Category: Sights and Scenes

A view of Cape Leeuwin and the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse visitor centre from the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse in Western Australia.

Western Australia South West Edge Road Trip Part 2 – Margaret River to Point D’Entrecasteaux

Margaret River is an inland town named after the 60 km long Margaret River that flows past the town in the western direction into the Indian Ocean. The Margaret River Region, a famous holiday destination for many, actually refers to the region beyond Margaret River town stretching from Busselton along the coastline down to Augusta. This region is known for its spectacular beaches and surfing spots, exquisite caves, beautiful forests, extensive walking trails, and award-winning wineries.

mylivingmylife August 31, 2022

Point Peron lookout bridge, at Point Peron near Rockingham, offers amazing views of the rugged limestone cliffs and the panoramic views of the Indian Ocean.

Western Australia South West Edge Road Trip Part 1 – Perth to Gracetown

Western Australia South West Edge refers to the southwest region that stretches from south of Perth towards Albany then east from Albany to Esperance. The coastline from Perth to Albany stretches more than 700 km by the Indian Ocean. Continuing from Albany to Esperance is another approximately 500 km of coastline by the Great Australian Bight, which is part of the Indian Ocean.

mylivingmylife August 17, 2022

A lookout point at Popeye Lake in Herdsman Lake Regional Park where visitors can enjoy the scenic views of the lake and the Perth city skyline from afar.

Walk by the Waters: Herdsman Lake North

Herdsman Lake and Herdsman Lake Regional Park are surrounded by the suburbs of Woodlands, Churchlands, Glendalough, and Osborne Park, and are popular among the residents for leisure activities such as picnics, birdwatching, cycling, hiking, walking, and jogging.

mylivingmylife July 27, 2022

Herdsman Lake Regional Park is the largest wetland within Perth’s inner metropolitan region.

Walk by the Waters: Herdsman Lake South

Herdsman Lake is a 15-minute drive from the Perth CBD. The lake is roughly circular and is encompassed by Herdsman Lake Regional Park. Herdsman Lake and Herdsman Lake Regional Park are popular for leisure activities such as picnics, birdwatching, cycling, hiking, walking, and jogging.

mylivingmylife July 13, 2022

Glendalough Open Space is less than 30m from the southeast of Herdsman Lake separated by Jon Sanders Drive.

Walk by the Waters: Glendalough Open Space

Located within the suburb of Glendalough and is just a 15-minute drive from Perth CBD, Glendalough Open Space is open grassed parkland with 3 small lakes.
Glendalough Open Space is less than 30m from the southeast of Herdsman Lake separated by Jon Sanders Drive.

mylivingmylife June 29, 2022

Chongqing 重庆 is the start point of Yangtze River Cruises 长江游轮 that sail through the magnificent Three Gorges 三峡 of the Yangtze River 长江 and the cruise journeys end at the humongous Three Gorges Dam 三峡大坝 which supplied about 10% of China’s electricity at the time of completion.

Central and Western China Travel: From Chongqing 重庆, Yangtze River Cruise 长江游轮, Zhangjiajie 张家界, To Chengdu 成都

Is it feasible to visit Chongqing 重庆, Three Gorges 三峡, Zhangjiajie 张家界, and Chengdu 成都 in Sichuan 四川, all in a short single trip? That was my motivation for planning independent travel in China to include these 4 destinations in Central and Western China.

mylivingmylife June 15, 2022

From a distance, Chongqing’s 重庆 Chaotianmen Square 朝天门广场 and Raffles City Chongqing 重庆来福士 with the crystal corridor structure together look like a giant ship with a sail that is about to sail away in the night.

Central and Western China Travel: Chongqing 重庆

Chongqing 重庆 city is a financial centre, manufacturing hub, and transportation centre in central and western China. Chongqing city’s downtown centre is located on the Chongqing peninsula surrounded by Yangtze River 长江 and its branch Jialing River 嘉陵江. Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport 重庆江北国际机场 is a major aviation hub serving this region and is one of the top 50 busiest airports in the world. Chongqing city is well-connected to other major Chinese cities via China High-Speed Railway (HSR) Network 中国高铁网.

mylivingmylife June 1, 2022

Without capturing any giant panda from the wild and using technological innovation, Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base 成都大熊猫繁育研究基地 has bred and raised more than 200 panda babies since 1997.

