Discover Perth

Australia's sunniest state capital is a beach lover's paradise with a passion for fabulous food, wine and beer.

About our flights to Perth

Air New Zealand offers non-stop flights between Auckland and Perth. With connections available from all Air New Zealand serviced domestic airports. The Auckland to Perth flight time is around 7 hours. With options of theworks, worksflexi, Economy Skycouch™, premiumeconomy, premiumflexi, businesspremier™ and businessflexi, you can choose the way you fly on all our flights to Australia.

Note: Skycouch may not be available on certain flights.

Where to go and what to see in Perth

With weather as welcoming as its friendly locals, Australia's sunniest capital city of Perth/Boorloo offers holiday adventures for everyone. Framed by the Swan River/Derbarl Yearrigan and literally nestled in nature, cosmopolitan Perth boasts 19 pristine beaches, Indian Ocean sunsets, porcelain white sand beaches, a picturesque wine region, cute  quokkas (cat-size hopping marsupials) and a world-class restaurant scene. It also has an average of 8.5 sunshine hours a day, which is music to the ears of any holidaymaker.

Perth's heart is bustling with bars, restaurants, hotels, shopping and cultural spaces, and is also home to one of the world's largest inner city parks - Kings Park. Within an hour of Perth's central business district you can meet the friendly quokkas on pristine Rottnest Island/Wadjemup, tantalise your tastebuds in the Swan Valley wine region, swim with wild dolphins at Rockingham, cruise the canals in Mandurah, or discover maritime history and a bohemian lifestyle in the eclectic port city of Fremantle/Walyalup.

Things to do in Perth

A short walk from the CBD towards the Swan River will bring you to a billion-dollar waterfront development, Elizabeth Quay. Look out for The Island – a restaurant and brewery inside a heritage pavilion and The Reveley bar and restaurant with water views; Willie Creek Pearls flagship showroom; freshly made gelato at Gusto; and the new Ritz Carlton Perth. Not to be missed nearby is the spectacular new WA Museum Boola Bardip, located in the Perth Cultural Centre.

At Cottesloe Beach you can chill out at a waterfront pub and wait for the sublime Indian Ocean sunset.

For a taste of WA nightlife, head to Northbridge. There you'll find a buzzing bar and club scene offering live music, comedy, DJ sessions and delicious cocktails to get your night off to a great start. For other places to go in Perth, check out the visitor centre when you arrive.

Funky Fremantle

Explore maritime history, a World Heritage listed prison, café culture, lively bars and 100-year-old markets in the charming port city of Fremantle, located less than 30-minutes from Perth CBD.

'Freo', as it's known to the locals, has narrow historic streets, heritage architecture and amazing fresh seafood around the Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour. You'll also find local craft beer at micro-breweries, as well as a variety of funky cafes, boutique bars and top restaurants. For an insider's view of Fremantle, join a guided walking tour to discover the city's colourful maritime history, bohemian culture and vibrant street art.

Rottnest Island

Loved for its laid-back atmosphere, 63 beautiful beaches and 20 idyllic bays, Rottnest Island/Wadjemup is a unique island paradise located just a short ferry ride from the mainland.

You can explore the island by scenic flight, segway, skydive, hop-on hop-off bus, waterbike or kayak. To see below the surface, join a snorkelling tour to discover the abundance of spectacular marine life. The highlight of this day is a chance to meet the world's friendliest animal — the quokka. These cute, cat-size marsupials are found all over the island and are easiest to spot at dusk. Please don't get too close to and remember to follow the guidelines to protect the quokkas' safety.

Beaches near and far

When you're ready for a quenching beverage or ice cream with a spectacular ocean view, a trip to Cottesloe Beach is a must. Later in the day you can chill out at one of the waterfront pubs and wait for a sublime Indian Ocean sunset.

Scarborough is the city's laid-back surfer haven. You'll be treated to a quintessentially postcard-perfect WA white sand beach, dotted with sunbathers, kite surfers and wave riders. Slightly further up the coast is Hillary's Boat Harbour, where you'll find the Aquarium of Western Australia. 

For scenic blue hues head to City Beach which is home to lush lawns, white sand and an expanding range of waterfront dining options, Odyssea, Hamptons and Clancy's Fish Bar. Trigg Beach has also seen its dining expand with the opening of Island Market (by the Kailis team), while Cottesloe has welcomed Indigo Oscar in the iconic Indian Tearooms.

Within an hour of Perth's CBD, you can swim with wild dolphins at Rockingham, cruise the canals in Mandurah, discover cystal caves in Yanchep National Park and hike the trails of Perth Hills.

Venture east from Perth and you'll find yourself in  Australia's Golden Outback, a region that will have you grappling for new adjectives. It's remote, vast, awe-inspiring and supremely Australian.

Swan Valley and the Margaret River region

Less than 30 minutes from Perth is the Swan Valley, where local energy goes into growing and creating wonderful food and wine. You can visit wineries, coffee roasters, honey producers, ice cream cafes, olive oil producers, cider makers and breweries. Highly recommended is wine tasting and a leisurely lunch at the amazing Sandalford Wines or Mandoon Estate, located on the banks of the Swan River.

Three hours south of Perth is the Margaret River wine region, where cellar doors invite you to sample some of the award-winning local cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and sauvignon blanc semillon wines. This area is the perfect introduction to the rest of the southern coastline's sheltered coves and white sand beaches.

Take a road trip north to Ningaloo Reef

Western Australia's Coral Coast Highway stretches for 1,100km from Cervantes, two hours north of Perth, to the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef. Marine wonders and otherworldly landscapes make it one of the greatest road trips on Earth.

Your Coral Coast adventure can include swimming or cruising alongside gentle marine giants - whale sharks, humpback whales and manta rays. You'll also have the chance to explore some of the best-known attractions in Australia, including the Pinnacles, bubblegum-coloured Pink Lake, Kalbarri National Park and Shark Bay World Heritage Area. And from almost every beach there's the opportunity to snorkel or dive into the mesmerising underwater terrain of World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef, one of the most accessible reef systems in the world.