Rainbow Sea Container @ Fremantle, Western Australia

What to see in Fremantle? Rainbow Sea Container! One of the things to do in Fremantle is to take photo with the Rainbow Sea Container art. The artwork is made out of 9 colorful containers, standing at 9 meters high, 19 meters long and weighs over 66 tonnes! 

Rainbow Sea Container is located at Canning Highway and it is opened for free. We parked our rented car at the roadside of Beach Street (near to public toilet) and walked over. Try Google for The Kiosk Fremantle and you can find the place easily.

The colorful Rainbow Sea Container was created by the famous Perth artist, Marcus Canning with the help of large cranes. Canning’s monumental sculpture is constructed from nine customized and colored sea containers that form the shape of giant rainbow, hence, the name Rainbow Sea Container. 

We were quite curious on how they connect the containers together and made it stable while hanging in the air. It took an intense twelve hours to conceived, engineered and produced the whole master piece which stands as a monumental testament to what successful and innovative collaborations between local arts and construction industries can produce.

We spent an hour there taking photos under the hot sun. So make sure you go at the right time minus the hot sun but I supposed it would be crowded then. If you want long lasting memories, Rainbow Sea Container certainly a great place to take photos.

Rainbow Sea Container

1 Canning Hwy, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia

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Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King @ Perth CBD, Western Australia

Where to eat in Perth? Best Ramen in Perth CBD? If you are craving for Japanese food in Perth, then Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King is your answer! This newly opened Japanese restaurant in Perth was receiving warm welcome from the Australian with queue up to an hour! Read on for more! 

After some searches over the internet, only I found out that it is a famous Japanese chain restaurant across Japan and even Singapore! (Why not open one in Malaysia? Particularly Penang?!) Keisuke Takeda is the founder of Ramen Keisuke, whom is fond of cooking as a child. His first ramen restaurant is called 'Kuro Miso Ramen (The First Generation Keisuke Ramen). 

During our visit on Saturday Day 9 of Perth Trip, we queued for about 15 minutes as well. At first I was being skeptical as I thought the queue could be due to the slow service as well as the limited seats in the restaurant. But I was wrong. 

We were given menu and the order chit by the friendly staff while queuing. The menu was quite simple as Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King only offers Tonkotsu Ramen in 3 different variation, namely the Original, Black Spicy and Red Spicy. Unlimited complimentary hard boiled eggs and bean sprout are available too at the table while waiting for the Ramen to be served. 

After enjoying the appetizers - hard boiled egg and bean sprout, we started to pound/squash gently both the black and white sesame seeds with the pestle in a bowl. I supposed the purpose was to release the fragrance of the sesame before added into our ramen. What a unique experience at Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King! 😍

Bae and I got ourselves the Original and the Black Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen. We ordered the Original one at normal size ($14) while the Black Spicy one at Special with added seaweed and egg ($20). Both were amazing, but I prefer the Original more as Black Spicy was added with black pepper which does not suit to my liking. Personally, I think the broth was delicious, thick and sticky (collagen!) after long hour of boiling on the tonkotsu bones I supposed! 😋

Overall, we enjoyed our dinner there at Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King! The unlimited refill of hard boiled egg and bean sprout certainly keep us occupied while waiting for the food. The ramen broth was flavorful so we went home happily! I hope they do open one in Penang so that I get to taste the Red Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen too! So if you are looking for Japanese food in Perth, this is it!

Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King

https://www.facebook.com/KeisukeTokyoSG/

33 Milligan St, Perth WA 6000, Australia

Opens everyday 11.30am-2.30pm and 5.30pm-8.30pm

+61 8 9320 3333

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The Pinnacles @ Cervantes, Western Australia

Where to go in Perth? The Pinnacles at Cervantes, Western Australia! On our road trip back to Perth, we dropped by The Pinnacles. The Pinnacles are limestone formations within Nambung National Park with some of the tallest weathered limestone pillars reach heights of up to 3.5m above the yellow sand base. Read on for more!

