Disclaimer: Some posts on this site contain affiliate links, meaning if you book or buy something through one of these links, I may earn a small commission – at no extra cost to you! Read the full Disclosure policy here.

I had (almost) forgotten so many things that make Perth a wonderful and unique city. I lived there for just over a year, and then went for my first return trip just a few months ago. I pride myself on having an excellent memory, so it really was quite a shock to the system to realize how much of what I knew about Perth that had migrated to the outer edges of my recollections and only returned to my consciousness in force when I was experiencing the city in person again.

The thing about moving away from a city where you’ve lived is that while you take many memories with you, there are so many more memories that are so inextricably tied to a sense of place that you only recall them walking the same streets, hearing the noises of the neighborhood, and smelling the aromas you’ve left behind. It’s the reason we re-visit places from our past, and why we’re drawn in some cases to travel to the same place over and over again.

What you need to know about Perth is that while it may be considered by many to be the most isolated city in the world, it’s an incredible city for living. Winters are mild, people are friendly, and even the public toilets are nice. What’s not to love?

Even many Australians from east coast cities like Melbourne and Sydney have never ventured to Perth (for those of you unfamiliar with the size of Australia, it’s about the size of the continental US – taking 5 hours flying to traverse east to west), so Perth can be a bit of a mystery, even to the Aussies. Every city has its own flavor, and Perth is no different, with all its quirks.

Here are some things that stood out in my rush of memories on my recent visit, and that you should also expect when you go. Things that are “so Perth.”

#1 | Friendly People

Australians in general are a pretty friendly bunch, and people in Perth really exemplify this. You’ll notice it when you’re getting coffee or browsing in a shop, or doing any activity really. On my recent trip I went to an outdoor kickboxing class with a friend, and the friendliness of the *other* people taking the class really blew me away. Although I was not a regular and they did not know me, every time we were running laps between intervals, the Aussies were shouting “good on you” and other words of encouragement. A stark contrast to other places I’ve lived for sure.

#2 | Sunny Days

When most people picture Australia, it’s probably a sunny image, but Perth takes things to a whole new level. It’s the sunniest capital city in the world, averaging 8 hours of sunshine daily, so any visit is likely to include mostly sun-filled days. For me this also means that I usually have some sort of hat or visor with me at all times, because the Australian sunshine is H-O-T. And beware that the hole in the ozone layer above Australia is no joke. I would sometimes get a bit of color or even sunburn on my 10-minute walk to the grocery store. But if you’re anything like me, bright sunshine puts you in a good mood, so every day feels like a pleasant vacation.

#3 | Great Coffee

Anyone who’s ever been to Australia knows that there are excellent espresso-drinks nearly everywhere – in fact, it was when I was living in Perth that I became a full-fledged coffee snob. Perth is pretty laid-back overall, but they sure do take their coffee seriously, from the beans to the roast to the barista artwork. And when you’re arriving in Perth from outside Australia like I was on my recent visit, the difference is striking. Enjoy several discerning cups of coffee, and appreciate it while you can.

#4 | Beaches

Like most major settlements across Australia, Perth is basically on the coast. The Central Business District, or CBD, is a bit inland along the Swan River, but most of metropolitan Perth’s coast is along the Indian Ocean. There are several great surfing beaches easily accessible by public transportation, areas like Mettam’s Pool with world-class snorkeling right off the beach, extended sections of coast that are basically a giant playground like Hillary’s Boat Harbour, and plenty of bars and restaurants up and down the coastline. Beaches are so loved by locals I even had co-workers on adjusted work schedules so they could head to the beach before or after work EVERY DAY.

#5 | Wind

People in Perth always told me that it was the 1^st sunniest capital city in the world and the 3^rd windiest. I’m not sure how accurate the windiest claim is, but the takeaway is that Perth can be quite shockingly windy. Somehow the grid of the CBD lines up with the typical wind currents, so you’ll experience some pretty strong wind gusts in the streets of downtown. It also tends to get more windy as the day goes on, so people in the know head to the beaches in the morning hours, before the windiest part of the day sets in.

#6 | Kangaroos

You don’t need to go to a wildlife park or zoo to get a glimpse of a kangaroo – there are plenty of wild kangaroos hanging out in and around Perth. Not far (and walkable!) from the CBD is Heirisson Island, with an area open to the public with wild kangaroos, in full view of the downtown skyscrapers. There are also quite a few wild kangaroos that hang out and play in Yanchep National Park, north of the city. When I was at Yanchep there were some kangaroos fighting – remember that kangaroos are powerful animals and don’t get too close in the wild, they have a fierce kick when balanced on their tail! Still very cool that kangaroos are just hanging around in many places throughout the city, especially at dusk.

