Perth

Rottnest Island: quokkas, bikes and a beach landing

Rottnest is the reason half of Perth's visitors are here. No cars, just bikes, buses and a ring of bays scalloped into white limestone, with the quokka, a small, smiley marsupial with no fear of humans, wandering the settlement. The Basin and Pinky Beach are the easy swims; hire a bike and the quiet bays open up around the island.

For the full view, the 10,000ft Rottnest Island Tandem Skydive, from $489, starts with a scenic flight over the whole island, then 30 seconds of freefall at close to 200km/h and a five-minute canopy ride down to a landing on the sand at Salmon Bay, Thomson Bay or Bickley Bay. Maximum three jumpers per load, with a 15,000ft upgrade available. The ferry over is separate, so make a day of it.

Whale watching from Hillarys

From late August to early November, humpbacks head south past Perth on their migration, mothers and calves included, and they come close. The 2 Hour Whale Watching Cruise from Hillarys Boat Harbour, from $78, runs on the Ocean Master catamaran with three viewing decks and live commentary from onboard marine scientists rather than a script. Dolphins and sea lions often join in.

The bit that matters on a backpacker budget: it has a sighting guarantee. No whales, and you cruise again free within the season. Hillarys sits north of the city on the coast, an easy trip by train and bus.

Fremantle: the port town that keeps you an extra day

Freo is 30 minutes down the train line and a different town altogether: convict-era limestone, a working port, and a main drag of cafes known as the Cappuccino Strip. The Fremantle Markets run Friday to Sunday for cheap eats and buskers, Fremantle Prison is World Heritage-listed and runs tours, and the Fishing Boat Harbour is the spot for sunset on the water.

It's also the main ferry departure point for Rottnest, so a lot of travellers base themselves here rather than in the CBD. Hostels are social, the pubs are old and good, and the South Beach sunsets match Cottesloe's with fewer people.

Perth city, Kings Park and the beaches

Kings Park sits above the city and the Swan River and is one of the largest inner-city parks in the world, with free lookouts, bushland walks and a treetop walkway. Elizabeth Quay is the city's front yard, Northbridge is where the nightlife lives, and the CBD is compact enough to cover on foot.

Then the coast. Cottesloe is the classic: Norfolk pines, a grassy slope and the sun dropping into the Indian Ocean. Scarborough is the surfier, livelier option with a beachfront strip. Both are reachable by train and bus.

Which Perth tour is right for you?

Perth's bookable tours are short, sharp and very different, so this is an easy call.

Budget and wildlife: the 2 Hour Whale Watching Cruise from Hillarys Boat Harbour, from $78, but only in whale season, late August to early November. Outside those dates it isn't running.

Big-ticket thrill: the 10,000ft Rottnest Island Tandem Skydive, from $489, any time of year, weather permitting. It's a scenic flight, a freefall and a beach landing on a car-free island, so it doubles as your Rottnest day. Budget for the ferry and, if you want the footage, the photo and video add-ons.

Heading north afterwards? Multi-day trips to Ningaloo, Monkey Mia and Broome leave from Perth. See our Western Australia hub.

Three days in Perth: a sample plan

Day one: Kings Park in the morning for the lookout and a bushland walk, then train to Cottesloe for a swim and the sunset. Northbridge if you've got the energy.

Day two: Rottnest. Early ferry from Fremantle, hire a bike, swim at The Basin, meet a quokka without touching or feeding it, and if you've booked the 10,000ft Rottnest Island Tandem Skydive, from $489, this is your afternoon. Last ferry back and dinner in Freo.

Day three: Fremantle properly. Markets if it's Friday to Sunday, the prison tour, sunset at the harbour. In spring, swap the morning for the 2 Hour Whale Watching Cruise from Hillarys Boat Harbour, from $78.

Know before you go

Seasons: Perth has a Mediterranean climate, hot and dry from December to February (regularly above 35 degrees) and mild and wet from June to August. The afternoon sea breeze, nicknamed the Fremantle Doctor, takes the edge off summer. Whale season is late August to early November. Spring and autumn are the easy picks.

Getting there: Perth Airport is about 20 minutes from the CBD by road. Flights from the East Coast take four to five hours, and the Indian Pacific train rolls in from Sydney via Adelaide for the long way round. Trains and buses cover the city, Fremantle, the beaches and Hillarys.

Safety: the sun here is serious, and the beaches can have strong rips, so swim between the flags. On Rottnest, quokkas are wild animals: no touching, no feeding, keep food zipped away.