Western Australia

Western Australia covers roughly a third of the continent, yet most of its residents live in Greater Perth – in between lie thousands of miles of coastline, desert and bushland. A vacation in Western Australia means long distances, empty beaches and natural wonders that would be overrun anywhere else. If you're looking for peace and space, Australia's largest state is the right place.

Perth and Fremantle

Perth is considered one of the most isolated major cities in the world, but it is anything but provincial. Kings Park, larger than Central Park in New York, offers the best view of the skyline and the Swan River from its hilltop. Around the center, neighborhoods with their own character have developed: Northbridge with its cultural quarter, museums, bars and Asian restaurants, and East Perth with new buildings along the riverfront and Elizabeth Quay as a new promenade. Along the coast, one beach follows another, from Cottesloe with its sunsets to Scarborough. Fremantle, at the mouth of the Swan River, is a port city with Victorian facades, Fremantle Market and the former prison Fremantle Prison, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing of Australian Convict Sites. In the suburb of Wilson and other southern neighborhoods, you'll see the everyday life of the city.

Rottnest Island and the Coast North of Perth

A ferry from Fremantle takes you to Rottnest Island in half an hour, where cars are banned and quokkas live – small marsupials made world-famous by selfies. North of Perth, Nambung National Park is home to the Pinnacles, thousands of limestone pillars rising from yellow sand. Geraldton is the center of the rock lobster fishery, and farther north, at Shark Bay, dolphins come up to the beach at Monkey Mia, and stromatolites, among the oldest life forms on Earth, can be found.

Sights in Western Australia: Reefs and Gorges

Ningaloo Reef near Exmouth and Coral Bay is one of the great destinations in Western Australia. Unlike at the Great Barrier Reef, you can snorkel right from the beach, and between March and July whale sharks swim off the coast. In the Pilbara, red gorges with rock pools cut deep into the stone in Karijini National Park. Far to the north lies the Kimberley region with Broome and its Cable Beach, camel rides at sunset and the farming of South Sea pearls, as well as Purnululu National Park with the striped domes of the Bungle Bungles. The Gibb River Road is one of the great adventures for four-wheel-drive travelers.

The Southwest: Wine and Forests

South of Perth, Mandurah sits on a lagoon with dolphins and canals. About a three-hour drive away, the Margaret River region begins, famous for Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, surf breaks and stalactite caves. Farther south, giant karri and tingle trees grow, and in the Valley of the Giants a treetop walkway leads through the canopy. Albany, the oldest European settlement in the state, recalls the history of whaling on the south coast, and Esperance has beaches with almost white sand where kangaroos lie.

History, Culture and Cuisine

The Noongar in the southwest and many other Aboriginal peoples have lived on this land for tens of thousands of years. The British Swan River Colony was founded in 1829, but it only really grew with the gold discoveries in Kalgoorlie in the 1890s. Mining, above all iron ore from the Pilbara, still shapes the economy today. In the kitchen, the sea plays the leading role: Western Australian rock lobster, barramundi from the north and oysters from Albany, along with wine from Margaret River and the Great Southern region and truffles from Manjimup.

Best Time to Visit and Getting There

The best time to visit depends on the region: the south, with Perth and Margaret River, is best visited from September to May, while the tropical north is pleasant during the dry season from May to October. In spring, from about August, thousands of species of wildflowers bloom. Perth (PER) has direct flights to Europe. Distances are enormous – it's more than 1,200 miles from Perth to Broome – so many travelers combine domestic flights with rental cars. The Indian Pacific train connects Perth with Adelaide and Sydney.