Central and Western China Travel: Chengdu 成都

Chengdu is located in the central part of the Sichuan Province 四川省 in southwest China and is the capital of the Sichuan Province. With a population of around 14 million, Chengdu is the fifth largest city in China, after Shanghai 上海, Beijing 北京, Shenzhen 深圳, and Guangzhou 广州.
Chengdu is famous for being the home of giant pandas 大熊猫 that are immensely popular and well-loved around the world. Giant pandas are protected under Category 1 of the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Law of 1988 and are considered the national treasure of China.

mylivingmylife May 18, 2022

Elizabeth Quay continues to develop with new high-rise buildings being added.

Walk by The Swan River: Elizabeth Quay <-> The Old Swan Brewery

The 2 km one-way walk between Elizabeth Quay and the Old Swan Brewery by the Swam River foreshore takes you through the well-landscaped David Carr Memorial Park. You will walk underneath the Narrows Bridge where you can have a close-up look at the Narrows Bridge’s structural details from underneath.
You will enjoy seeing people doing all kinds of sea sports, and boats and ferries moored or on the move on the Swan River. South Perth foreshore is on the other side of the Swan River connected to the Perth city via Narrows Bridge.

mylivingmylife May 11, 2022

David Carr Memorial Park extends to the Swan River foreshore and has stunning views of the Swan River and South Perth foreshore on the other side of the river connected by Narrows Bridge.

Walk by the Waters: John Oldham Park <-> David Carr Memorial Park

John Oldham Park and David Carr Memorial Park are located just a stone’s throw from Perth CBD and right next to the very busy Narrows Interchange but when you are in the parks, you don’t feel like you are next to high-traffic roads. These parks seem to be able to shield their visitors from traffic noise.
John Oldham Park and David Carr Memorial Park are part of Narrows Interchange parklands which were constructed on reclaimed land from Mounts Bay more than 60 years ago to build Narrows Bridge and Interchange to connect South Perth to Perth city centre.

mylivingmylife May 4, 2022

Perth’s iconic landmark Blue Boat House by the Swan River. Perth's city skyline can be seen from afar.

Walk by The Swan River: Forrest Hall <-> The Old Swan Brewery

The walk between Forrest Hall and the Old Swan Brewery, with a one-way distance of 2.1 km, allows walkers to walk on flat riverbank walking paths alongside Mounts Bay Road and the Swan River, and visit three of Perth city’s iconic landmarks – Blue Boat House, the Eliza Sculpture, and the Old Swan Brewery.

mylivingmylife April 27, 2022

A 1-week Central Canada road trip itinerary in Central Canada may start from Toronto and may include Niagara Falls and major cities such as Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City, as well as other cities Gatineau, Hamilton, Kingston on the road trip route without too much detour.

Central Canada Road Trip: 7 Major Canadian Cities in 7 Days plus Niagara Falls

A 1-week Central Canada road trip itinerary in Central Canada may start from Toronto and may include Niagara Falls and major cities such as Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City, as well as other cities Gatineau, Hamilton, Kingston on the road trip route without too much detour.

mylivingmylife April 13, 2022

Toronto’s important landmark CN Tower always stands out in the Toronto city skyline.

Central Canada Road Trip: Toronto

Canada’s largest city Toronto, like Canada’s capital Ottawa, is in Ontario Province where a third of Canada’s population lives. Toronto is located by the coast of the massive Lake Ontario. Niagara Falls is a 2-hour drive along the coast in the eastern direction. Ottawa is a 4-hour drive northeast of Toronto. Its central location makes Toronto a good base to start a road trip in Central Canada.

mylivingmylife April 6, 2022

Belvedere Jacques Cartier Bridge over St Lawrence River can be seen from Montreal Old Port – Montreal, Canada.

Central Canada Road Trip: Montreal and Quebec City

From Ottawa, a 3-day road trip to Montreal and Quebec City may include picking your own apple during apple harvest season at Verger Labonté on Perrot Island, which is a 30-minute drive southwest of Montreal, then Montreal downtown Underground City, Old Montreal, and the nearby Montreal Old Port waterfront, Mount Royal Park, Jean-Talon Market, and finally an evening visit to Montreal Botanical Gardens for “Gardens of Light” held at the time of my road trip. You may use Montreal as a base and have a day-trip driving to Quebec City, 3-hour away from Montreal, and back to Montreal on the same day. The Quebec City day-trip may include Plains of Abraham, Old Quebec, Quebec Old Port, and Montmorency Falls.

mylivingmylife March 30, 2022

Webster's Falls, a curtain waterfall and 22 m in height, is one of the more than 100 waterfalls in Hamilton - The City of Waterfalls, in Ontario, Canada.

