From the exciting outback, to beaches and cities, Western Australia has every kind of landscape a tourist needs. It’s capital, Perth, has great sites, dining and shopping, complete with mosques for the Muslim traveller.
The most popular tourist destination in Western Australia is the picturesque inner city Kings Park and Botanic Garden. Located by the Swan River, the park is ideal for a quiet stroll, family picnic, and view of the city skyline. Not far off, is the Swan Valley. Cyclists can enjoy the Swan Valley Heritage Trail, and couples can travel in a romantic horse-drawn carriage, chauffeured limousine, or a cruise on the river.
Kids will especially enjoy sites like the Caversham Wildlife Park. Home to Western Australia’s largest collection of native fauna, visitors can have the unique experiences of feeding kangaroos, taking photos with koalas, or just hanging out with some wombats! The park also has prayer facilities for Muslims and their café does serve some Halal snacks.
For more wildlife adventures, get on a ferry to Rottnest Island to witness the adorable quokka, found only in Western Australia! The island also has over 60 beaches, many of which with ideal snorkelling conditions. Explore coral reefs or better yet, marvel at history and dive shipwrecks!
If marine life is your passion, join a one-hour cruise in Mandurah and watch in awe of the 100 bottlenose dolphins in the spectacular waters.
Next on your to-do list should be the Fremantle Weekend Markets. Vibrant and eclectic, even if you’re not planning on shopping, the harbour is a colourful place to be on the weekends.
Of course if you are hoping to lighten your wallets, these are the major shopping areas to head to: Hay Street and Murray Street are easy to get to, at the heart of Perth. Surrounded by museums and art galleries, they’re ideal shopping stops en route to your next exciting Australian experience. To the Northeast of Perth’s CBD is Galleria Shopping Centre in Morley; the second largest retailer in the city, the mall has over 220 specialty stores. Finally we have Perth’s only dedicated outlet shopping centre, Watertown Brand Outlet Mall. The mall has over 100 brand direct outlets and is perfect if you’re looking to buy below the market price.
The city also caters well to Muslim travellers with its 2 main Mosques; The Perth Mosque on William Street and Rivervale Masjid.
The most important thing for the hungry traveller however is that Perth has no lack of Halal food options, and the choices cover an exciting range of cuisines. At Fremantle you can find Royal Malaysian Cuisine, which, aside from serving authentic Malaysian food, also includes a range of vegan specials. If you’ve been shopping at Hay Street and Murray Street, head to Newroz Kebabs or Café Karaché, which specialises in Indian and Singaporean food. Tamarind Café is the only Crescent Rated AAA restaurant in the city, and serves a fusion of Western and Malay food. For an Arab option, Little Lebanon Restaurant and Café offers an authentic Lebanese experience with all foods from pastries to rich main courses.
For more information on travelling to Australia, the recently launched Muslim Visitor Guide by Tourism Australia and HalalTrip details what every Muslim traveller should look to experience on their trip to any of Australia’s eight major states.
Find a free downloadable copy of the guide
here.
