Paradise (Perth (Australia))

Member Name: jonnynec

Product:	Perth (Australia)
Date:	15/05/09 (41 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The free Red bus!!!Gets you most places in the City!!

Disadvantages: none

Perth City, Australia.

I kind of wished I was a member on here 5 years ago when I decided to travel to Aus for a year but its still all in my memory and Perth stands way way out, it is easily the best place I have ever visited in my life.

I travelled out August 2004 and my flight was from Dublin to Perth via Kuala Lumpur.

When I arrived I first stayed at the YHA backpacker's hostel based in Wellington Street, Perth. This was a great base for me to start my trip, I was in the centre of Northbridge and close to all the bars and restaurants an there was also a fine selection of things to do in my immediate location.
I was also only 5 minutes walk from the "City" area of Perth City which contained the main shops, malls and also the business centre and the buildings that you see in the picture of the fantastic skyline.
I would recommend the YHA to anyone as its cheap and in a fantastic location. It also offers all sorts of rooms from single to 110 bed dorms, so it really has something for everyone.

What I done.

Perth Zoo. This is a truly amazing zoo, quite different to many others I have visited in various locations.
I got there early and when you get in you are given a map of the zoo. This Zoo is broken into various different sections, from East African to Australian outback.
It has every animal you can imagine, from Gorillas and tigers to alligators and kangaroos. The Australian outback section is by far the best section as a large proportion of the animals roam freely around you, it gives the impression of much more than a Zoo. A must visit when you are in Perth.

The WACA. The West Australian Cricket Associations ground. The home of the Retravision Warriors, Perth's number one cricket side.
For sports lovers the tour is a must, with soccer, Aussie rules and of course cricket stories and memorabilia you will not want to leave the museum. If you are really lucky, like I was you may catch the Australian cricket side in action, a day at the cricket in The WACA is a must when in Perth.

Fremantle. A great day out in "Freo" is always going happen, I visited around 15 times and always found something different to do, From great sea-food to quirky bars, a bit of footy on the parks or the highlight of "Freo" the Prison, tours can be done by day or the spooky night tour, both are highly recommended.

Subiaco. The Fremantle Dockers and Eagles (Aussie Rules sides) are based here at the Subiaco Oval which also hosted rugby World Cup matches and matches between Ireland and Australia in the International rules series. Subiaco is also home to a lot of clothing boutiques and up market shops, its a good place to spoil yourself for the day.

Beaches. The City beach and Cottesloe are the two most popular beaches and are accessible by car, train and bus and with all the shops and restaurants nearby you can have a few days relaxing on the beach, and Dolphins are regularly spotted at Cottesloe. It is also the place to be on New Years Eve.

Im not going to review Rotnest Island as sadly I never visited but fro reports I have heard it is a must see place.

Things to do in Perth.
If your in Perth you have to sample Northbridge life. This is the main night life area, packed with bars, clubs and restaurants. From the Deen and the Shed to Black Betty;s and the world famous Mustang's bar the choice is endless and there is something for everyone. The raver and the rocker will find a lot to do here in Northbridge. The selection of restaurants is unique as unlike other City's Northbridge was not packed with fast food joints but packed with locally owned cafes, pizzerias, Chinese and seafood restaurants.
If your staying in a hostel in Perth, the vast majority will have numerous offers from all the bars and clubs in Northbridge, free entry, bar tabs and free drinks for every night of the week so if you want to Party it can be easily done, I should know as I partied for around 5 or 6 weeks flat out.

Sea wildlife.
The whale watching time of the year is May to October. There are numerous excursions available for whale watching, the most popular being The Swan River cruise, the details of this this cruise will be found in all hotels and hostels but your best bet would be one of the the traveller huts situated around the City as the usually have special offers available. The majority of these tours will start from Fremantle and the whales that you will see are generally Southern Right Whales and Humpbacks. Most tour operators will offer discounts for a second tour if you are unfortunate enough not to see a whale, but the vast majority of boats that go out do see whales.
For the best dolphin swimming opportunities the city of Rockingham around 30 minutes drive from Perth is your best bet, here they will take you out to see and swim with wild dolphins. There are a few different companies here that offer this service, I would recommend searching around for the cheapest deal. If swimming with these dolphins isint your idea of fun you can enjoy a dolphin watching tour,these are actually quite fun as the dolphins will chase your boats and do some serious showing off, great pictures and videos will be got here.
There are also penguins and seal-lions close to Rockingham in the aptly named Penguin Island, you can tour around or on this island, its another highpoint of the trip.

Kings Park.
There is so much to do here, be it enjoying a picnic with friends and family feeding the ducks in these vast botanical gardens. Taking panoramic pictures of the beautiful City below, Kings Park is especially beautiful at night with the City lit up in the background or Kings Park brightly lit up by the wonderful Kings Park Lights. Between December and March/April each year the Kings Park Cinema festival runs and this is a selection of films shown in these wonderful outdoor arena that is Kings Park. To see the films on you will need to check with the local press when you are there, but from my time it was a selection of new and classic films. The tree top walk is for me the highlight of Kings Park with over 200metres of high suspended bridge taking you among the trees and leaving you overlooking everything that Perth has to offer, this walk though is not for those with a fear of heights.

Sports.
As already mentioned or catching the cricket you go to the WACA and for Aussie Rules Subiaco Oval are the place to visit. But if soccer is your game you can catch Perth Glory at Members Equity Stadium about 10 minutes walk from the city centre, rugby union and the Emirates Western Force play there matches here also. Basketball is played at the 5000 seater Challenge stadium and the local side are the Perth Wildcats.
For details on upcoming matches of these sides your best bet is to check local prees and or internet websites for each of these sides.
If you are looking to do a bit of sports your self you wont come up short in Perth. Perth is a very sporting City and has many football fields, playing fields, cricket pavilions, beautiful Golf courses and tennis courts all around the City.

Places to Stay.
Perth City and the surrounding are has many quality hotels and around 25 hostels to stay in. The choice is yours and a lot of these hostels will offer free airport and rail pick-ups along with free breakfasts and don't forget cheap nights out. All hotels and hostels will ask for your passport when your staying with them, if you do not produce this you wont be staying.

Getting around.
The best way to get around the City of Perth is the free CAT bus. This bus runs on specific routes and goes around on a 15 minute cycle. There is also an excellent bus service which goes to points outside the CAT zone and is reasonably cheap, these buses are run by Transperth and they also have control of the great train system in Perth which can take you in and around the City and out into the suburbs.
If you wish to travel to South Perth (this is where the Zoo is situated) you can walk around or get a taxi, but the ferry is the most popular mode of transport taking you across the beautiful Swan River, this runs every 20 minutes each way and again is reasonably in expensive. There are also over 1000 taxis in Perth if this is your preferred mode of transport.

The Burswood.
This is the pinnacle of Perth City, a beautiful resort that everyone can enjoy. In the Burswood you can have a flutter in the casino, have a drink in the Irish bar, stay in 6star luxury, have a round of golf. The list is endless for the Burswood, it is also the Premier comedy spot in Perth with Hale and Pace, Little Britain all playing there and if its a music show your after, Pink, The Pussycat Dolls, Cliff Richard are all here. The only thing to remember at the Burswood is; take enough money to have fun but be careful in the casino!!

Thats how I see Perth and I would recommend it to everyone!

If you are in Australia you would be mad to miss out Perth.

Summary: A brilliant place to live, work or play!