SeaLink ferry. Departures depend on the time of year, but there are typically multiple trips per day. More information on Rottnest further below in this post.
GETTING TO AND FROM PERTH AIRPORT
Public buses are an easy way to get to Perth Airport from the city. From Elizabeth Quay Station in downtown, take the 380 bus to get to Terminals 1 and 2, or the 40 bus for Terminals 3 and 4.
The bus service departs pretty frequently, approximately every half hour. You can use the SmartRider card to pay for this airport service, which costs the same as a regular bus fare within the city.
Best time to visit Perth
In my opinion, if you’re looking for a comfortable time in Perth (So not too cold nor too hot) then the bridging months of winter and spring are your best bet. However, school holiday prices and crowds may turn people off so August beats the later part of September in this regard unless you’re looking to visit with the kids during the school holidays.
How long do I need to visit Perth?
I would say 3-4 days in Perth would be perfect. This allows you time to explore Rottnest Island and Perth city itself. If you wish to explore a bit further, for example – Margaret River, then I would suggest adding an additional 2-3 days to your trip.
WHERE TO STAY IN PERTH?
During my stay in Perth, I stayed at Novotel Perth Langley.
I stayed in this hotel for 4 nights in total. I spent quite a bit of time in the room because the weather was unfortunately quite dreadful when I was there.
The room itself was fine, cleaned daily and reasonably modern. It is, however, a pretty noisy hotel because they are right underneath an Irish Pub. I had some noise issues, but nothing too horrible. The location is very good, walking distance from the boat terminal and train station. Additionally, they are reasonably priced, which is a plus in Perth. All in all, I do recommend this hotel.
| 221 Adelaide Terrace, Perth WA 6000 |
| Phone: (08) 9221 1200 |
Cost $147 AUD avg./night
Breakfast Not included
Wifi Included because I am a Novotel member
Looking for a backpacker’s hostel?
Accommodation in Perth is unfortunately not cheap. Underneath are some recommended hostels with decent ratings which doesn’t cost too much.
- Kangaroo Inn | Budget Accommodation located at a 5-minute walk from Perth train station and 10 minutes away by foot from the entertainment complex at Elizabeth Quay.
- Perth City YHA | Western Australia’s first 5 star rated hostel! Located in the heart of Perth City and even had a swimming pool!
- The Emperor’s Crown Hostel | Just 5 minutes walk from Perth CBD and the nightlife of Northbridge and The Emperors Crown.
- Billabong Backpackers Resort | Billabong Resort is the best in budget traveler accommodation in Perth. It’s perfect for backpackers, families or anyone visiting Perth on holidays or business and looking for a budget option.
Looking for a hotel or apartment?
Here are some helpful sites:
- Perth top 10 accommodation – Tripadvisor
- 30 best Perth hotels – Booking.com
- Top 20 places to stay in Perth – Airbnb
WHERE TO EAT IN PERTH
Underneath a couple of restaurants that I tried and liked during my trips.
- La Cholita | Delicious and reasonably priced Mexican food.
- Balthazar | Sophisticated, intimate setting featuring refined Australian dishes & a robust wine list.
- Andaluz Bar & Tapas | Leather sofas and mirrors in a low-lit bar serving classic and inventive cocktails, plus tapas.
- Taka | Buzzing Japanese counter-service place with simple decor, for katsu dishes, noodles, and sushi.
AUSSIE SLANG WORDS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Underneath there are some Aussie slang words that might be useful for you when traveling down under.
- G’day – Hello
- How are ya/How ya garn– How are you? also considered a form of greeting (in some ways)
- Arvo- Afternoon
- Catch ya later – see you soon/Bye
- Good on ya – Good job or another way of saying thank you
- Dunno – ” don’t know “
- Barbie – Barbecue
- Bloody oath – That’s true/ strongly meaning – you bet
- Beaut – Fantastic, wonderful, the best.
- Buzz off – Go away
- BYO – Bring your own grog/alcohol
- Crikey! – Astonishment, disbelief – Steve Irwin’s word for almost everything lol!
