Hugged by the hills of the Darling Ranges and gazing over the sky-blue waters of the Indian Ocean, Perth is a prosperous, forward-looking port city. Perth embraced its yuppie identity in the 1980’s, trading in most of its convict-built 19th century architecture for modern office blocks along the river. Government House and Perth Town Hall are two of the few remaining buildings from Perth’s colonial past. But don’t be fooled by its capitalist façade. Perth is placid, picturesque and playful.

Perth’s sun-drenched climate draws comparisons to California – minus the suffocating smog. Kings Park boasts fresh air and fine views from its bushland trails, sprawling Botanic Gardens and wildflower displays. Surfers and sailboarders should head for Scarborough beach or the Ocean coast, while Crawley and Peppermint Grove on the banks of the Swan River are better for a sunbathing session.

At the mouth of the Swan River is the port of Fremantle (Freo, to those in the know). During the day, the alfresco cafes along the South Terrace and packed markets are positively humming. As night falls, the revelers move in to party in its pulsating clubs.