Alternative experiences to chase in Perth (updated 2022!)
Perth is one of the destinations that many Singaporeans have visited at least once in their life.
Opinions about Perth are varied: some found it boring (especially when many places close at 6 pm), while others said it's the perfect vacation spot for families with young children due to the child-friendly facilities available almost everywhere.
I belonged to the former group – having visited Perth as a teen with my family – until recently when I revisited Perth on an invite from Tourism Western Australia. Now that I'm old enough to have a teen child myself and also amassed more varied interests in this different stage of life (such as an appreciation for good food, coffee and wine), I wondered if Perth may surprise me.
For my background and yours, the city of Perth has been developing their tourism facilities even during the pandemic, and has quite a couple of new attractions (plus old and improved ones) to showcase. You'll be able to get the usual suspects in other articles, so I won't bore you with those. Consider these activities instead when planning for your next vacation to Perth!
Go under, around, up and down Matagarup Bridge!
The Matagarup Bridge, a 370m pedestrian bridge stretching across Swan River, is one of the newer attractions in Perth. Built in 2018, the bridge looks like two swans cradling, apt considering it's built over Swan River, and connects Burswood to East Perth.
Apart from being a beautiful landmark, the bridge also hosts the Matagarup Bridge Climb and Zip Line activity, where visitors get to scale the bridge, before zip-lining down on a 400m line at up to 75km/h. It sounded fast until I got onto the zipline and found it a chill ride down. Both the view and the climb were breathtaking.
Get behind the scenes of a world-class stadium
A stroll away from Matagarup Bridge is the Optus Stadium. Before you brush it off as yet another tourist attraction, let me bring you through three of the tour offerings they have. The Optus Stadium tour will bring one to areas not accessible to the public, from the locker rooms of the teams to private corporate booths and even the pitch itself!
We didn't get to try it (thankfully), but thrill-seekers can head up to the Optus Stadium Vertigo Experience and Optus Stadium HALO Rooftop Tour, where they can hang off the top of the stadium in a vertigo-inducing experience, or check out the view of Perth from the very top.
See Perth from different angles
You don't always need to check out Perth from vertigo-inducing places. There are several ways to see the city, from land to river.
Sit comfortably on a rickshaw as someone brings you around with Peddle Perth; learn anything you'd like with walking tours like Two Feet & A Heartbeat; or, traverse down Swan River on Captain Cook's Cruises via the Swan River Scenic Cruise. If you're lucky, you might even spot dolphins in the river!
For a truly unique way to see Perth, The Bell Tower Tour and Bell Ringing Experience will take you on top of a bell tower, and you even get a chance to yes, ring a bell!
Definitely check out the food and bar scene in Fremantle
Fremantle is one of the words that will keep appearing in any travel article about Perth, for good reasons. The juxtaposition between the vintage architecture and the constantly evolving eateries, street food and bars make this area a uniquely vibrant destination.
Our passionate guides from Fremantle Tours gave us a very detailed history of the location and many local recommendations for any interests. Since Singaporeans love their food, remember to check out these two standouts.
First up is the Old Synagogue, where different experiences – a restaurant, a basement club, a speakeasy, a rooftop bar, a casual bar and coffee joint – all exist in a single space.
For a casual dive bar with Asian Fusion food, great beers and even greater vibes, check out Emily Taylors, especially during the weekend.
Don't want to overthink about where to go? The Perth and Fremantle City Explorer offers you a quick download of Perth City and Fremantle, so you can zoom into the places you're genuinely interested in after the introductions!
Chase sunsets along Scarborough
One thing struck me as I saw Scarborough from a vantage point via Rendezvous Hotel – there were many people, on a weekday night, just lounging by the sea, watching the sunset on the horizon. Beaches and sunsets in Australia truly hit different, and Scarborough's laid-back vibe is the respite we need on a holiday.
Book Rendezvous Hotel, the tallest hotel in Scarborough, here!
Take that self-care journey into Swan Valley
Swan Valley, just 25 minutes away from Perth central, was a nice surprise. There's plenty to do in the valley, and I would suggest giving it at least three days to do it justice.
Start your Swan Valley Gourmet Wine Cruise, where you'll experience the cruise, wines and a great meal at Sandalford Wines at one very reasonable price.
Bookmark this list once you're in the valley.
Old Young's Kitchen for hands down the best meal I had in Perth.
Swan Valley Sisters to pick your own fruits from the orchard.
House of Honey for not only the purchase of Jarrah honey, but also the beekeeping experience quite unlike anything you might have tried before.
Limeburners and Giniversity is a brand new distillery offering up whiskey and gin-tasting events, serves up mean cocktails, and even better, gluten-free desserts that you wouldn't know are gluten-free.
Yahava Coffeeworks to sip coffee while looking at farmlands, and for the coffee tasting experience. You may want to skip buying the beans, though, as you can get the same brand in Singapore.
There are more than 200 accommodations in Swan Valley alone, each providing a different experience for visitors. Our next article will cover some of the beautiful stays you shouldn't miss when going to Perth!
Check out more Perth accommodations here!
P.S. Not a sponsored call-out, but if you're flying to Perth from Singapore, you might as well support our national carrier, Singapore Airlines. Plus, they're offering deal fares from S$688 right now!
We were invited to Perth by Tourism Western Australia, but the opinions expressed here are entirely ours.