Same as the Kalbarri National Park, the entrance fees to Nambung National Park costs $13 per car. Holiday Park Pass for $48 per car is available too to entitle for multiple entries to as many parks as you wish for any four weeks period. 

Once here, a scenic walk or drive trail winds past the ancient limestone pillars of the Pinnacles. The Pinnacles are scattered across the desert in their thousands, creating an eerie, alien-like landscape. They are all in different shapes, some finish in a jagged point, while others have rounded domes, resembling tombstones. Just like the clouds in the sky, it's all up to your imagination! 

What surprises me is that these Pinnacles are all made up of shells, which date back millions of years to an epoch when the sand was beneath the sea. These shells were broken down into lime-rich sands that were blown inland to form high mobile dunes, where we got to do sandboarding at Lancelin! 

The Pinnacles desert is huge, so parking bays are provided at various points along the one-way drive for those wishing to stop and explore the fascinating Pinnacles Desert on foot. The time we went was full of tourists so we tried to look for the area with less tourists, hence, better photographs! 

Overall we spent about 2 hours there which is more than sufficient in my opinion. Since there is no shelter out at the pinnacle desert, try going in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the scorching hot sun! If you are on a road trip to Kalbarri as well, then it's good to stopby The Pinnacles! 

The Pinnacles

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Kalbarri Coastal Cliffs @ Kalbarri, Western Australia

After visiting the gorges at Kalbarri National Park, we proceeded to the Kalbarri Coastal Cliffs which are under the Kalbarri National Park as well. It offers walk trails with rugged coastline, decaying cliffs plunging more than 100 meters to the ocean and amazing rock formations all within 16km to the south of Kalbarri.

Island Rock - Kalbarri Coastal Cliffs

Since we were kinda just "touch-n-go", so we just drove to each lookout points. As we were staying at Kalbarri town, hence, we started the first lookout point from the furthest down south at Island Rock. We were supposed to go Natural Bridge but somehow we missed it. 

Admiring the Island Rock - Kalbarri Coastal Cliffs

Island Rock was once part of the shoreline, but now standing as a resilient 'sea stack' against the forces of the ocean. The viewing platform is just a short distance of walk from the car park, providing breathtaking views of this geological oddity. Personally, I was more amazed by the scenic deep blue sea from the cliff as we don't get to see it in Malaysia. 😍😍😍

The next one was Shellhouse Grandstand, literally which gave the impression of a shell shaped house on the side of the cliff. Same like the Island Rock, the viewing platform is just within a short walking distance from the car park. I think this is our least favorite as the rest are more spectacular.

Then we moved on to Eagle Gorge. At first I thought it would be the same like Shellhouse Grandstand, so I tried looking for eagle shaped gorge. Try to see from the photo above, can you spot any eagle?! Yes you won't! Eagle Gorge was actually named after the Wedge-tailed Eagle that live in the gorge. So do keep an eye out for the wedge-tailed eagle! 

Later on I found out that the Eagle Gorge actually has similar shape to a wedge tail of a wedge-tailed eagle. There is also a rocky path from Eagle Gorge leading to a secluded beach. Unfortunately we were in a rush, so I did not get to play at the beautiful seaside! (one of my regrets!) 

Next one was Pot Alley. Since it is quite near to the Eagle Gorge, the other side of wedge tail can actually be seen too. I supposed like the name suggest, it looks like a pot? Same like many other coastal cliffs, you can take the winding rocky walk down to the beautiful beach. 

By then, we were already quite exhausted. We did drove to the Mushroom Rock but I gave up immediately after seeing the signboard that we need to take the walking trail of 3km loop. Not sure if I sprained my leg at Sandboarding at Lancelin, I was not feeling comfortable to walk for too long. 😴

The last place we went was Blue Holes, which is a fish habitat protection area where fishing is prohibited but excellent for snorkeling. It also forms part of an inshore coastal limestone reef system that features sections that are permanently submerged by the ocean (sub-tidal) and areas that are exposed at low tide (intertidal). The reef incorporates irregular depressions or ‘holes’ thus giving the ‘Blue Holes’ stretch of coast its name. 😍

