Visas & entry
Australia requires most non-Australian and non-New Zealand visitors to hold an approved visa or electronic travel authority before departure; New Zealand citizens can usually receive a Special Category Visa on arrival. Rules and eligible eVisitor/ETA passport lists change, so check the Australian Department of Home Affairs before booking.
Getting in
- Perth Airport: The state’s main international and domestic gateway, and the obvious arrival point for Perth, Fremantle, Rottnest and a South West road trip. It also connects onward to Learmonth, Broome, Kununurra and Esperance; do not assume driving is the cheaper or smarter substitute for these flights.
- Learmonth Airport (Exmouth): Use this for a focused Ningaloo trip. Hire a car at the airport and split time between Exmouth/Cape Range and Coral Bay; it avoids losing several days to the Perth–Coral Coast drive.
- Broome International Airport: The practical fly-in gateway for Broome and the western Kimberley. Use Broome as a 3–4-night tropical base, or as the start/end point of a properly planned Kimberley tour rather than a Perth road-trip extension.
- Kununurra Airport: The gateway for East Kimberley, Lake Argyle and guided access toward Purnululu. It is usually the right arrival airport for a Kununurra-based trip or a one-way Kimberley itinerary.
- Esperance Airport: Useful for saving the long return drive to Perth after an Esperance and Cape Le Grand stay. Flight schedules are limited, so build the itinerary around the flight rather than treating it as a guaranteed last-minute escape.
Getting around
Perth, Fremantle and Rottnest work well without a car: use Transperth trains/buses, ferries and rideshare; Rottnest’s bus is often more sensible than attempting the full bike circuit in heat or wind. Everywhere beyond the metro area is fundamentally car territory, with sparse public transport and long, tiring road days; collect a rental car for the South West, Esperance or Coral Coast. Fly for Ningaloo, Broome, Kununurra or a one-way Esperance finish unless you specifically want a multi-day road trip. For the Kimberley and remote national parks, confirm road conditions, vehicle restrictions and rental insurance—an ordinary 2WD rental is not a universal solution.
Money
Australia uses the Australian dollar (AUD). Cards and contactless payment are normal in Perth and most regional businesses, but carry a backup card and some cash for remote roadhouses, small camps and patchy-connectivity situations. Tipping is optional, not expected; round up or tip for notably good table service rather than adding a default percentage.
Daily budget · AUD
- Value
- A$140–220/day
- Mid-range
- A$280–450/day
- High-end
- A$650–1,300+/day
- Figures exclude international flights and assume two people share a room and, on road trips, a rental car. Solo regional travel costs noticeably more.
- A$140–220 works with hostel dorms or camping, self-catering, bakery/pub meals and shared-car costs. It is realistic in Perth and the South West, but difficult in peak-season Exmouth, Broome and the Kimberley.
- A$280–450 covers a decent motel, B&B or serviced apartment, car and fuel, café breakfasts, one restaurant meal, winery tastings and standard paid sights.
- A$650–1,300+ means boutique or luxury stays, destination dining, premium wineries, upgraded vehicles and frequent tours. Kimberley lodges, cruises and scenic flights can push spending far beyond this.
- The budget breakers are dry-season northern accommodation, school-holiday pricing, long-distance fuel, one-way car-rental fees and headline activities. Price whale-shark swims, Kimberley scenic flights or cruises, multi-day 4WD tours and remote-lodge stays separately rather than folding them into a normal daily average.
Eating well
- Book Margaret River restaurants and sought-after cellar-door lunches ahead on summer weekends, Easter and school holidays.
- If truffles are the point, travel in June–August and reserve a hunt or tasting rather than assuming walk-in availability.
- Do winery tastings with a designated driver, tour or overnight base; the Margaret River region is too spread out for casual hopping.
- In Exmouth, Coral Bay, Broome and the Kimberley, reserve dinner and stock snacks before heading into parks or on long drives—choice and opening hours are limited.
- Treat regional food as part of the road-trip rhythm: farm gates and cellar doors work best as planned daytime stops, not as diversions squeezed into a long driving day.
Book before you land
Rottnest Island ferry, bike/e-bike hire and overnight accommodation, especially Christmas–New Year, school holidays and weekends · Ningaloo whale-shark swim tours (March–August), particularly peak dry-season dates · Popular Cape Le Grand National Park campsites and other high-demand national-park campsites in school holidays · Kimberley scenic flights, small-group 4WD tours, cruises and remote-lodge stays during the dry season · Broome accommodation around dry-season peak dates and Staircase to the Moon evenings
- WA is huge: Perth to Exmouth is about 13 hours of driving, and Perth to Esperance is roughly 7½–8 hours before stops. Pick Perth plus one direction rather than treating the state as a loop.
