4,405km (2,731 miles) W of Sydney; 2,389km (1,481 miles) S of Broome

If you like Sydney, you'll like Perth. It has the same silver skyscrapers glinting under a blue sky, the same youthful, energetic outdoorsy vibrancy, and, like Sydney, the sparkling ocean and glorious white beaches are just a bus ride from downtown. Perth likes to boast it gets more sunshine than any other city in Australia, some 300 days a year. Wander through the impressively restored historic warehouses, museums, and working docks of bustling Fremantle; stock up at the plentiful Aboriginal art and souvenir stores; visit some great art galleries and museums; eat at some of the country's best restaurants; go snorkeling and sea kayaking with wild sea lions; bushwalk through a 400-hectare (1,000-acre) park in the middle of the city; and pedal your bike to a great snorkeling spot on Rottnest Island, a miniature reef resort 19km (12 miles) offshore.

More than most other Aussie capitals, Perth gives you several good choices of side trips: Drop in on the Benedictine monks in the Spanish Renaissance monastery town of New Norcia, nip out to the Swan Valley vineyards, or spend a few days in Margaret River country, one of Australia's top wine regions. The long, dry summer is the best time to visit; winter is rainy.