Perth
A couple of blocks back behind the monolithic Rendezvous Grand, the eight-tier Ramada does things with a little more subtlety. Some of the apartments in the building are residential, so construction, security and cleaning standards are sky-high. All apartments have kitchenettes, stylish interiors and whisper-quiet double glazing. Cafe on-site; parking $15.
We hear rumours of a 45-storey megahotel tower that will soon emerge from the empty plot out the front – oh the horror!
6.29 MILES
The 400-hectare, bush-filled expanse of Kings Park, smack in the city centre and enjoying epic views, is Perth's pride and joy. The Botanic Garden…
11.09 MILES
With its forbidding 5m-high walls, the old convict-era prison dominates Fremantle. Various daytime tours explore the jail's maximum-security past, give…
11.27 MILES
Located within an 1852 commissariat store, the Shipwrecks Museum is considered the finest display of maritime archaeology in the southern hemisphere. The…
Western Australian Museum – Maritime
11.15 MILES
Significant West Australian boats are suspended from the rafters of this sail-shaped museum building. There's the yacht that won the America's Cup race in…
Art Gallery of Western Australia
7.15 MILES
Founded in 1895, this excellent gallery houses the state's preeminent art collection as well as regular international exhibitions that, increasingly, have…
24.17 MILES
This hidden valley in Pickering Brook has sustained apple orchards since 1939. Take a one-hour tour through the trees on a tractor-pulled carriage, a 45…
14.67 MILES
The Basin is Rotto's top family swim spot – a sheltered, natural sandy-floored pool, fringed by reefs to keep the waves at bay. It's a short cycle from…
4.86 MILES
Dividing WA's vast coastline into five distinct zones (Far North, Coral Coast, Shipwreck Coast, Perth and Great Southern), AQWA features a 98m underwater…
0.29 MILES
This is a popular young surfers' spot, so be sure to swim between the flags, as waves can be powerful. A $100-million revitalisation of the beachfront has…
1.02 MILES
Good surf, with a hardcore group of locals who come out when the surf's up; dangerous when rough and prone to rips – always swim between the flags. Middle…
1.82 MILES
On calm days, it's like a turquoise paddling pool with some of Perth's best snorkelling – think mottled reef with swaying seaweeds and similarly coloured…
2.34 MILES
A generally uncrowded beach, but waves can be on the dumpy side. There's decent swimming, surfing, a cafe, playground and a grassy, free BBQ area. Catch…
2.97 MILES
Offers swimming, surfing, lawn and amenities. Following a significant redevelopment, there are two restaurants (we like Odyssea) and a pizzeria, public…
6. Aquarium of Western Australia
4.86 MILES
Dividing WA's vast coastline into five distinct zones (Far North, Coral Coast, Shipwreck Coast, Perth and Great Southern), AQWA features a 98m underwater…
5.06 MILES
In spring black swans and their cygnets waddle about the grounds – a meeting place for local birdlife – nonplussed by joggers circling the lake on the…