Central Canada Road Trip: Hamilton, The City of Waterfalls

Hamilton is home to more than 100 waterfalls and is often called the City of Waterfalls. If you are fascinated by waterfalls, this is the place to visit while you visit the magical Niagara Falls.

mylivingmylife March 23, 2022

Ottawa is the capital city of Canada and is Canada's sixth-largest city.

Central Canada Road Trip: Kingston, Ottawa, and Gatineau

Ottawa is the capital city of Canada and is Canada’s sixth-largest city. While Ottawa is a city in Ontario Province and Gatineau is a city in Quebec Province, the 2 cities are really just separated by the Ottawa River, on the 2 sides of the riverbank. The total metro area population of Ottawa-Gatineau is about 1.4 million and Gatineau’s population constitutes about 25% of the total population. Gatineau is often considered part of “Greater Ottawa”.

mylivingmylife March 16, 2022

Lotus Pond (莲池潭), where Dragon Tiger Pagodas (龙虎塔) are located, is one of the most traditional scenic spots in Kaohsiung (高雄).

Kaohsiung (高雄) and Southern Taiwan (南台湾)

Kaohsiung (高雄) is a hidden gem for travellers. It is a coastal city in southern Taiwan that has mild tropical weather and because of that, there is an abundant supply of good quality local tropical fruits. The city’s affordable and efficient mass rapid trains (which started operations in 2008) and light rail trains (which started operations in 2016) have made many tourist attractions in the city a lot more accessible. Food prices were very affordable in 2019. Visitors can have a reasonable lunch or dinner meal at less than 200 Taiwan Doller (~A$10 or ~US$7) in 2019. Be sure to visit the night markets (夜市) while in Kaohsiung where you can find many delicious Taiwan snack or small dishes (台湾小吃).

mylivingmylife March 9, 2022

Denham Recreational Jetty where you can see distinctive shallow and deep waters leading out to the Indian Ocean.

Walk by the Indian Ocean: Denham on the Coral Coast

Denham is the westernmost town in Australia. Located on the western shore of Peron Peninsula in the UNESCO Shark Bay World Heritage Area, Denham is within Western Australia’s 1,100 km breathtaking Coral Coast which stretches from Cervantes, a 2-hour drive north of Perth, to the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef.

mylivingmylife March 2, 2022

Walk by the Indian Ocean: Monkey Mia on the Coral Coast

Monkey Mia, a 9-hour drive north of Perth or a 4.5-hour drive if you drive north from Geraldton, is not a town but a huge Conservation Park located on the eastern shore of the Peron Peninsula in the UNESCO Shark Bay World Heritage Area.
Monkey Mia is famous for its RAC Monkey Mia Resort, located right within Monkey Mia Conservation Park, and its wild dolphin experience.

mylivingmylife February 23, 2022

City Beach is the closest beach to Perth's city centre. Located at just a 15-minute drive west of Perth CBD, City Beach is so accessible that you can have your morning swim or morning walk there and be in your Perth CBD office by 8 am.

Walk by The Indian Ocean: City Beach

City Beach is the closest beach to Perth’s city centre. Located at just a 15-minute drive west of Perth CBD, City Beach is so accessible that you can have your morning swim or morning walk there and be in your Perth CBD office by 8 am.

mylivingmylife February 16, 2022

White sand and big waves along with lifeguards all year round make Scarborough Beach a favourite location for surfing, swimming, and water sports.

Walk by The Indian Ocean: Scarborough Beach

White sand and big waves along with lifeguards all year round make Scarborough Beach a favourite location for surfing, swimming, and water sports. The revitalised Scarborough foreshore has added a beachfront swimming complex (Scarborough Beach Pool), an amphitheatre (Scarborough Amphitheatre), a skate and BMX facility (“Snake Pit”), a bouldering wall, a new playground and play space for families (Whale Playground), huge grassed areas including Sunset Hill where visitors can enjoy watching the sun setting into the Indian Ocean, lookout platforms to look out over the Indian Ocean and Scarborough Beach, a new square ideal for markets and public events (Scarborough Square, where the Clock Tower is located), public toilets, showers, drinking fountains, picnic shelters, public BBQ’s, fitness/exercise equipment, plenty of car parks, and a new transit hub.

mylivingmylife February 2, 2022

The Ocean Reef waterfront will be dramatically transformed by the Ocean Reef Marina project. The photo shows the 2 new breakwaters nearly completed construction.