- Fair dinkum – True, real, honest – absolutely 100% true/right
- Fair go – Give someone a chance, said a lot of the time when someone isn’t treated fairly
THE ULTIMATE PERTH ITINERARY FOR 4 DAYS
Underneath you can find my ultimate Perth itinerary 4 days. I assume that you have arrived the night before, so on day 1, you can start exploring the city straight away. I have also written this itinerary with the intention that you have never visited Perth before.
DAY 1 | EXPLORING THE CITY!
On day one we are heading out to explore the city. From Beautiful parks to wild kangaroo’s. Make sure to strap on your walking boots, cause it will be a long day.
Kings park
Kings Park has a stunning location overlooking the Swan River and offers sweeping views of the Perth city skyline.
The park covers more than 400 hectares and is the largest inner-city park in the southern hemisphere, and is even larger than New York’s Central Park. If the views do not convince you to visit the park, then the stunning park itself should.
Walk amongst the treetops on the elevated bridge, wander the pathways of the botanical gardens, and enjoy a picnic amongst the Gum Trees.
Elizabeth Quay
A modern waterfront complex in the heart of the city that offers great shopping and dining opportunities! There is almost always something exciting going on, and will provide an excellent first impression on Perth, as a city!
It is also home to Bell Tower. An iconic building that can’t be missed is the Bell Tower. It overlooks the Swan River and is one of Perth’s most unique tourist attractions.
Inside you can learn all about the history of the bells and the Tower, the ancient art of bell ringing and you will get to chime a famous bell and receive a souvenir certificate. Twelve of the 18 bells in this tower came from London’s St.Martin-in-the-Fields church in Trafalgar Square as a Bicentenary gift to the people of Western Australia in 1988.
The observation deck at the top of the Bell Tower provides 360-degree views of the Swan River and Perth CBD.
Heirisson Island
This is probably most interesting for a non-Australian because close to Perth city is a small island (which can be reached by foot) which is home to a group of kangaroos.
To get to the roos you have to go through a gate on the western side of the island, where there’s a fence to stop them wandering onto the nearby busy road.
DAY 2 | Fremantal + Cottesloe Beach + SWAN RIVER CRUISE
Fremantle is located just 30 minutes from Perth CBD and offers a completely different vibe. It is filled with cute cafes, bars and (of course) delicious seafood restaurants.
Take a wander through Fremantle’s maze of streets, filled with Georgian and Victorian-era architecture! Beautiful!!
Fremantle Prison is one of Western Australia’s premier tourist attractions and is the first built heritage site in Western Australia to be World Heritage-listed. Step inside and do time with experienced guides on a fascinating Prison Day Tour. Explore the labyrinth of tunnels 20m beneath the Prison by foot and by boat on a Tunnels Tour adventure. Feeling brave? Delve into the darker side of the Prison’s history on an eerie Torchlight Tour.
Another great stop in Fremantle is the Western Australian Maritime Museum. A guided tour of this submarine is a highlight of this museum. An hour and 15 minutes of incredible viewing and history.
The Fremantle Markets is a public market located on the corner of South Terrace and Henderson Street. It is a great indoor market, loads of different stalls to look through. It has a good selection of food stalls giving off some great smells. It is only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so please plan accordingly.
Lastly, Fremantle’s Fishing Boat Harbour is a lovely area to wander around for a bit. It is a charming boat harbor, a lovely place to stroll around and enjoy the waterfront as well as fantasize about the sailing craft.
On your way to Fremantle (Or on your way back) make sure to check out Cottesloe beach.
COTTESLOE BEACH
Cottesloe is a beach-side suburb about a 15-minute drive from the Perth CBD and is probably the most famous beach in the area. With more than a kilometer of pure white sand, blue oceans, surfing, and swimming spots, you can tell why people are drawn to this beach.
Bring a towel and drape yourself onto the soft sand and just take in this beautiful beach. of course, don’t forget to put on lots of strong sunscreen and always swim between the flags!
ENJOY A SWAN RIVER CRUISE
The Swan River cruise offers some spectacular views of the city skyline, Some of the most expensive real estate in the country (thanks to the mining boom) And much more.
