The Perfect 2 Days in Perth
About to land in Perth, Western Australia; January 2019
Why?
Think of Sydney as Australia’s New York; their big city.
Melbourne is their funky, colorful one.
Brisbane is the access point to all of their infamous beaches.
The outback is home to all of their well-known wildlife.
And Perth…
… all of Straya is as chill as a cucumber – but Perth it the relaxed of the relaxed.
Wondering what to do all the way out in Western Australia?
In the most isolated international city in the world?
Let me break down our 2-day itinerary to you:
Day 1:
My dad and I flew into Perth midday from Alice Springs.
Flying over some cool, silver-like lakes as we cross over from Northern Territory over into Western Australia; January 2019
Even in the bathrooms inside the airport (which are completely faucet free – the water, soap, and hand driers all assimilate into the white sinks), you’ll feel the fascination of being in a city that is so far forward in the technological world.
We made it to the most isolated international city in the world: Perth!
I haven’t been to Japan yet, but Perth is very advanced in everything they do… and you’ll read what I mean in a few paragraphs.
Upon arrival, even if you’ve flown in domestically from somewhere else in Australia – they’ll have airport sniffer dogs to ensure that you haven’t brought in produce from somewhere else.
If you didn’t already know, you have to be very careful about the food you bring with you both from outside Australia andwithin the country.
Perth is no exception to this practice.
Once we got settled with our things, we were ready for Fremantle – an enormous market twenty minutes from the city center of Perth.
When we got on the trains, my dad, and engineer – took note of just how quiet they were.
I then recognized the mass transit’s atypical silence as well.
Not only were they soft and lacking the usual subway screeching sounds many of us around the world are accustomed to, especially if you’ve experienced New York’s subway system – but the interior of the train was eerily immaculate.
Shortly after I took note of this, I turned to the right to see a man in an orange vest, picking up trash on the train while it was still in transit.
My dad and I recognized both before hopping on the train to Freemantle and afterwards that the city was creepily clean…
… and quiet.
It’s the softest, most spotless city he and I both agreed we had ever been to.
By this point in our trip, I had been in Australia for nearly two weeks and still hadn’t had an acai bowl yet.
I had seen Acai Bros, a chain in Australia, on the Sunshine Coast before and decided to try it later in the trip – and that’s just what we did.
Inside Acai Bros in Freemantle, Western Australia; January 2019
It’s definitely one of the best acai bowls I’ve ever had… and I’ve had quite a few of them.
We made conversation with the girl at the cash register, who was just about my age.
Her family moved to Perth from Johannesburg in hopes of a better life.
My dad asked why the decided to relocate to Perth over Sydney – as it’s much bigger and presumably, has the stronger potential for a foreigner to attain a job.
That’s another amazing thing about Australia. In the big cities, like Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth… you will meet so many different people from so many different places around the world.
Australia truly welcomes anyone of any kind to their continent.
Her reply was short, but potent,
“They visited the other cities but they really liked Perth because of the lifestyle. It’s a very simple life here; very functional.”
If there were two words to describe Perth, those would be it.
Simple and functional…
… and then if I had four words to describe it, I would tack on quiet and clean.
I had my Acai bowl, and my dad had a burger and avocado fries at “Healthy Burger”.
If you’re looking to eat fresh, wholesome food while you’re down under – you won’t have any problems.
I’d say there are five times the chance of finding some trendy-health-food-café while in Australia than you do to finding a fast food chain like Hungry Jack’s (what my dad and I assumed was their version of Burger King).
The streets of Fremantle are like charm on steroids.
Walking the streets of Fremantle; January 2019
The year before I went to Australia, I was on my birthright trip in Israel and met a girl a couple of years older than I was who came to Perth on a working holiday visa. I never forgot her words while we were hiking in the Ein Gedi reserve,
“If you have the chance to make it down to Fremantle, it’s really worth it…”
Determined to abide by her advice, we then made our way to the market.
Before going to Fremantle in Perth, my list of top markets I had seen around went like this:
1. La Boqueira in Barcelona
2. Carmel Market in Tel Aviv
3. Central Market Hall in Budapest
4. Nasch Markt in Vienna
But after going to Fremantle… I couldn’t stand to say it, but it had blown La Boqueira out of the water.
Clothing, souvenirs, spices, coffee, tea, shoes, street food…anything under the sun that you want is in there.
My dad and I agreed that it was the best market we had ever seen in our lives.
Exploring Fremantle's incredible market; January 2019
Afterwards, we took the train down to Cottlesloe beach, as I had always wanted to watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean.
It’s not a beach with your stereotypical surfing and tanning culture – it’s mostly families with their kids flying kites.
Cottlesloe Beach in Western Australia; January 2019
It’s the view that everyone was waiting for.
Watching the sunset over the Indian Ocean at Cottlesloe beach; January 2019
In this moment, my dad and I were 11,561 miles away from Washington D.C.
We were closer to Madagascar, Beijing, New Delhi... we watched the sunset over the freaking Indian Ocean.
It was insane; to think just over a year ago, that I met on birthright who worked and lived here in Perth who told me to try to make it down to Fremantle…. and then suddenly
... there I was; caught in a trance – realizing that feeling so far away had never felt so good.
Day 2:
My dad and I discovered the city center of Perth this day.
Once again, we were taken aback by just how quiet it was – somehow even in the midst of rush hour, the city kept its bizarre silence intact.
We walked through Kings Park…
View of Perth and the Swan River from Kings Park; January 2019
Kings Park; January 2019
… the Botanical Gardens of Western Australia…
Entrance to Perth, and Western Australia’s Botanical gardens; January 2019
… and then headed towards Elizabeth Quay to catch a water taxi across the swan river to the Perth Zoo.
Elizabeth Quay in Perth; January 2019
I had seen all the wildlife I had my heart set on seeing in the outback, but I was still missing one, very important species…
… koala bears.
Riding on the Swan River with the skyline of Perth beside me; January 2019
My dad and I agreed that the zoo itself wasn’t that great. Its signage is misleading and navigating yourself around the zoo was confusing, but nevertheless – we got what we came for.
Can you spot all of the koalas? They looked like actual stuffed animals, that at first, I didn’t believe they were real! They spend most of their time sleeping, apparently… not a bad life, they’ve got going for themselves, there.
Afterwards, my dad and I had a low-key night as we had an extremely early flight to Melbourne the next day.
We went to a casino where I gambled (legally!) for the very first time, and then had tapas and drinks at our hotel’s restaurant.
Perth, like many other places in Australia - strives for high quality food.
I know Perth isn’t on everyone’s radar – but I really think it should be, and that’s coming from someone who likes cities filled with insanity like Manhattan.
The essence of Perth: its silence, its isolation, and its advanced yet low key ways of living are all something that are worth seeing.
If you’re looking for other things to do in Australia, click here.