Western Australia

I have now travelled to Australia on two different occasions, and each time this incredible country has stolen my heart. Since I have already blogged about my first time travelling to Australia which included Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, and Queensland/ Surfers Paradise, this blog post will be focused on Perth, Western Australia.

For those who don’t know, my boyfriend John and I started 2020 off with a one month vacation to Perth. We flew from Toronto on January 3rd, and dreaded the day we had to leave and come back home on February 5th.

WHERE WE STAYED: 
We were lucky enough that one of my best friends Michelle, and her boyfriend Jack hosted us at their place for almost the entire month. They have a cute bungalow apartment in the city Scarborough, and it is in the most perfect location with only being minutes away from the beach, grocery shops, stores, coffee shops and gyms. For the nights we didn’t spend at their home John and I travelled to Margaret River, Rottnest Island and the Ritz Carlton which was the BEST birthday surprise. 

SCARBOROUGH + EVERYDAY LIFE LIVING IN W.A:
I have been lucky enough to have travelled almost more than anyone I know. So when I say Perth is my favourite place I have ever travelled to, please believe me. There is no better way to describe Perth than as a hidden gem. When people dream about travelling to Australia, they most often envision travelling to the most popular places which are usually Sydney, Gold Coast, and Melbourne. That’s why the first time I travelled to Australia it wasn’t to Perth. To be 100% honest with you, the only reason John and I travelled to Perth was to visit Michelle. If she didn’t live there, we would have no reason to visit, and we would have had no idea how much we would be missing out on. This vacation was by far the most incredible one I’ve ever been on in so many different ways. 

LITTLE – NO TOURISTS:
As I mentioned above, Perth is a hidden gem. For how gorgeous it is, you would 100% think it would be as busy as anywhere else in Australia. Out of everywhere in Australia I have travelled to, Perth/Scarborough is where I found the least amount of tourists. This made living here and exploring for a month that much better and enjoyable!

THE BEACHES:
Everyday we spent time at a beach, and everyday I was breathless by the beauty. Scarborough Beach and Brighton beach are two beaches that were minutes away from Michelle and Jack’s home, so almost every day we were sure to walk/drive down there. Like I said already, these beaches were perfect. The water couldn’t be any more clear and blue, the waves were big and fun to play in (and attempt surfing in), and it couldn’t be more clean. Some other of our favourite beaches in Perth are: 
– Injidup (in Margaret River)
– Cottesloe 
– Coogee 

THE COFFEE:
The coffee in Perth is to DIE FOR. For everyone who knows me, knows I am a huge Starbucks addict. When I first got to Perth I quickly found out that there was no Starbucks, and no drip coffee. I was almost in panic. Flash forward, every single day in Australia, John and I would look forward to making a visit to a local coffee shop, and would either get flat whites, or ice coffee (WHICH THEY MAKE WITH ICE-CREAM) and would never be disappointed. Even at Michelles house we would make lattes everyday. So it is safe to say, coming back home to drip coffee was not an easy transition. Some of our favourite cafes were:
– Drift (best ice coffee ever)
– Livid
– Monty’s
– Wild Fig (right on the beach)
– Freshwaters
– Cocolat – BEST MILKSHAKES as well! We enjoyed the Oreo one and it was delicious!

THE LIFESTYLE: 
Everything about the Australian lifestyle has been everything I have ever wanted. I have never seen such beautiful, tanned, fit, happy, DOGS EVERYWHERE, eco friendly people and environment. Every day I spent in Australia made me focus on things that matter most in life. Health, happiness, friendship, love and appreciation. I love Louis Vuitton more than anything, but each day I spent in Australia, labels and name brands seemed less and less important. I can 100% say I have never been in such good head space than I was when I was there. This is where I created my morning ritual (which was a lot more easier to achieve in a beautiful, warm place), where I made the decision to forever eliminate plastic bags in grocery stores, to think twice about using any single use plastic, started journaling and reading more than I have in months, and took time to appreciate the small things. Being able to spend every day with the love of my life, having absolutely no worries in the world, and to appreciate this entire adventure together, is something I will always be more than thankful for. 

THE WEATHER:
January is one of Australia’s summer months, and it was the perfect time for us to visit! It was SO hot everyday, but never humid, sticky or gross. It was very similar to Las Vegas weather, as Perth has a very dry heat. Out of the entire month we only got rain on one day, and right after we travelled back home we found out it rained a ton in February. In conclusion, travelling the month of January worked out perfect for us.

Late nights at Elizabeth Quay

The best birthday surprise at the Ritz Carlton

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS:
– Staying at the Ritz Carlton. The Ritz Carlton in Perth is a brand new hotel, with exceptional service that will blow you away. This was where John surprised me for my birthday surprise and we had a mind-blowing, beautiful suite, and an even better experience. Our time here was one of my top favourite things about this entire trip.
– Walk along Elizabeth Quay one night. This is when the city is lit up and extra beautiful. We went for dinner, and got Gelato at Gusto Gelato which ended up being our favourite Gelato place there! 
– Picnics on the beach, and at Kings Park. Kings Park is a MUST!!
– Visit Margaret River. This small town is known for its wineries and micro breweries. It is a three hour drive from Scarborough, and John and I got an air b n b here for two nights which was the perfect amount of time.
– Take a ferry to Rottnest Island. This is where you will meet the QUOKKA. Out of the entire world the Quokka animals can only be found in Western Australia. So you definitely need to take this opportunity to go see one! Two nights would probably be the perfect amount of time to visit Rottnest Island, as John and I stayed for three and felt that it was too long.

If Western Australia is a place you are wanting to visit, I hope this blog post helped and I’m glad I got to finally share my Western Australia experience with you. If this is a trip you are seriously considering, it won’t let you down. 
As always, you can message me at anytime with any questions or comments. 


Court