I am from Singapore, touring Perth in Feb 2014 with my fiance, what else do you recommend ?
Kindly voice your views in anything, feel free to tell me, thanks.
1 Answer
Hi! I'm from Singapore too and have been here for almost 10 years. Be warned though! February might still be the peak of summer so be prepared for what is going to be our hottest summer yet! If you're into shopping in the city, then Harbour Town is your best bet. Lots of boutique outlets at warehouse prices. (Let me know if you're after souvenirs as well. I'm good friends with a wholesaler )
Kings Park is a must see. It's like the Singapore Botanic Gardens but because it overlooks the city scape, you get some breathtaking views of the city. Lots of photo-ops!
If you have time to spare, Swan Valley is a must see! Besides the wine, there's the chocolate factory, some really good honey shops (Jarrah honey is so so a must buy). And if you have much much more time, drive down south to Busselton and you'll get to see the Busselton jetty, Ngilgi caves (gorgeous!) and so much more!
Enjoy!!
Hi Good Morning Joseph I am Mike here again, thank you for your last advice. Final booking done, including accommodation. Will be staying in the area of Warwick, Dorchester Ave, it's quite near to the Warwick Station, thus easy to move around. Heard about the hot weather in Australia recently, was wondering those burnings around, is it affecting Perth ? As most of the fires seems to be in other cities, the weather in Perth seems to be alright, almost like in Singapore. Will be in Perth during the second week of February. Could you also advise me on the following : a. mobile phone card - a calling card with 3G capability - do I buy it in airport as soon as I arrived or I can get it anywhere ? b. the airport transfer, as I have checked online, prices varies and seems very steep for those private service types, or can I just book a taxi in advance on my departure day ? c. Please advise any other options or suggestions you have. Thank you Joseph, guess I will just travel light with the present weather, my present itinerary planned so far, Perth area, Fremantle, Rockingham, Margaret River (if time permits), Swan Valley area, King's Park, E Shed Markets, Prison, Caversham Wildlife Park (Whiteman Park). Have a pleasant day Joseph. Mike
Hi Mike With regards to the bushfires in Perth and surrounds, the affected areas were mainly The Hills, Parkeville, and more recently North Ellenbrook. There have been small fires report around metro as well, Subiaco for example, but are mostly under control. DFES are working around the clock. But this shouldn't deter you from your holiday. Your itinerary looks like fine for avoiding affected areas. Just remember to bring sunscreen and a hat! :) a) as soon as you exit the departure terminal, you can get a Vodafone sim card. It's not the best but it's great for the coverage you'll require. Unless you're going into country or north or south, Vodafone will do the job. Easy to get recharges at lottery shops and news agencies as well. b) For transfer options, you can even opt for the bus. But you'll need to take the free transfer to the domestic terminal (T4). From T4, you can take the Perth Airport CONNECT service ($15 I think) to locations across the city i.e. East Perth train station, Wellington St, etc. If this is too troublesome, I suggest you email me at [email protected]. I might be around the area so I can help with ferrying you (no promises though haha). Always happy to help a fellow Singaporean out. c) At the Fremantle prisons, go for the night tour! Very ou hua and fun! Fish and chips at Cicerellos while you're there, and during the day at Fremantle, go for the "Great Escapes" prison tour also. I think these tours runs for about 2 plus hours each so allocate time for them. There are lost of hidden gems around Perth as well but what you've listed is a good gist of what Perth has in store for a quickie.
Hi, good afternoon Joseph Thank you once again for your kind advice and expertise. I really appreciate your kind offer, well, let's see how it goes as I am not sure if I will be intruding into your personal / working time, could buzz you for a cuppa if time permits. I did keep watch about the Perth weather, conditions for the past two weeks after the bush fires came up recently. Wasn't worried about the fire thingy, rather than the weather, air quality. Singapore has been raining cats & dogs daily for the last two months or so, canal floods, strong winds etc Guess it's going to be wet all around during Chinese new year, thus leaving for Hong Kong to spend Chinese new year there, with my in-laws, my wife is from Hong Kong. Hong Kong is cold too, as weather temp is around 15 to 18 degrees now. We will be in Perth when we come back from Hong Kong. Take care, thanks a lot for your valuable information. Cheers Mike
Hi, Good Morning Joseph, thank you for your kind tips given here. It's been like more than 30 years since my last stay in Perth, when I was in the Singapore Navy, did some training in Australia, visiting Darwin, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne. I guess Fremantle Town area didn't change much as I can see on most websites. Have a pleasant day Joseph.