Jane Recommends - Western Australia, hotels, tours, attractions

	Western Australia
	This is the largest of all of the Australian States and offers some of the most diverse scenery in the country. The modern capital of Perth, the rugged outback of the Kimberley, wild dolphins playing in crystal clear waters off the coast or the vibrant wildflower season - Western Australia has something for all tastes. As I mentioned about the Northern Territory the distances are vast - make sure you plan your time and destinations carefully. Self drive itineraries are becoming very popular in Western Australia but I can't stress enough the harshness of some of the environment. The outback is very beautiful but its remoteness needs to be respected. Self drive up and down the coast is a very safe and interesting way of meeting the locals. If you are considering a self drive in the outback you really need to be prepared. I must admit after visiting the Bungle Bungles (Purnululu National Park) in the Kimberley, I was very happy I had chosen to take part in an organised 4WD safari. The track into the National Park is only 50km but it takes 3hrs by 4WD. Not your average side street and not a petrol station in sight! It was nice to have the peace of mind that in the event of a breakdown we had the full back up and support of a local safari company who really knew this terrain. There are some excellent small personalised tours which can take you off the beaten track
Perth and Fremantle	Perth sits on the Swan River and the best way to appreciate this beautiful city is with a cruise from Perth to Fremantle. On the way you will see all the millionaire's mansions and the city skyline from the river is spectacular. The historic fishing port of Fremantle came to fame in 1987 when the America's Cup Yacht Challenge was held there. This was the first time it had been held outside the USA. Now it is a charming town of boutiques, restaurants, bars and eateries. By road Fremantle is only 20mins from Perth so you can choose to spend a couple of nights there or just visit for lunch or dinner.
Perth Accommodation	3.5 Star: Goodearth Hotel Perth - Excellent value for money. Centrally located on Adelaide Terrace overlooking the Swan River and Kings Park. The Goodearth Hotel offers Studio and Family Apartments. 4 Star: The Sebel of Perth - Great location right in the heart of the city centre. Rooms are spacious and excellent value for money. 4.5 Star: Saville Park Suites Perth - Located within walking distance to most of Perth's attractions, the Saville Park Suites offers well appointed fully self-contained one and two bedroom apartments as well as standard hotel rooms. 5 Star: Sheraton Perth - Overlooking the Swan River and central to all city attractions. One of the best value 5 star hotels with all the facilities expected of a Sheraton hotel.
Fremantle Accommodation	4 Star: Harbour Village Quest Apartments - located right on the Quay, this is a great alternative for families who prefer cooking facilities. 4.5 Star: The Esplanade Hotel - old world charm with all the facilities of a modern hotel. Situated right across from the Harbour and within walking distance of all the towns attractions.
Beach Resorts just outside Perth	Perth is renowned for its long stretches of pristine beaches. These are dotted all along the coastline and there are some close to the city with lovely resorts. I find a beach resort is an ideal family holiday especially if you combine it with car hire to make getting around easy. 5 Star: Rendezvous Observation City - situated at Scarborough Beach approx. 15mins drive from Perth. All rooms and suites command a spectacular uninterrupted ocean view from their own private balcony. 4.5 Star: Hillarys Harbour Resort Apartments- located opposite the marina just 20mins from Perth city. Brand new only opened in January 1997 the apartments are very modern with full cooking facilities and many have great views over the water.