- Do not drive long rural stretches after dark. Kangaroos, livestock, fatigue and limited services make dusk and night driving a poor gamble; refuel early rather than waiting for the next town.
- Download offline maps, carry water and check fuel range before remote legs. Mobile reception disappears quickly outside towns and national parks.
- Book accommodation, cars and headline tours early for the June–August northern dry season, Christmas–New Year, Easter and Australian school holidays; Exmouth, Broome, Rottnest and coastal South West towns tighten first.
- Beach conditions are not uniformly gentle: Southern Ocean water around Albany and Esperance can be cold and windy, while tropical waters require seasonal marine-safety awareness. Swim at patrolled beaches where available and follow local warnings.
- National-park access can change with weather, fire, flooding and road conditions. Check official park alerts immediately before setting out, especially for Kimberley, Karijini and Cape Le Grand routes.
Entry rules change — verify visa requirements for your passport before booking this region.
Season by season
December–February
Perth, Rottnest and the southwest are hot, dry and in beach mode, while Broome and the Kimberley are humid, storm-prone and subject to wet-season road closures.
Perth beachesRottnest swimmingMargaret River vineyardslong summer evenings
Christmas–New Year and school holidays push up prices and squeeze Rottnest ferries, bikes and beds; avoid locking in a self-drive Kimberley itinerary unless you can reroute freely.
March–May
The south stays warm after summer crowds fade, Margaret River harvest brings the food-and-wine regions alive, and Ningaloo whale-shark season generally begins in March.
South West road tripsMargaret River food and wineNingaloo whale sharkscoastal driving and hiking
March can still be punishingly hot inland and north of Geraldton; April–May is the more comfortable window for driving.
June–August
The north is dry, sunny and comfortably warm for Broome, the Kimberley, Karijini and Ningaloo, while the southwest is cool, green and regularly wet.
Broome and the KimberleyKarijini hikingNingaloo marine tripswinter truffles and fireside wine stays
This is peak season in the north, with high prices and tight tour and accommodation availability; southwest beach weather is unreliable.
September–November
Spring brings wildflowers, longer and warmer days across the south, and strong humpback activity along much of the coast; the north remains in its late dry season.
Wildflower drivesSouth West and Esperance road tripshumpback watchingshoulder-season coastal travel
Exposed coasts can be windy, wildflower timing depends on rain, and whale-shark reliability fades later in the season.
Events worth planning around
Perth Fringe World and Perth Festival · Late January–February, usually · Perth
These make Perth noticeably livelier but lift city accommodation demand; book central stays early if your dates overlap.
Australian school holidays, Christmas–New Year and Easter · School-holiday dates vary; Christmas–New Year and Easter annually · Perth, Rottnest, the South West, Esperance and national parks statewide
Rottnest ferries and bikes, coastal accommodation and national-park camps fill early; this is the period to reserve rather than improvise.
Ningaloo whale-shark season · Usually March–August · Exmouth and Coral Bay / Ningaloo Reef
Whale-shark swim operators can sell out in the strongest months; reserve the trip early, then leave weather-flex time around it.
Southern Forests and Margaret River truffle season · Usually June–August · Manjimup, Pemberton and Margaret River region
Truffle hunts and special meals are worth booking ahead if they are the point of a winter South West trip.
Humpback whale season · Usually June–November · Albany, Ningaloo and Broome, with activity along much of the WA coast
Whale cruises add demand in coastal bases; availability is strongest around peak migration windows and varies by location.
Staircase to the Moon · Dry-season lunar-calendar evenings, usually March–October · Broome
The phenomenon can fill Broome accommodation around specific full-moon dates, so check that year's calendar before fixing dry-season stays.
What to eat
Eat regionally rather than trying to find a single “WA cuisine”: Perth and Fremantle handle the urban dining, while the South West is for wine, produce and long lunches. In the north, plan food around your route and opening hours—remote towns are not places to improvise a serious dinner every night.
Margaret River and Great Southern winesWinter truffles from the Southern Forests and Margaret RiverSouth West farm produce, orchard fruit and local cheesesFresh seafood along the Coral Coast and Kimberley coast
Margaret River, Yallingup and Dunsborough: Premium winery cellar doors · Restaurant-focused local produce · Long lunches and tastings
Pemberton, Manjimup and the Southern Forests: Winter truffles · Orchard and farm-gate produce · Cool-climate food stops
Denmark and Albany / Kinjarling: Cool-climate wines · Coastal seafood · Produce-driven dining
Perth and Fremantle: The state’s broadest restaurant choice · Port-side seafood and casual eating · Good base for eating before or after regional driving