I have some questions. I am planning to go for my birthday and I heard Perth would be a nice place to visit.
1) Is it okay to travel to Perth alone or should I go with a group? Are the hotels safe?
2) Can I use my iphone there to call out of the country?
3) Can I change money there or can I use US dollars there? (or should I change currency before I go)
4) What is the best place to stay while in Perth?
5) Is late March/early April a good time to go or should I wait?
6) should I leave mid week or on a weekend day?
7) Any special events in March/April that should absolutely see? 
do I need special health insurance or can I use Oxford Healthcare in Perth at the hospital?
9) can I trust the cab drivers not to take me on the long routes to get where I want to go?
10) is there a way to get to New Zealand from Perth that does not involve a plane?
11) How long should I stay? I could probably get away with 8 days at the most.
Thanks for your helpful answers:)
I’d really like someone who can actually answer each question and the first link on the first answer does not work.
2nd one: a good answer until you got flippant at the end.
3rd answer: that’s perfect. thank you.
Perth is a beautiful city to visit. Here are some informations that might come in handy.
http://www.australia.com/perth.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/australia/western-australia/perth
westernaustralia.com
Use your visa card anywhere you go and you are quite safe to travel alone.
1. I went by myself, and it seemed quite safe. I can’t speak of all the hotels, but where I stayed was very nice and safe.
2. I assume you’d need international roaming put on your phone by your provider first, but yes.
3. There are plenty of currency exchange places (including at banks). We use Australian dollars here, US currency would be useless. I recommend changing a small amount of money before you arrive, since you might need something at the airport, or to purchase travel from the airport.
4. I stayed at Miss Maud’s. Excellent; rooms were clean, staff friendly and helpful, lovely restaurant/cafe, a short walk to supermarket/train/tourist spots. It’s a little on the expensive side, but my trip was the first time I went to Perth and the price was very worth it.
http://www.missmaudhotel.com.au/
5. Probably a good time. It might end up being during school holidays, but the weather would be good.
6. Entirely up to you; and the prices of flights, etc.
7. Not sure, but Perth is full of theatres, galleries, etc. There’s plenty to see and do, google the Western Australia or Perth government website to see what’s on and where to find it.
8. You should get travel insurance and refer to the Australian government’s website on travelling to Australia.
9. Don’t know. The area itself is quite large (Perth seems small if you’re from a big city, but the outlying areas are quite big) so it depends on where you’re going. I took the train around the city of Perth, and there’s plenty of buses too. So I can only speak from my experience: I walked around most of the time, since everything was so close.
10. See a map. Not only is NZ on the other side of the country, but it’s not sharing the same land mass. You’d have to take a plane, whether you’re in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Hobart, or anywhere else in the world.
11. Depends on what you want to do whilst you’re there.
1. It is okay to travel safely by yourself, as long as you are an adult. I spent a week in Perth when I was 21, and had no troubles. I stayed at backpackers and even went out to Northbridge by myself. However as with most places, be sensible with what you wear, keep in lighted areas, and stay around crowds (especially at night).
2. Would depend on your service provider. You can purchase pre-paid sims in Australia for iphones (there is an Apple store in Perth too). http://www.apple.com/au/retail/perthcity/
3. You can NOT use US dollars. You can exchange the money once you arrive, or before you leave. Look at the comparative exchange rates and who offers the best deal. Most banks in Australia will exchange your money too.
4. Depends on what you mean by best place (and your budget). http://www.wotif.com/hotel/View?hotel=W118&page=1&viewType=all My wife and I enjoyed staying here, and very central!! I found Kings Hotel and Aarons to be very “cheap” and not much less price wise. You can stay further out of town, but then need transport to get into town. http://www.wotif.com/hotel/View?hotel=W1279&page=1&viewType=all This hotel is a bit cheaper and was very nice to stay at (doesn’t look the best outside but the rooms are very nice and new), however out of town a little.
5. Late March and early April are after the hottest parts of the year. Perth temperatures are usually around the mid 20s (Celsius) and there may be some rain. The temperatures drop to low teens (down to about 3 degrees) after April. January to March is generally the hottest time (temps can reach 40, and tend to be at least 30 during the day, and no rain). Also get the most daylight to play with then.
6. Depends how long you are staying. I wouldn’t leave Perth until after the weekend.
7. http://www.bcl.com.au/perth/wotson-march.htm – have a look
8. http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/tourist/676/eligibility.htm#b – check with your health care provider if they cover you overseas.
9. Cab drivers typically will not “rip” you off in Perth. http://www.swantaxis.com.au/index.php
10. No you need to catch a plane, unless you drive/train across Australia and then find a private boat to sail you across the Tasman Sea.
11. Depends if you want to explore outside of the city too. Personally if you are making the trip down here spend as much time as you can afford to.