The Classy Way to Do WA

Western Australia ? South-West Coast driving holiday.
Great Australian Road Trips

Okay, so road trips in Western Australia might bring to mind punishing distances and dusty towns, and accidentally forgetting to fill up on petrol only to pass your remaining three days under the thin shade of a dead tree wondering if any car is likely to come your way. And no doubt this is readily available in a state the size of many small countries sticky-taped together, with frequent stretches of desert.

For those with different tastes, the classy (and petrol-station dotted) option is the gorgeous coast to the south of Perth, with the south-west pocket of Bunbury, Margaret River and Albany, stretching on east to Esperance and Cape Arid National Park.

Getting started ? from Perth downwards.
So have a bit of a wander around Perth ? check out Fremantle (where the Perth cappuccino elite head en masse on the weekend) and commune with the cute furry side of nature on a day-trip to Rottnest Island. Not the most attractive name for an island, but the quokkas (little kangaroo-rat things with a penchant for your peanut butter sandwiches) and the gorgeous beaches make this a brilliant side trip. Just make sure you bring your bicycle legs for the day, as there's hardly any motorised transportation. After that, it's onwards in a southerly direction.

Need a car for your road trip? Hire one at Car Rental Perth.

Wine, more wine, and then some nibbley things.

Right, so first you'll need to make a stop at Bunbury, if only for a day or so to have a traipse around, stretch the legs, and have a dabble at the water's edge to chance a meeting with a dolphin or two.

Then it's time to get serious and head on in to the Margaret River Region. Winos and gourmands will happily revel in many chance encounters with world-class restaurants (sometimes attached to wineries) which dot the countryside. Surfers may never want to come back in from the swell ? the surfing here is world-renowned.

Further along the coast, before you arrive in Albany for a frolic, you'll want to have some quality time with some very tall plants. This here is Tall Timber Country, and the karri forests will imbue you with a somber respect for all things leafy. Stop off at the Valley of the Giants to take the Treetop walk, or take on the Gloucestor Tree near Pemberton ? steps fixed around its trunk allow you to climb up 60 metres high.

A day-trip out from Albany will thrust you into the heart of another wine-growing region (it seems the one necessity of this road trip would be a designated driver) ? the Mount Barker, Porongurup National Park and Frankland area can get you over the driving limit in the most delightful way.

And finally, a short drive away is the lovely town of Esperance and its ridiculously blue ocean, situated at the western end of the Archipelago of Recherch. The archipelago has 110 coastal islands ? full of crafty old goats and colonies of seals ? which you can tramp about on at your leisure. Or there's always a rewarding trek to be had in surrounding national parks like Cape Le Grand and Cape Arid.

From Esperance you've got the option of returning to Perth via an inland route, maybe heading up to Kalgoorlie before heading back on the Great Eastern Highway, or really change your road trip's tempo, nip up north and turn right onto the Eyre Highway.

In that case you'd better steel yourself for a very long drive to Adelaide on a straight road which goes for thousands of kilometres through an unvarying landscape designed especially to send you insane. Or, perhaps returning to Perth to hop on a plane going that direction might be a more attractive option?

Need a car to get you started?

There's loads of websites that collect the specials of all the car rental companies to save you time looking around. Just do a google search for "car hire deals" or check out a website like http://www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au which often has some good Perth and Western Australia specials.

Take care on those roads and keep your eyes peeled for kangaroos!

Alyssa Betts
Vroom Vroom Vroom / Carhire
http://www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au

---

Stay Out of That Old Mine!

It seems like the most adventurous thing in the world.... Read More

Highpointing: It?s Not Just For Mountaineers

Mount Sunflower, Kansas. Ebright Azimuth, Delaware. Hawkeye Point, Iowa. Hoosier... Read More

River Rafting in Colorado

The sport of river rafting was practically invented in Colorado.... Read More

A Torrent of Influences ? Tourism in Goa

Sun, Sand and Surf ? an apt description for Goa?... Read More

Visiting Croatia

Croatia has quickly become Europe's hottest destination, and for good... Read More

Alaska - Brief Travel Guide

WHAT TO SEE, TO DO AND WHERE: Mount McKinley is... Read More

About Table Mountain Cape Town - Well Known in South Africa and Around the World

Table Mountain sheltered the original Cape explorers in the 16th... Read More

Spain´s Beaches - You´re Spoilt For Choice

Spain offers the visitor over 4,000 kms of coastline where... Read More

Cycling in Europe: There?s More to the Tour de France than Lance

For the 92nd time, the Tour de France has started.... Read More

Backyard Camping Trip

Are your kids begging you to take them camping, but... Read More

Bird Watching Tips

Simply sitting and watching birds is a popular hobby around... Read More

Student Travel ? Backpacking In Europe

For the fortunate few, life isn't complete without a backpacking... Read More

Retired LoWs Do Yuma

Yuma, Arizona. In the winter, it's the best town in... Read More

Hiking Trails Mt. Washington Valley NH - Trekking trails USA

Mt. Washington Valley Trails & Mt Washington - NHThe highest... Read More

Your Virgin Bushwalk

Isn't it time you stepped out of the concrete jungle... Read More

Camping Stove Performance: Ease of Use & What to Avoid

Important information about camping stoves...What type of camping, hiking, or... Read More

Samoa, Heart of Polynesia

The islands of Samoa are emerging as an exciting new... Read More

Amazing Trek Across TIbet!

Today Bookpleasures and Sketchandtravel are pleased to have as our... Read More

River Rafting in California

River rafting is a major attraction in California. The most... Read More

Mount Kenya ? Up High at God?s Mountain

Mount Kenya is Africa's second highest mountain, after Kilimanjaro. It... Read More

Your Horses Back May Not Be the Same Next Month

A saddle is a static object, but your horse is... Read More

Driving in Greece - How Bad is it?

Generally speaking, Greek drivers are not the best in Europe,... Read More

River Rafting on the Salmon River

The beautiful Salmon River stretches through over 400 miles of... Read More

Japanese Garden of Monaco

Have you ever seen an authentic Japanese garden? Well, I... Read More

On Safari in Northern Tanzania ? Back to The Sixth Day of the Creation

Tanzania's natural endowment as a wildlife safari destination is unrivalled.... Read More

The Kuan Yin Shrine, Bangkok ? the Goddess of Mercy on the Chao Phraya

The Kuan Yin Shrine in Bangkok is in an old... Read More

Rafting on the Rogue River in Oregon

Oregon's Rogue River is one of the nation's most beautiful.... Read More

The Great Outdoors is to be Explored and Loved in all its fullness

The thing with enjoying the great outdoors is seeing aspects... Read More

How to Repair an Inflatable Boat

The owner can attempt small inflatable boat repair if factory-gluing... Read More

GOA ? A Carnival of Beaches

The state of Goa on the West coast of India,... Read More

Side-Tripping in Montana

Nightlife in Big Sky, Montana is more exciting than you... Read More

Discover Knotts Berry Farm

Of course you know about Southern California's premier attraction, Disneyland... Read More

Protection from Lightning - Smart Strategies for Hikers and All Outdoor Enthusiasts

Prevention is your best protection against lightning. Be sure to... Read More