Other Attractions	Rottnest Island - located 11km's off the coast by high speed launch, this picturesque island is definitely worth a visit. The water is unbelievably clear and very refreshing being the Indian Ocean. The island is home to the unique Quokka, tiny kangaroo like marsupials native to this island. The main form of transport on the island is bicycle so take your backpack and set off to find your own secluded beach. The island has a hotel, Rottnest Lodge which overlooks the beach, dine for lunch or overnight. Rottnest Island Return transfer Recommended Tours: 1 Day 4WD Pinnacles, Koala and Sandboarding (with lunch), Wave Rock, Wildflowers and Aboriginal Cave Paintings, Margaret River, Eagles and Vineyards
Monkey Mia Shark Bay Ningaloo Reef	Shark Bay is a World Heritage listed area and has become one of the most famous natural attractions in Western Australia. Home to Monkey Mia, where wild dolphins come in close to shore to share the company of their human visitors. These trusting intelligent animals not only come to feed but seem to enjoy the contact. So famous has the phenomena become that the area is now strictly controlled by park rangers to prevent distress to the dolphins or damage to their environment. Accommodation has been built right on the famous beach so visitors can spend a couple of days exploring this unique area. The Shark Bay Marine Park is situated approx. 856kms north of Perth and dolphins are only 1 of the attractions. Turtles, whales, manta rays and dugongs also inhabit the pristine waters. Ningaloo Reef, situated approx. 414kms north of Monkey Mia, stretches about 260 km along the coast of Western Australia which makes it the longest coastal reef in the world. Whilst the Great Barrier Reef is more famous, Ningaloo has many attractions to rival its east coast counterpart. For one, Ningaloo is much closer to shore and in some parts you can snorkel the reef right off the beach. For those who like to keep their fellow tourists at arms length, Ningaloo has a much lower profile (for now anyway) than the Great Barrier Reef. People who visit this area are usually very interested in the marine life and like to 'get wet'. One of the main attractions from March to June is the migration of the whale sharks and humpback whales into the area. Divers and snorkellers can swim with the giant Whale sharks which are the largest fish in the world. If you are unfamiliar with Whale sharks you may be forgiven for thinking this activity sounds quite mad but these gentle giants (which can weigh up to 40,000 kgs) only feed on plankton, not tourists! The humpback whales visit in October but there is plenty to see right throughout the year as the protected waters are home to dugong, manta rays, turtles and hundreds of varieties of fish. One of the best ways to explore this region is by self drive. If you prefer to sit back and let someone else do the driving then we have a range of touring options departing from Perth: 3 Day Pinnacles and Monkey Mia Tour, 5 Day Pinnacles, Kalbarri, Monkey Mia and Ningaloo Reef 4WD Tour, 5 Day Pinnacles, Kalbarri, Monkey Mia and Ningaloo Reef Explorer Tour, Monkey Mia Dolphin Air Tour Monkey Mia Accommodation 3.5 Star: Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort - situated right on the beach where the dolphins come in. This is an eco orientated resort with a resident naturalist who conducts nature talks and advises about the local environment. The place to stay - necessary to pre-book. Ningaloo Reef Accommodation Ningaloo Reef Retreat - this is a spectacular wilderness camp located on the beachfront in the Cape Range National Park. The Retreat offers 6 Wilderness Tents all overlooking Ningaloo Reef and have queen size beds, lounge and ensuite. If you don't fancy staying in one of their huge permanent tents, then you have the choice of sleeping in a swag under the star filled sky! This is a true wilderness camp so there is no electricity, no hot water and only composting toilets. If this doesn't bother you, then I am sure that you will fall in love with this place like I did! Ningaloo Reef Tours and Activities Ningaloo Reef offers many activities for the traveller including snorkelling on the reef, swimming with Whalesharks and Manta Rays to exploring the Cape Range National Park. Top of the Range Safari Tour - this tour is perfect for the traveller who is on a tight schedule and wants to experience both the Cape Range National Park and Ningaloo Reef. This tour is owned and operated by Neil McLeod and all I can say about Neil is that I have never been on a tour where the guide was just as memorable as the tour itself (especially when Ningaloo Reef and Cape Range NP are such spectacular places to visit!). Whale Shark Snorkelling Adventure - If you are visiting Ningaloo Reef during April - mid-July then this is a must! Swimming with the Whale Sharks is such a fantastic experience and I highly recommend it to anyone that can swim confidently.
The Southwest	280km south of Perth lies the wine growing region of Margaret River (Click here for accommodation). The coastal scenery of rugged cliffs and rocky shorelines are sensational. Many of the towns have safe snow white swimming beaches. If you are lucky enough to coincide your visit with wildflower season (late August to late October) you will see the landscape come alive with colour. The southwest has magnificent forests, notably of the karri tree. Organised day tours are available but self drive is still one of the most popular options.