It's home to more than 70 species of finfish. Unique fish to look out for include dart, moon wrasse, raccoon butterfly fish, humbugs and western rock lobster. There are about 10 types of sponge, 11 species of coral, crustaceans such as banded hair shrimp and beds of oysters. So certainly it is a great spot for snorkeling! Yet again, we did not snorkel due to the wrong attire! (Another regret!) 😔

We went during early October which is just the beginning of Spring where the weather was still chilly. Otherwise, I would have gone to stroll along the pristine sandy beach, swim in the sheltered waters and explore the sea creatures! So if you happen to be there, please please please must go!

Kalbarri Coastal Cliffs

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Kalbarri National Park @ Kalbarri, Western Australia

What else to do on a vacation in Perth? Travel up north to Kalbarri for a road trip! Yes we went to Kalbarri National Park during our Day 8 of Perth Trip. Kalbarri National Park offers a range of adventure activities such as bush walking, gorge hiking and canoeing while admiring the colorful wildflowers. Read on for more!

Located six hours drive north of Perth and a 20 minute drive from Kalbarri, The Loop and Z Bend are just one of a plethora of amazing natural attractions in the Kalbarri National Park that must be seen. We spent 3 days 2 nights in Kalbarri as the travel distance (return) already took almost a day. 

Upon arrival, we paid $13 per car (up to 8 legally seated people) as the entrance fee to the Kalbarri National Park. Holiday Park Pass for $48 per car is available too to entitle for multiple entries to as many parks as you wish for any four weeks period.

Nature's Window

Kalbarri National Park is huge, covering about 1800km² of area size which include the Murchison River gorge that runs for nearly 80 km (50 mi) on the lower reaches of the Murchison River. The Murchison River gorges in the Kalbarri National Park are also breathtaking. The gorges have been carved over millions of years to form dramatic sandstone cliff faces which plummet into the Murchison River as it meanders towards the township of Kalbarri.

Since we were there for just half a day, we did not go for the hiking. We just dropped by some of the famous attraction points such as Nature's Window and Z Bend Lookout. Nature's Window has to be the most well known among all attractions, formed from layers of Tumblagooda Sandstone. 

It's quite easy to access to the Nature's Window as we just parked our car at carp park, followed the stairs and walked down a picturesque trail. The rock formation of Nature's Window perfectly frames the rugged upstream view of the Murchison River. It is an easy 800m walk (return) to the Window. 

The Nature's Window is also the beginning and end of The Loop walking trail. It is a Class 4 Trail where the paths are often rough, steep and uneven with few modifications. A moderate to high level of fitness is required for the 8km walking trail. 

When visiting to Kalbarri National Park, it is recommended to wear real covered shoes, apply lots of sunblock and wear a hat! Since there is no any shelter along the way, weather can affect safety too, so be sure to always bring more water than you think you will need.

From July to October, Kalbarri National Park is ablaze with color as wildflowers like banksias, grevillias, kangaroo paws and feather flowers spring to life. The park is rich in bird life and other animals. Since we went in the early October, we get to witness all, so be sure to go at the right time!

Z-Bend

The other one that we went for was the Z-Bend Lookout. The Z-Bend was aptly named given the enormous Z bend the Murchison River have created as they flow through the gorges. Same like The Loop, there is Z-Bend River Trail as well with a distance of 2.6km (return) but we only went to the lookout. The scenic views are equally spectacular! 😍😍😍

All in all, I do think that Kalbarri National Park certainly worth the visit! The rock formations and the gorges were breathtaking, definitely great for photographs. So if you happen to travel to Perth, make sure Kalbarri National Park is in your list!

Kalbarri National Park

Best Time to Visit: Winter-Spring. 

Best to avoid during the wet autumn due to high river levels 

and during the dangerously hot Summer months.

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Pink Lake at Port Gregory @ Kalbarri, Western Australia

Have you seen a pink lake? Well, if you happen to visit to Western Australia, Pink Lake at Port Gregory is definitely a must visit place! During our Day 7 of Perth Trip, we dropped by Pink Lake while we were on the road trip to Kalbarri.

