By far the largest of the states, Western Australia covers everything you imagine an Australian holiday to be. There are remote tropical islands; dry read dusty desert land on Aboriginal soil; sheer rock formations in the form of deep gores whose waterfalls plunge into refreshing swimming holes; and wild coastline home to whale sharks, dolphins and ancient stromatolites. You’ll share all this beauty with free-roaming kangaroos, and just 2 and a half million human inhabitants in this sparsely populated corner of Australia.

The vast size of this state lends it a diverse climate. In the tropical north, the dry winter season (Apr-Sep) is the best time to visit, as high temperatures and humidity during the wet season (Oct-Mar) and take some getting used to. Southern coastal areas have a very pleasant climate, with Perth boasting more sunny days than any other major city in Australia.