Perth travel guide
Australia
A sunny, spread-out city on the Swan River, with Indian Ocean beaches a short ride from the centre. Perth is relaxed and outdoorsy, and the port city of Fremantle adds markets, old pubs and character.
Essentials
- Language
- English
- Currency
- Australian dollar (AUD)
- Plugs
- Type I, 230 V
- Emergency number
- 000 for police, fire and ambulance; 112 also works from mobile phones
- Tipping
- Not expected, as service is built into wages; rounding up or leaving around 10% for good restaurant service is appreciated.
Rough daily budget
Approximate spend per person per day, in US dollars:
- Backpacker: $55-85, with a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport.
- Mid-range: $140-230, with a private room and restaurant meals.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Where to stay in Perth
- Northbridge: the city's food and nightlife quarter, home to the state art gallery and museum.
- Leederville: a laid-back strip of cafés, small bars and an independent cinema along Oxford Street.
- Fremantle: a port city of heritage buildings, weekend markets and breweries, about 30 minutes by train.
Getting around Perth
Transperth trains, buses and ferries cover the metro area with a SmartRider card or a contactless bank card, and the free CAT buses loop around the city centre. A car helps for the beaches further north and the wine regions.
Best time to visit Perth
September to November and March to May, warm and dry without the fierce heat of midsummer.
Top things to do in Perth
- Walk through Kings Park and Botanic Garden to the treetop walkway and the lookout over the city and the Swan River
- Tour Fremantle Prison, a convict-built gaol that held prisoners until 1991
- Browse the Fremantle Markets, open from Friday to Sunday, then walk to the fishing boat harbour
- Swim and snorkel at Cottesloe Beach, or at the sheltered reef off Mettams Pool further north
- See the collections at the free WA Museum Boola Bardip and the Art Gallery of Western Australia in Northbridge
What to eat in Perth
- Western rock lobster: a spiny lobster caught off the coast, often called crayfish locally
- Fish and chips: battered local fish with chips, best eaten on the harbour in Fremantle
- Meat pie: a hand-sized pastry filled with minced beef and gravy, sold at bakeries everywhere
- Flat white: espresso with a thin layer of steamed milk, the standard café order
Day trips from Perth
- Rottnest Island: car-free bays for cycling and snorkelling, and the quokkas, about 30 minutes by ferry from Fremantle
- Swan Valley: wineries, breweries and farm-gate produce, around 30 to 40 minutes' drive from the centre
- Pinnacles Desert: thousands of limestone pillars in Nambung National Park, roughly two and a half hours' drive north
Local etiquette
Australians are informal and quick to use first names, and in a pub group it is usual to take turns buying a round, known as a shout. Do not touch or feed the quokkas on Rottnest Island; it is against the law.
Staying connected
Telstra, Optus and Vodafone prepaid SIMs are sold at the airport and in supermarkets and need your passport to activate; eSIMs are widely supported, and coverage drops away quickly once you leave the metropolitan area.
Staying safe
Petty crime is relatively uncommon, though car break-ins happen at beaches, so leave nothing on show. Summer heat and the sun are the bigger risks: carry water, and swim between the red and yellow flags where beaches are patrolled.
A local tip
Watch the sun set into the Indian Ocean from Cottesloe Beach, which is easy to reach by train from the city.
Visas:rules depend on your nationality and change often – check your own government's official travel advice before you go.
Meet people in Perth on Waypacker
Waypacker is a free travel community: stay with ID-verified local hosts, join meetups and city groups, and ask people who live in Perth for advice. We are new here, so if you live in Perth, you could be one of the first hosts.
Questions about Perth
- What currency is used in Perth?
- Perth uses the Australian dollar (AUD).
- What is the emergency number in Perth?
- In Perth, call 000 for police, fire and ambulance; 112 also works from mobile phones.
- When is the best time to visit Perth?
- September to November and March to May, warm and dry without the fierce heat of midsummer.
- How much does a day in Perth cost?
- Roughly $55-85 a day in US dollars on a backpacker budget (a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport), and $140-230 mid-range (a private room and restaurants). These are broad estimates, last reviewed October 2026.
- Is Waypacker free to use in Perth?
- Yes. Joining is free and stays with hosts carry no nightly rate or booking fee.
- Are Waypacker hosts ID-verified?
- Every host's ID and selfie are checked by hand by a real person before they can host. Nothing is sent to an AI service.
- Can I meet locals in Perth without staying with anyone?
- Yes. You can join meetups and city groups, or ask locals for tips, without booking a stay.
- Will anyone see my exact location?
- No. Hosts and meetups appear as a neighbourhood-sized area about a kilometre wide, and exact addresses are never stored.