Travel Guides and Stories

Western Australia (WA) is on Australia’s west coast and covers a third of the country’s entire landmass—bigger than Xinjiang Province! It’s the largest administrative region in the world, but has less than one-tenth of Australia’s total population (just 2 million), most of whom live in the capital, Perth (1.5 million). For most Australians, WA feels remote—Perth is about 4,000 km from Sydney, a five-hour flight, and two time zones away from Sydney and Melbourne. For Chinese travelers, WA is an even more mysterious, hidden paradise—there aren’t even any direct tour routes from China. WA doesn’t have world-famous landmarks, and most people can’t picture what it’s really like here. But once you visit, you realize its scenery is truly breathtaking, and the countryside is absolutely enchanting. The Indian Ocean breeze brings a sense of pristine wildness, awakening wildflowers everywhere; the Swan River sparkles in the sunset, adding a touch of magic to this land.    
   As the saying goes, “You search a thousand times, and suddenly, in a quiet corner, you find what you seek.” The best way to experience WA is definitely by self-driving. (See “Australian Self-Drive Tips” for more on preparation.) Perth is a peaceful metropolis with fresh, clear air. We arrived just as the sun was setting, with the sky painted in vibrant colors—absolutely stunning. The locals are warm and friendly. For the first time, I experienced a “taxi-style” airport shuttle, where the driver noted everyone’s destinations and dropped each person off at their door. He told us that no matter how early our flight, he’d get us to the airport. The driver really wears many hats—driver, porter, and guide, all with excellent service—very different from Melbourne or Sydney! Maybe it’s because the population is small, and good service is the way to attract customers. Even the police here are friendlier than in the east. In fact, Perth was named the world’s friendliest city in 2003, and it’s well-deserved. Prices in WA are about the same as in the east, which reflects the relatively small gap between rich and poor in developed Western countries.    
   Overall, driving in WA is easier than the east—the roads are newer, wider, and less crowded, and drivers are courteous. Just watch your speed, as the roads are open and it’s easy to go too fast. Also, remember sun protection—the skies are so clear, the UV is intense, and it’s best to wear gloves while driving to avoid sunburn. Our WA trip was divided into north and south sections. The first leg heads south from Perth to the famous meeting point of the Pacific and Indian Oceans—a round trip of about 700 km, easily manageable with GPS. Here’s the route:

Day 1: Perth–Balingup. Melbourne’s air is much better than China’s, but WA’s sky is even more beautiful than Melbourne’s. I thought I’d seen the world’s purest skies in Tibet and Scandinavia, but WA still left me awestruck: the air seems completely free of impurities, the sky is so deep and clear, and low clouds float gently by. The whole drive felt like passing through a string of 5-star national parks—colorful houses peek through green trees along winding hills; sailboats dot the blue sea, carrying families out for a weekend. I didn’t stop for photos (it’s all highway), but that leaves more to your imagination. Heading south from Perth, the first stop is Rockingham, a large town where the ocean greets you with a burst of blue. People play on the beach, enjoying blue sky, turquoise water, and white sand.

There are three lovely small towns along the southern route: Balingup, Bridgetown, and Nannup. We reached Balingup just before 5pm. From traveling in the east, we knew that in the west, everything closes even earlier, especially on weekends, so we planned to spend the night in Balingup. The town is quiet and sparsely populated. Without a reservation, I knocked on someone’s door to ask about rooms. Luckily, a very kind lady offered to drive us up the hill to a beautiful B&B (Bed & Breakfast—private homes offering lodging and breakfast, very common in Australia). The house covered about 1,000 square meters, with a pasture and orchard in back and front. The owner loved Asian décor—there were Chinese decorative touches in the living room and bathroom, as well as Mediterranean elements and lots of glassware, all harmoniously mixed. The room was huge (about 40 square meters including the bathroom), the wool blanket was incredibly soft, and the lighting was warm and cozy. She even set up a coffee table and sun loungers on the balcony for us. Of course, a night here isn’t cheap: dinner, breakfast, and accommodation totaled AUD 170, but it was worth it for such tranquility you just can’t find in China.

