The idyllic capital of Western Australia is a hub of cultural delights and has some unbelievable wildlife in addition. Begin at Yagan Square and unfold out additional for ferry excursions, cult-favorite meals, and—naturally—standout seashores. For all that, and extra, it’s one of Australia’s most interesting escapes.
PLAY
A stone’s throw from Yagan Square and the distinctive Art Gallery of Western Australia, the WA Museum Boola Bardip embraces all issues WA—from meteorites and dinosaur bones to multilayered aboriginal tales. Ten minutes away, Kings Park and the Western Australian Botanic Garden showcase greater than 3,000 species of flora along with panoramic views of the Swan River and cityscape. When you’re able to enterprise farther, Rottnest Island—a 25-minute ferry from Fremantle or 90 minutes from central Perth—guarantees white-sand coves, crystal-clear snorkeling, and the prospect to see quokkas, chubby-cheeked marsupials Insta-famous for his or her selfie-ready “smile.” More wildlife awaits an hour north of Perth: Yanchep National Park is one of the one locations in Western Australia the place you possibly can spot koalas in a pure bush setting, together with western grey kangaroos and laughing kookaburras.
City Beach
EAT
Kick off your City of Light consuming tour at Chu Bakery, a cult-favorite Asian–French pastry store the place locals line up for passionfruit doughnuts, kaya coconut croissants, and different seasonal specials. For dinner, Testùn Bar is one of the most well liked tables to nab—an osteria the place its handmade pasta has earned it a near-instant following. To get a broader have a look at the area, find time for Fremantle, the historic port metropolis about half an hour from central Perth. The Southeast Asian–impressed menu at Emily Taylor rewards an enormous group order (hiya, pan-fried wagyu, oxtail dumplings, and Peking-style roast duck), whereas Manuka Woodfire Kitchen takes a extra elemental strategy, cooking over an open flame with a deal with Western Australian produce (image wood-roasted cauliflower with smoked whey dressing or Exmouth tiger prawns with apple-fennel remoulade). Gibney on Cottesloe Beach can be value looking for out. Arrive at sundown, order from the uncooked bar or wood-fired grill, and make an evening of it—that is the type of leisurely oceanfront dinner that reminds you precisely why you flew all the way in which to Western Australia.
STAY
Housed inside restored Nineteenth-century state buildings in Cathedral Square, COMO The Treasury drops you in a single of Perth’s most essential historic precincts. Its 48 rooms and suites characteristic excessive ceilings, oversize home windows, and marble loos with soaking tubs and heated flooring. There’s an indoor pool and a full COMO Shambhala spa—strive the Sodashi marine-mineral facial or contouring physique wrap. The lodge additionally boasts one of Perth’s high tables: Wildflower, a fine-dining restaurant constructed across the six Noongar seasons, with dishes guided by the Indigenous calendar. New child on the block Hyde Perth provides a extra social counterpoint within the central enterprise district. Rooms skew fashionable and polished, however its point of interest is Farra, a Greek-style restaurant and pool terrace that pulls a crowd for languid lunches and sundowner cocktails. Programming contains rotating DJs and reside music, but it surely by no means ideas into full-on occasion territory; the environment is upbeat, by no means chaotic.
Ashlea Halpern is a contributing editor at Condé Nast Traveler and a particular mission editor for TIME’s World’s Greatest Places checklist, however her byline turns up in every single place: AFAR, New York Magazine, Buy Side from WSJ, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, and extra. She lives within the nice state of Minnesota however is often on the street 4 to 6 months a 12 months (usually together with her toddler in tow). Follow her adventures at @asheahalpern.