Western Australia Entertainment

A vibrant pavement coffee culture exists in Perth, and Fremantle's South Terrace is home to the aptly named Cappuccino Strip. There is also an abundance of international cuisine and lots of possibilities for Aussie dining experiences, such as eating fish and chips from a converted tram in Fremantle, sampling the excellent Asian food in Subiaco (Perth), enjoying a seafood barbecue in the bush or partaking in a culinary feast at a waterside restaurant along the Swan River.

Regional specialities:
• Excellent seafood comes from the coast around Perth, including king prawns, rock lobster (locals call this crayfish), dhufish, jewfish or barramundi, and special freshwater lobster called marron.
• Tropical fruits are abundant - especially banana, mango and papaya.
• Pearl meat, a prized delicacy that consists of the shell muscle of pearl oysters.

Regional drinks:
• There are excellent local wines from Swan Valley, Mount Barker and Margaret River.
• Matilda Bay and Little Creatures beers are gaining an international reputation.

Find mainstream drinking holes in Northbridge - a large entertainment district just outside Perth's central business district - alongside several nightclubs. Stylish bars and laid-back pubs can be found in Mount Lawley, Leederville, Cottesloe and Subiaco.

Fremantle has an impressive collection of huge, character pubs. Microbreweries are also well worth a visit here. The six-level Metropolis (www.metropolisfremantle.com.au) is one of the largest venues and you'll find clubs to cater for all music tastes, including mainstream, hardcore, gay and alternative beats. The substantial Burswood Resort and Casino complex (www.burswood.com.au) is also only minutes from Perth city centre.

Perth features lovely old art deco cinemas screen art house movies and, in summer, find outdoor cinemas set in lush parklands.

The King Street precinct in Perth's West End is full of designer name stores including Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Harbour Town has designer brands at discounted prices, with more to be found at the Colonnade in Subiaco.

Head to Morely for a browse around the multistorey Centro Galleria, home to 220 retail stores.

Best buys are Argyle diamonds, opals and Aboriginal art. James Street mall in Perth city is good for boutique shops, alongside Rokeby Road and Hay Street. Subiaco is also good for high-end fashion and decent souvenir hunting.

Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1800 (Thursday late night opening to 2100) and Sat 0800-1730 in Perth. General retail shops are not allowed to trade on Sundays except those within the central tourism precincts of Perth and Fremantle (shops open 1100-1700).