Day 2: Balingup–Nannup. With no pressure to check out by 10am, we slept in. Opening the door in the morning, we were greeted by the delicious smell of breakfast—the owner had prepared a traditional English breakfast in several courses: First, fresh juice, fruit, oatmeal, and yogurt (all fruit from her own orchard); second, a choice of coffee or tea; third, a main course with your pick of sausage, bacon, eggs, tomato, mushrooms; and finally, bread with butter or homemade jam (we got apple and lemon jam, both made by our host!). After breakfast, we said goodbye and hit the road. Today’s destinations were the pretty towns of Bridgetown and Nannup—both like fairytale parks.

It drizzled today and there was no sun, so the photos didn’t turn out great. We’d planned to continue to Cape Leeuwin, but from experience, the ocean isn’t worth seeing unless it’s sunny, so we changed plans and decided to stay another night in Nannup—which turned out to be a wise decision! Nannup is close by, so today was very relaxed; we arrived at 2:30pm. Most shops were closed (no people, no business), but we managed to find a restaurant for coffee and fish & chips (the national dish of Britain, and everywhere in Australia).

Luckily the Information Centre was open until 4pm. I immediately spotted an ad for Moss Brook B&B and asked the desk to call about rates and availability. They had rooms: AUD 140 and 150, the latter with a luxury bathroom, about 8 km from town. We drove over and, stepping into the estate, immediately felt like we were in a garden—it was even prettier than yesterday’s B&B. The owner showed us three suites, and I couldn’t resist the one with the luxury bathroom.

Bedrooms, each with their own style

A living room with classic British charm

Outside, a refined English garden—no easy feat to maintain in Australia’s dry climate. The owner developed it bit by bit.

We spotted a huge wild kangaroo in the estate’s grounds—after so many days, finally a kangaroo photo!

The official WA tourism website lists accommodations, or you can check ads at the local Information Centre and have staff call to confirm vacancies before heading over. I highly recommend Moss Brook B&B—the owner proudly told us it was once recommended by an independent New York Times writer, who called it “a slice of heaven.” It really is a little paradise, though not cheap: AUD 150 per night, with discounts for stays of three days or more. WA official site: *** Day 3: Nannup–Cape Leeuwin–Busselton–Rockingham–Perth. Another delicious English breakfast to start the day, and the weather was perfect—yesterday’s wait really paid off! We set out for Cape Leeuwin. Tip: Allow plenty of time so you can visit the coast on a sunny day. Leaving Nannup, the scenery shifted from hills and creeks to grasslands and forests, with white clouds floating against a blue sky—truly indescribable beauty.

A close-up of the sky—so purely blue!

The roadsides look a bit like open savannah

Augusta is the southwesternmost town in Australia. It looks prosperous, with expensive fuel and large, beautiful homes. Continuing along the coast, the vast ocean soon appeared in all its grandeur—its sheer scale and wildness make city crowds and noise vanish from your mind. Here, the beaches are all white sand, the water a light blue—absolutely stunning, and almost no tourists.

Two elderly folks sitting on the shore

A seagull takes flight

Cape Leeuwin lighthouse marks the meeting of the Pacific and Indian Oceans—and is the tallest lighthouse on Australia’s mainland, absolutely magnificent. From far away, we could already see the imposing Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.

Looks close, but it’s actually far

The closer you get, the more impressive it is

Cape Leeuwin is the confluence of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Before coming here, I wondered: is there a real dividing line between two great oceans? There is! Each ocean has its own currents, and from here, with a telescope, you can see the Indian Ocean and South Pacific currents at the same time. Once again: absolutely stunning!

Leaving the lighthouse, we headed back toward Perth. The scenery was again savannah-like, the sky like a painting hanging overhead.

Around 5pm we reached Busselton. The white beaches, jetty, and overwater huts were lovely, but to our disappointment, the jetty train, diving, and other activities were closed that day. Lesson learned—always do your homework! Still, even just relaxing by the sea lifts your spirits.

Since activities in Busselton were unavailable, we decided to stay in Rockingham—bigger and with great scenery. By the time we arrived, the sun had set, and the beach in the evening glow was just magical. I wished we could linger a little longer.

But when we started looking for a place to stay after sunset, we discovered everywhere was full... super frustrating! It was dark, we didn’t know the city, and every hotel was booked. Finally, we decided to drive back to Perth, which was much bigger and should have rooms. Even there, most hotels were full or only had presidential suites left. After a long search, we finally found a youth hostel. The room wasn’t great, but it was better than nothing. Once we settled in, it was time to plan our second leg in WA. Lesson: always book your accommodation in advance in Australia, or you might end up with nowhere to sleep at night!