Top 10 things to do in Broome, Latest Travel News - The New Paper
Travel

Top 10 things to do in Broome

In June, SilkAir will be offering four return trial flights from S'pore to the multicultural resort town in Western Australia

Visit the perpetually sunny and multicultural resort town of Broome in the north-west of Western Australia and you will never want to leave.

A fusion of peacefulness, intriguing history and vivid indigenous culture, it also offers rugged natural beauty, like the spectacular wild landscapes of the Kimberley region.

Famous for being the pearling capital of Australia, Broome is also home to the world-famous white sands of Cable Beach, making it one of the state's most popular holiday destinations.

Next June, SilkAir will be offering four return trial flights from Singapore to Broome, which will take less than four hours each way and cut travel time by more than half.

Tickets are slated to go on sale early next year.

Here are the top 10 things to do in Broome:

1. Ride a camel at sunset on Cable Beach

Steer your camel along the pristine Cable Beach as a blazing sunset unfolds before your eyes.

As the sun sinks into the ocean, the sky lights up in powerful red and orange, matching the ochres of the region.

This early evening experience will stay with you long after the sun has gone down.

2. Relax with a beer at Matso's Broome Brewery

Enjoy a craft beer and a delicious meal at the iconic Matso's Broome Brewery, overlooking Roebuck Bay.

Choose from the wide range of award-winning beers, including Smokey Bishop dark lager, mid-strength Hit The Toad, Pearlers Pale Ale, Mango Beer or Matso's famous alcoholic Ginger Beer.

3. Visit the Japanese cemetery

Learn about Broome's fascinating pearling history at this immaculately maintained final resting place.

More than 900 pearl divers are interred in the Japanese cemetery alone. Their sacrifice helped build the town and their contribution is the stuff of legend. View the colourful beach rock headstones that stand in testament to the town's history.

4. Go pearl shopping in Chinatown

Browse the world's finest pearl showrooms and bring home a classic souvenir to wear forever.

Tour restored luggers in dry dock, learn about pearling history, watch a demonstration of old diving gear and sample pearl meat. A fascinating mix of colonial and Asian architecture, Chinatown is Broome's main shopping district.

Don't miss the Sunday markets at Johnny Chi Lane.

5. View indigenous art at Short Street Gallery

Explore the culture and history of the world's oldest continuous culture through the creative genius on display at Short Street Gallery in Chinatown.

The extensive collections highlight the varied and distinctive styles of the different Aboriginal tribal groups and provide artistic context to the achievements and tragedies of Indigenous Australia.

6. Tuck into a mud crab feast

Enjoy a banquet of local mud crab at Brizo Pool Bar and Cafe at Pinctada Cable Beach Resort and Spa or the much-loved Wharf Restaurant. A must for food lovers, mud crab is best served with lashings of chilli.

You can catch your own in a tidal estuary and have them cooked for you.

7. Examine dinosaur footprints at Gantheaume Point

See the colours of the region on this stretch of white sandy beach just a 10-minute drive from Broome.

Set against a red rock cliff overlooking the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, Gantheaume Point has interpretive signs that describe its history, including dinosaur footprints preserved in rock seen at low tide.

8. Look for treasures at Courthouse Markets

Shop for crafts, jewellery and fresh produce or just relax on the grass and listen to a didgeridoo performance.

Browse the stalls offering sparkling crystals, hand-blown or painted glass, lanterns and plates, clothes, scarves, photos, paintings and ceramics.

Chat to local tour operators and environmentalists about the wonders of Kimberley.

9. Camp in luxury 
at Eco Beach

An unforgettable wilderness experience awaits at the Eco Beach Resort, a 90-minute drive south of Broome.

Choose an opulent safari tent, villa or beach house accommodation and enjoy daily yoga sessions, spa treatments, stand-up paddle boarding, sea kayaking, whale-watching tours and fishing charters.

You can take a day trip on a 12-minute flight from Broome over stunning Roebuck Bay.

10. See natural wonders with the Horizontal Falls and Staircase to the Moon

Experience one of the world's most spectacular natural phenomena when massive tidal movements create a waterfall effect as they hurtle between two narrow coastal gorges.

Fly to Talbot Bay in the Buccaneer Archipelago by seaplane and land on the water before boarding a 600hp jet boat for an exhilarating ride through the Falls.

Located closer to town is the Staircase to the Moon. It occurs when the full moon rises over the exposed tidal flats of Roebuck Bay between March and October, creating an illusion that there is a staircase all the way to the moon.

tnp@sph.com.sg

TOURISM & TRAVEL