South African Airways

The city’s big green lung delivers great views of the skyline as you walk, jog, cycle or just laze about in the sun. It’s the largest park in the Southern Hemisphere and overlooks the Swan. The aborigines revere it as a sacred space.

This beach is a 15-minute drive from the city. It’s a popular spot for sundowners, as there are numerous bars and cafes along the promenade. The water is clean and good for snorkelling and surfing, as well as swimming.

This dining hotspot is designed to be as good for the soul as it is for the tastebuds. All of its features are chose for their practicality, recyclability and life cycle. The exterior is covered with a vertical garden and the rooftop garden provides fresh produce for the kitchen. Food-wise, it serves a wide range including oysters, fish, homemade bread and pork cheeks. There is also an extensive cocktail menu.

Perth Zoo is filled with lush gardens that are home to more than 1 200 animals from around the world. Make a beeline for the Australian Walkabout and Wetlands section to see funny little critters, like wallabies and adorable koalas. The Asian Rainforest area has tigers, sun bears and a colony of Sumatran orangutans. There are free talks by the keepers and feeding sessions.

The towering glass spire in Barrack Square is the Bell Tower. It’s one of the largest musical instruments on earth and was custom-built to house the historic bells of St Martin, which date back to the 14th century, in the Fields Church in Trafalgar Square, London. The tower features fascinating displays and a chance to try bell ringing. Even if you’re not a campanologist, the glorious, 360º views of Perth from the sixth floor, open-air observation deck are well worth the trip.

The Botanical Café serves foods cooked up from fresh local produce, accompanied by its own brand of wine and craft beers from its sister venue, The Old Brewery. Its dining areas have spectacular views over the city and Swan River.

Adventure World is a theme park with the thrills of Australia’s best rollercoaster, the Abyss. That’s a ghost-themed ride into an unknown world, with guardians scaring you as they protect the Abyss. It applies some serious G-forces and features a 10 storey vertical lift and giant turns. There are more than 30 other attractions, including water rides and a cuddle-a-koala section. Aww! It is closed during the winter months.

The historical sight is one of the oldest mints in the world to still be operating on its original premises. Visitors can feel the excitement of the early gold rushes and witness a gold-pouring performance in the original Melting House. You can view a glittering collection of gold bars as they gleam from the darkness of the original 1899 vault, including the Newmont Normandy Nugget, the second largest nugget in existence, weighing a massive 25,5kg. You can calculate the value of your weight in gold, too. You can also see the biggest, heaviest and most valuable gold bullion coin in the world, at 80cm wide and13cm thick and weighs a tonne of 99,99% pure gold. It’s worth more than A$50 million (around R475 million), but you can’t buy it in the shop at the end of your visit.

This restaurant with a very long name is run by beekeeper Rupert Phillips and his wife, who travel all over Western Australia to harvest and showcase the best honey the state has to offer. Its beehives are moved at night to different locations, depending upon availability of nectar, with different plants creating different tastes. Others are infused with lavender, chilli, cinnamon or vanilla. You can watch the beekeepers at work, buy bee- and honey-related giftware and eat the stuff in the café.

About three hours south of Perth lies Margaret River, a very successful wine-producing region. Sandalford Wines was founded in 1840, making it one of the oldest vineyards in the region and one of three pioneers of the Margaret River district in 1970. This is a white wine area, with many vineyards open for tours and tastings. The town of Margaret River has sophisticated restaurants and art galleries. Being 275km from Perth, it’s an add-on, rather than a quick trip from the city.

The Old Brewery combines history with contemporary dining. It claims to serve the finest cuts of meat in the city, such as a mammoth 2,7kg rib-eye steak, perfect for sharing and hand-carved at your table. Expect to pay top dollar. You can also indulge in craft beers brewed on-site.

You can reach this bustling harbour area by ferry and stroll around the area, which filled with shops, restaurants, nightclubs and a boutique brewery. It’s a working harbour and fishing port with a seafood market that sells direct to the public. The harbour was built in the early 1900s as a single jetty and fish market. It underwent a massive facelift to stage the America’s Cup yacht race in 1987.

Locally known at Rotto, this island makes for a lovely day trip. It has more than 60 splendid beaches and bays ideal for water sports. You can go golfing here, too.