Broome and the Kimberley	Most people visit Broome for a relaxing holiday centered around the famous Cable Beach. This long white stretch of sand is a magnet for self drivers and safari participants who have spent long hot days exploring the dusty outback. Most international visitors come to Broome at the end or beginning of an outback adventure across the Kimberley from or to Darwin. This resort town is popular with local Australian's who come for a beach holiday. Broome is most renowned for its pearling history which has been kept alive by tours of pearl farms and sales in local jewellery shops. Situated closer to Asia than it is to Sydney, Broome has a wonderful influence from the Orient which can be seen in its architecture and culture. There are some magnificent scenic flights available over the Buccaneer Archipelago (a collection of tiny islands dotted along the coast to the north) or charter a fishing boat and see the beautiful coastline whilst angling. The colours are the most outstanding memory I have of this region, bright red rocky shoreline against lily white sand with crystal blue water. An unusual way to watch the magnificent sunset is on a camel ride along Cable Beach. Broome Accommodation 4 Star: The Mangrove Hotel - Excellent location overlooking Roebuck Bay where you can enjoy Broome's renowned sunsets. 4.5 Star: Seashells Resort Broome - Only 300 metres from Cable Beach, Seashells Resort Broome offers spacious and well appointed 1, 2 and 3 Bedroom Apartments at an affordable price. 5 Star: Cable Beach Club Resort - best accommodation in Broome right on beautiful Cable Beach.
How to get there	You can fly into Broome from Melbourne, Perth or Darwin Airport by Qantas.
Tours from Broome	We have a selection of tours offering a choice of camping or motel style accommodation. Click here to see the list on our website of all options available.
Kununurra	This town is the gateway to the Bungle Bungles (Purnululu National Park) - ancient beehive rock formations. You can take a 4WD safari into the park itself and camp for a couple of days or see it from the air on a scenic flight. The Bungle Bungles are quite an amazing natural wonder, over 350 million years old and the vast majority of the gorges and chasms have not and will never be explored. The tiger-striped effect seen on the domes is formed by silica and lichen. The area is just so vast it is difficult to comprehend why anyone was out here in the first place to discover them. The heat is fairly energy sapping and the hikes are not exactly a walk in the park so a reasonable level of fitness is necessary to do these safaris. The most amazing thing about camping in this part of the world is the night sky. I don't know whether it was my imagination but the stars seem closer that just about anywhere else I've been except for the Northern Territory. I'm told that people from the city often make this comment as we are not used to seeing a sky completely devoid of city lights for hundreds of kilometres. Kununurra Accommodation 3 Star: Mercure Inn Kununurra - within walking distance of town. Comfortable accommodation.
Tours	Kimberley Wilderness Safaris - Kimberley Wilderness Adventures offer a selection of camping and accommodated tours ranging from 2 to 13 days. Slingair Helicopter Tours - Now this is not for the faint hearted or those who have recently eaten. Why? This helicopter has no doors! This was one of the highlights of my trip although I did score the middle seat surrounded by 2 sizeable male companions. The pilot enjoys his flying which is demonstrated by the way he likes to practice as many manoeuvres as possible so you are assured of views from angles that you thought weren't possible. Not for everyone but one of those experiences I will never forget along with the Flight of Angels over Victoria Falls. I have given you the URL to the list of tours on our website as this company also offers scenic flights and options from Kununurra as well as within the park itself.
Other Attractions	Lake Argyle and the Ord River Scheme: Australia's biggest body of fresh water (5672 million cu. m) was created in 1971 by damming the Ord River as part of the irrigation project. The best way to see this massive lake is by air. Sling Air also offer air tours from Kununurra El Questro Station is the largest outback cattle station in the region. The Station offers three styles of accommodation - the luxurious Homestead, 4 star Station Township Bungalows or the 3 star Emma Gorge Resort.