Broome

Broome is a remote pearling town on the far north-west coast of Western Australia, where the red dirt of the Kimberley meets the turquoise Indian Ocean. Famous for its 22-kilometre sweep of white sand at Cable Beach, its extraordinary pearling history, and its role as the gateway to the wild Kimberley region, Broome is one of Australia's most distinctive and atmospheric destinations.

Cable Beach is the heart of Broome — a vast expanse of pristine white sand backed by red cliffs and washed by warm tropical water. The classic Broome experience is a camel ride along the beach at sunset, with a string of camels silhouetted against the glowing sky. It's become one of the most photographed scenes in Australia, and for good reason.

Broome's pearling heritage runs deep. In the early 1900s the town supplied most of the world's mother-of-pearl, and divers came from Japan, Malaysia, China, and the Philippines, giving Broome a uniquely multicultural character that survives today. The historic Chinatown district, the Japanese cemetery, and the pearl showrooms all tell this story, and pearl farm tours explain how the industry works now.

One of Broome's most famous natural phenomena is the Staircase to the Moon. On full-moon nights between roughly March and October, the rising moon reflects off the exposed mudflats of Roebuck Bay at low tide, creating the illusion of a golden staircase leading up to the moon. The event draws crowds to Town Beach, where night markets spring up to mark the occasion.

At Gantheaume Point, 130-million-year-old dinosaur footprints are visible in the rocks at very low tide, and the red cliffs against the blue sea are spectacular at any time. Sun Pictures, the world's oldest operating outdoor cinema, has been screening films in Broome since 1916 and is a wonderful way to spend a warm tropical evening.

Broome is also the launching point for adventures into the Kimberley — one of the last great wilderness areas on the planet. Day trips and multi-day tours run to the Horizontal Falls, the Buccaneer Archipelago, and the rugged Dampier Peninsula, while the legendary Gibb River Road stretches inland toward Kununurra.

The best time to visit is the dry season, from April to October, when the weather is warm and rainfall is minimal. Broome is remote — reaching it usually means a flight or a long drive — so many travellers make it the highlight of a Kimberley tour, and Dundee Adventure's trips combine Broome with the surrounding wilderness.