You can also take a similar trip over the swan river when you are planning to go to Rottnest Island. If you hope on Barrack Street. If you are not going to Rottnest Island, then I suggest you take the cruise to Fremantle, It is truly worth it.
DAY 3 | Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island is a must-see when in Perth. With it’s raw and rough beauty and home to unique animals that only live on this island, a one day trip is an absolute must when visiting Western Australia.
HOW TO GET TO ROTTNEST ISLAND
The easiest way to get to Rottnest Island is to take one of the many Ferry services. The ferries book out fast, especially in high season, so be sure to book well in advance!
- Perth City (Barrack Street Jetty) – a 90-minute journey
- Hillarys Boat Harbour – a 45-minute journey
- Fremantle (Victoria Quay) – a 25-minute journey
- Northport Rous Head Harbour, North Fremantle – a 25-minute journey
Rottnest Express currently departs from three conveniently located ferry terminals. Each has different benefits to offer – making it easier to select a departure point that suits your needs. When you depart from Perth city you also get a ‘tour’ of the scenery, which is very informative and fun to listen too whilst traveling. It would be quite a long boat trip otherwise. You will pass some very expensive mansions and some other interesting sights along the way.
Additional ferries that go the island are Sealink and Rottnest Fast Ferries
EXPLORING THE ISLAND
I have written an extensive 1-day guide to Rottnest, but underneath are just some of the highlights of one day on the island.
Firstly the island is home to the Quokka, The most adorable little animals you will ever see. If your main goal is to get a selfie with these animals then I suggest your first stop on the island should be near the restaurants and bakery.
A large group of quokkas hangs out in that area (They know where it’s at! ). That is where I took my selfies as well. I found that these are the most relaxed and not bothered by humans. The quokkas that I saw during my bicycle ride on the island seemed a lot more timid.
I had rented a bike for the day and cycled around the Island. The island is simply incredible! With stunning secluded beaches, lighthouses and many more Australian wildlife. I’d say you are crazy not to head to this island when you are in Perth. I do advise you to book tickets in advance, as they do sell out often.
DAY 4 | SO MUCH MORE TO SEE
Since there is still so much more to see, I thought I would give you some options on how you can fill in your last day in Perth. For a lot of these, you either need to go on an organized day trip or hire a car.
You can head to Marget River. Home of craft beers, amazing wineries, a chocolate factory, and breathtaking beaches. Margaret River is another great short escape from Perth and is only a short 3-hour drive away.
Although Margaret River was first made famous for its wine, beer lovers can now rejoice with 9 craft breweries in the region and you don’t have to worry about the kids because most of them even have a playground!
To explore Margaret River without having to drive, join a tour that will pick you up from your hotel in Perth and take you to many of the area’s attractions.
Another great option is to go to Swan Valley. Only 30 minutes from Perth’s CBD and 10 from the airport, Swan Valley is popular for its food and wine trail where you can drive or cycle to boutique bars, wineries, breweries and dine on sumptuous local produce.
Here you can also find Caversham Wildlife Park, which is family-owned, showcases the largest private collection of native wildlife in Western Australia. In this amazing park, you can learn all about a variety of unique plants, birds, reptiles and mammals and marsupials (Think: Wallabies, Kangaroos, Wombat, and the legendary Koala).
The park allows for an interactive experience, feeding kangaroos, joeys, and wallabies. During certain hours you can also get up close to koala (can’t touch them) for a picture. CWP pride themselves on their unique interactive experiences with Australia’s most interesting animals, without being commercialized and maintains the laid-back Aussie touch.
The Pinnacles in Nambung National Park are a pretty cool sight to be seen. These otherworldly rock formations in the desert are fascinating to explore. The park is located 200 kilometers from Perth. There are many tours that go to the pinnacles if this is a bit too far to drive for you.
Lancelin Sand Dunes are a well-known destination for off-road driving & sandboarding on dunes of white sand. Making the tiny seaside village of Lancelin a hot spot for adventure seekers.
These are just a couple of options for you to check out among the many many amazing options, on your last day in Perth.
Thank you for reading my Perth itinerary for 4 days. Have you ever been to this city? or are you planning to? Let me know in the comment section below.
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