#7 | Rainbows

For a place as sunny as Perth, rainbows are not something you would expect with great frequency. But there is just something about the weather patterns (and possibly how quickly the sun reappears after rainfall?) that makes huge arcs of color a common sight. Living there, I remember being very excited the first time I saw a rainbow, and immediately snapped a picture. A few days later, I felt like the luckiest rainbow-spotter ever, and took another photo. Not long after, I realized how often rainbows would appear, although that didn’t make them any less beautiful. I probably took more rainbow pictures in my one year living there than everywhere else I’ve ever visited combined!

#8 | Crazy Costs

Australia is a giant island, so many things have to be brought in from overseas, and are priced accordingly. Perth is so isolated – even from the rest of Australia – that prices can even be a bit higher than in other parts of Oz. The good news is that while the prices look exorbitant, for many nationalities coming from abroad, the currency exchange rate is way more favorable now than before. For example, when I lived there 5 years ago, the Australian dollar and US dollar were basically at parity, US$1 = AUD$1. Now an Australian dollar only costs about 75 US cents. My strategy on my last trip was to think about paying in US dollars or Euro, and then I had a very pleasant surprise when I saw the actual charges on my credit card bill =)

#9 | Wine Country

Did you know that Western Australia produces a disproportionally large percentage of Australia’s premium wines? While the most famous region is Margaret River, about a 3-hour drive south of Perth, don’t worry if you don’t have enough time to make that trek. Because there is also a wonderful wine region that is right off of the Perth metro, called Swan Valley, not far from the city center. It’s an easy drive to get there from Perth by car or metro, you can rent bikes and ride around the 32-kilometer loop that links many of the area wineries, or sign up for one of the many food and wine tours of the area. It’s the oldest wine region in Western Australia, and the area now boasts breweries, distilleries, and many excellent purveyors of culinary products – from coffee to honey to lavender.

READ MORE: Best Wineries in Margaret River, Western Australia

#10 | Birds of Every Feather

There are lots of birds all over Perth, but those you’re likely to encounter are the swans, the ravens, and the magpies.

To See: Perth was settled around the Swan River, and you can guess how the river got its name! Especially along the bike and walking paths along the river’s edge in the CBD, you’ll come across both white and black swans, just a short stroll from the heart of the city. While they are beautiful, keep your distance as swans are not the nicest of animals.

To Hear: You’ll hear the ravens before you see them, and as you listen to their repetitive, whiny caw, you’ll wonder how a bird could possibly make such an unpleasant noise. The birds tend to be black and either up in a tree or hopping around along the ground, as long as no people have approached too closely. I had nearly forgotten all about their existence until the first time I heard their distinctive call during my recent trip. There is a lot of green space throughout the city of Perth, so there are plenty of trees where the birds like to nest, and you’ll hear them if you’re walking anywhere in the vicinity.

To Avoid:

Magpies, innocuous-looking black and white birds, can pose quite a danger when defending their urban nesting areas. You’ll need to be cautious during their ‘swooping season’ in September and October, when they can actually cause real damage to humans, especially cyclists. If you’ll be around Perth then, familiarize yourself with tips on staying safe. There is a good overview of what to do and not to do from Australia’s LifeHacker site here.

#11 | Bustling Downtown

Lots of cities have a bustling downtown, but the city of Perth makes it even easier to navigate – for free! There is actually a Free Tansit Zone (FTZ) that encompasses the major swath of downtown. All of the bus lines that cross through the CBD are free so long as you board and leave within the boundaries of the FTZ. There are also several CAT lines (red, blue, yellow, & green) for ‘Central Area Transit’ that loop through the downtown area – and even a bit beyond – that are completely free to ride. This means that during lunchtime on a weekday, local workers don’t typically restrict themselves to the immediate vicinity of their office building, but can be seen riding the buses to hit up the best restaurants for a delicious lunch, all within the time constraints of their lunch break – and for free.

#12 | Fireworks

When I lived in Perth, the first time I was sitting on the couch on a Tuesday evening and heard the explosive noise, I was alarmed and had to take a moment to think. My New Yorker sensibilities suggested that it might be a gunshot or explosion, but then I realized that not only is Australia (and Perth in particular) incredibly safe, but almost nobody owns a gun due to its strict laws. My next thought – could it be fireworks? I rushed out to the balcony to take a look and was delighted to discover a colorful display taking place over the Swan River. Little did I know when choosing an apartment that its view would offer front-row seating for the ridiculously frequent fireworks displays. Fireworks displays happen so often in Perth there’s even a blog dedicated to just that – Why are there fireworks in Perth tonight? So yes, when you visit, if you’re downtown in the early evening, you’ll probably see fireworks. Look up and enjoy the show!

As you can tell, I loved Perth and found it such an interesting place to be able to live. And recently, to come back as a visitor. While Australia if far from many places, it’s quite close to Asia, and a great place to pop into when you’re nearby or set as a destination for a longer trip.

Anything I missed about Perth? Any things that are also “so typical” about where you live? Share in the Comments below!