Broome
The picturesque pearling town of Broome has been attracting visitors from all over Australia and the world for a long time. It was Lord McAlpine who fell in love with Broome during his first visit here in 1979, and who introduced tourism to the town with the opening of the innovative and iconic Cable Beach Club in 1988. In its early tourism phase, Broome attracted mainly Chinese visitors who could board direct flights to Broome’s small but international airport. With its picture perfect Cable Beach stretching for over 22kms of white sand, its tropical climate and coastal vibe, this vibrant little gem is the ideal destination for relaxation and soaking up the sun. Apart from lazing at the hotel pool or Cable Beach, getting pampered thanks to excellent Spa services and enjoying world class dining experiences, there is a lot more to do and discover in Broome. Read on to find out more about the best things to do in Broome.
Things to do in Broome
- Broome is famous for its pearling history and a look around the many pearl shops in Broome’s Chinatown is a must do. Even if you don’t intent to purchase any pearls, the beautiful displays are impressive and you can learn about pearling and the industry from the friendly shop assistants. Many pearl brands have information about their history and operations available.
- Head to the Broome Museum, located at the corner of Hamersley and Saville Streets for more pearling and town history (http://www.broomemuseum.org.au/). There are many fascinating historic displays and its easy to spend a couple of hours here.
- Have a wander around Chinatown and browse through the many local shops, selling anything from fragrant Sandalwood products to tropical clothing and indigenous art work. Keep an eye out for information plaques around town to learn more about Broome’s history. There are also a number of great modern cafes.
- During their annual migration period, you can take part in a boat tour to view Humpback whales. Snubfin dolphins can also be observed at the pristine shores in proximity to Broome. Other activities to consider are ocean canoeing and fat-biking along Cable Beach.
- Broome has a number of excellent dining experiences available in town and at Cable Beach. The Aarli on Hamersley Street serves excellent modern Australian meals and continually ranks high on the list of the best restaurant in Western Australia. Matso’s (Hamersley St) is an all time favourite and rightfully so, as meals, atmosphere and of course the unique craft beers fresh from the tap are some of the best in town. For Asian food, Som Thai on Napier Terrace is the pick of the bunch. On the Cable Beach side there is, of course, the famous Sunset Bar & Grill at the Cable Beach Resort, providing some of the best sunset views while indulging in world class food and beverages. Zanders also provides great views and good food. A relatively new and highly praised dining option is Zookeepers on Challenor Drive. Check their opening times as they do not serve dinner every night. However, they also offer delicious breakfasts and lunches! For some more, low key dining options click here.
- For a change from Cable Beach, try Town Beach at Roebuck Bay. Popular with the locals, this is a great spot for a picnic overlooking the ocean. There is a playground and a cafe, too.
- Roebuck Bay is also where the stunning natural phenomenon of the “Staircase to the Moon” is happening during the dry season. At moon rise, the reflection of the moon on the bay’s mudflats creates the illusion of a staircase of light leading to the moon. There are two popular places to watch the staircase, either from the town markets which are held for the event, or from the Mangrove Hotel. Make sure you cover up and use insect repellent to protect yourself from the sandflies around the mudflats.
- The local markets in Broome are great for some casual food, coffee and local arts & crafts. The Broome Courthouse Markets at Hamersley Street take place every weekend from 8am- 1pm during the dry season. Every Thursday night, enjoy the Town Beach Markets starting at 5pm. Aligning with the Staircase to the Moon, there are also night markets at Town Beach on every full moon night from April to October.
- A great evening activity for the whole family is Broome’s outdoor cinema Sun Pictures on Carnarvon Street in Chinatown. This charming outdoor cinema is one of the oldest in Australia and worth a visit even just to check out the historic interior and decorations.
- More places of interest in Broome include the Dinosaur footprints at Gantheaume Point (today they are a replica as the originals were stolen) and the Chinese and Japanese Cemeteries.
- As you can see, there is much more to Broome than just Cable Beach! Of course, there are also many things to discover outside of Broome, for example the Horizontal Waterfalls, the Buccaneer Archipelago and the Pearl Farms on the Dampier Peninsula. Not to forget the beautiful and unique Kimberley Region with all its treasures waiting to be discovered! Browse our Kimberley Tours below to find out about our small group 4WD Tours, we would love to share our Kimberley experience with you!