The Pink Lake we visited in Port Gregory lies near the mouth of Hutt Lagoon. Hutt Lagoon boasts a pink hue created by the presence of carotenoid-producing algae Dunaliella salina, a source of ß-carotene, a food-colouring agent and source of vitamin A. Depending on the time of day, the season and the amount of cloud cover, the lake changes through the spectrum of red to bubble-gum pink to a lilac purple.

We arrived around sunset at 6pm where many said that the best time of day to visit is mid-morning or sundown. The Pink Lake turned into bubble-gum pink at the point of time. There were only one other group of tourists there enjoying with us the picturesque sunset over the unique pink lake. 

We took a lot of photos there before the sky turns completely dark. Same like anyone else, we were all curious if the water itself would be pink. So I did scooped a little with my hand but it was quite transparent. Even when I filled the pink lake water into a bottle, the color was not as dark as what we saw with naked eyes. (FYI, the bottle still sitting in my friend's house!) 😂😂😂

Overall, Pink Lake at Port Gregory definitely worth the visit. If you have more budget, do check out the Pink Lake Scenic Flight from Geraldton as you will be able to enjoy the bird eye view. In my opinion, standing next to the pink lake is much better experience while scenic flight would give you awesome photos! So bring a drone there and you can enjoyed both! 😁

Pink Lake at Port Gregory

Port Gregory Rd, Gregory WA 6535, Australia

Opens 24/7 and you do not have to pay any fees!

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Sand boarding at Lancelin Sand Dunes

Fun things to do in Perth? Head north to Lancelin Sand Dunes for the sandboarding! Yes you see it right, it's sandboarding! Sandboarding is a board sport similar to snowboarding that involves riding across or down a sand dune while standing on a board, either with both feet strapped in or while standing loose, without bindings.

During our Day 7 of Perth Trip, we went on a road trip heading north to Kalbarri. Along the way, we dropped by Lancelin Sand Dunes for sandboarding. Lancelin is a small fishing town located 127 km north of Perth, which is about one and a half hour drive. We changed to a bigger rented car so that it could fit the 6 of us, so again the 3 couples went on a roadtrip! 

We went to Have A Chat General Store which is just 5 minutes away from Lanceline Sand Dunes to rent the sand board. The friendly shopkeeper guided us on the types of sand board as well as the wax to smoothen the surface of the board. We rented both standing sandboard and sitting sandboard each at $10 each for 2 hours. Passport or driving license maybe needed so that they can make sure you will return the sand board to them. 

Thankfully our good friends, Soony and Eng, came here before. So they just drove us to the exact place to sand boarding. After putting on the sunblock and sunglasses, we climbed up the sand dunes excitedly. If you are afraid of becoming dark like bae, do remember to apply layers and layers of sunblock, wear long sleeves or even take an umbrella! 😂😂😂

Since it was our first time, we started with the smaller and less steeper sand dunes. We tried with the sitting sandboard first just to get a feeling of it then only moved on to the standing sandboard. For inexperience people like me, it would certainly take a few times of trying and bravery in order to slide smoothly and successfully. 

After half an hour, we moved on to a taller sand dune with a steeper slope. To be honest, I was still afraid at the beginning! Even though the sand were soft and smooth, but that terrifying feeling just kept on coming, like I would used my hands or legs to slow it down unknowingly. From time to time, you can use the candle provided to wax the board. 

The whole experience was fun and thrilling! 2 hours felt like just the blink of an eye, but I guess we wasted more time on climbing back up. It was quite tiring too given that the sand board was quite heavy and we gotta climb the steep sand dune. Just the 2 hours, we were all being sun burnt seriously even though with all the sunblock. But trust me, it's all worth it! Definitely a must try if you happen to go Perth! 

Lancelin Sand Dunes

Beacon Rd, Lancelin WA 6044, Australia

There's no entrance fee needed.

Just need to rent the sand board.

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