Walk by The Indian Ocean: Ocean Reef waterfront

By the end of 2023, the Ocean Reef waterfront will be dramatically transformed by the Ocean Reef Marina project which is now in progress of construction. Ocean Reef Marina project will create a waterfront precinct consisting of a mix of waterfront cafes and restaurants, retail, hotel, and short-stay accommodation, as well as Perth’s first coastal pool, new protected beach, and community parklands.

mylivingmylife January 26, 2022

Currumbin Creek river mouth area at Gold Coast's Tarrabora Reserve where Currumbin Creek meets the Coral Sea.

Walk by The Waters: Palm Beach Parklands, Gold Coast

Palm Beach Parklands is a beautiful open space overlooking Currumbin Creek at the south end of Palm Beach. Palm Beach Parklands and the popular Gold Coast surf spot Currumbin Alley is separated by Currumbin Creek.

mylivingmylife January 19, 2022

Walk by The Water: Jackadder Lake, Perth

Jackadder Lake is very much smaller than other nearby lakes such as Herdsman Lake and Lake Monger. So small that, unlike Herdsman Lake and Lake Monger, you can see what is on the opposite side of Jackadder Lake while you walk.

mylivingmylife January 12, 2022

Walk by The Indian Ocean: Mullaloo Beach

Mullaloo Beach is an ideal swimming beach for children of all ages with its refreshing shallow waters and soft clean white sand.

mylivingmylife January 5, 2022

Kalbarri waterfront area where Murchison River meets the Indian Ocean is a great spot for a relaxing walk

Walk by the Indian Ocean: Kalbarri waterfront

The best point to start your Kalbarri waterfront walk is Zuytdorp Memorial which is a lookout point providing 360-degree top-down views of the best part of the Kalbarri town centre, Murchison River mouth, the beach area, and the Indian Ocean.

mylivingmylife December 29, 2021

The Carnarvon Fascine waterfront area is a great spot for a relaxing evening walk

Walk by The Water: The Carnarvon Fascine waterfront

The Carnarvon Fascine refers to Carnarvon’s central waterway linking the Carnarvon community to the Indian Ocean coast. The name “Fascine” comes from a flood protection method using a pile of sticks to hold back floodwater.
The Carnarvon Fascine waterfront area is a great spot for a relaxing evening walk.

mylivingmylife December 22, 2021

Oyster Harbour Beach and swimming jetty at Emu Point, Albany

Walk by the Water: Emu Point Waterfront, Albany

Emu Point is within the suburb of Mount Clarence in Albany, which is a 5-hour drive or 420km southeast of Perth. Located at about 9 km northeast of Albany city centre, Emu Point is a beautiful seaside spot at the channel linking Oyster Harbour and King George Sound.

mylivingmylife December 8, 2021

Trigg Beach is a popular location for bodyboarders, kite surfers, and surfers, and is located within the suburb of Trigg and on the southern end of the 6km West Coast Drive by the Indian Ocean coast.

Walk by The Indian Ocean: Trigg Beach

Trigg Beach, located within the suburb of Trigg, is a popular location for bodyboarders, kite surfers and surfers, and is on the southern end of the 6km West Coast Drive by the Indian Ocean. Try to visit Trigg Beach on a weekday and a weekend and you will see 2 distinctly different vibes. Whereas weekdays are popular for leisure walkers and joggers, weekends, especially in warmer weather, are popular with beach lovers, friends, and families enjoying beach outings and picnics.

mylivingmylife December 1, 2021

The Swan River in the sunset at Burswood Park

Walk by The Swan River: Burswood Park <-> Taylor Reserve

While walking from Burswood Park to Optus Stadium by the Swan River is very popular among walkers, you may choose to walk from Burswood Park in the other direction towards South Perth.You will enjoy great views of the Swan River, East Perth foreshore, Heirisson Island, and Perth city centre skyline on the other side of the Swan River. Starting from Burswood Park, you will walk past Charles Paterson Park that is adjacent to Burswood Park, then underneath the Causeway Bridge, then McCallum Park, before arriving at the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation complex in the Taylor Reserve.

mylivingmylife November 24, 2021