By Katie Williams
I’ve just returned from an amazing two week stay in the beautiful Broome, so trust me when I say I have all the things to tell you. I’ll start by answering some of the questions that are inevitably floating about your noggin.
1. How pricey are the flights?
When we booked, Virgin had a deal on – $236 each way.
2. Is it busy?
Yes. But if you’re smart and book in for dinners in advance you won’t find that the masses affect your time there at all. It felt busy, but not heaving. (Unless you go to Divers Tavern to watch an Eagles game – then it’s heaving).
3. Do I need a car?
Yep. It’s just the type of place where you need a car to get around – walking in that heat isn’t pleasant. If you don’t want to hire a car for your entire stay, plan well and just hire it for 3 or 4 days to get out to those further away spots. But like I said – busy. So book in plenty of time.
Now that those basics are our of the way, I can tell you about all the places you definitely have to eat at, and all the amazing things you have to do.
EATS IN BROOME
Zanders – For Breakfast, lunch and dinner with a killer view of Cable beach. Cocktails, seafood… all that good stuff. Plus some of the best service in Broome.
Green Mango – For breakfast and lunch. Must try the fritters and their fresh made juices!
The Dragonfly – For breakfast – specifically their eggs benny or the avo smash. Always busy but worth snagging a table.
The Mangrove Resort – A designated cocktail bar made this a solid favourite spot for lunch and a game of cards while overlooking Roebuck Bay.
The Wharf – for dinner, and some amazing seafood. Must try the chilli crab – don’t question me, just do it… And then you too could be as glamourous as me!
Matsos – If you’ve not heard of Matsos you may well have been living under a rock. This epic brewery based up in Broome have an awesome set up that brings all the chilled holiday vibes. The Broome heat will have you throwing back those refreshing Matsos ginger beers. Hot tip – go on a Tuesday night to enjoy open mic night and a buzz of life from other industry staff (mainly backpackers) all on a night off.
Divers Tavern – It’s a giant pub, with giant pub feeds. The atmosphere is great and there’s live music from time to time. The ribs were pretty bloody good.
IN TOWN
Sun Pictures – The World’s oldest working picture gardens. I absolutely loved this as I’ve never seen anything like it before! Two movies shown per night – 6:15pm and 8:30pm. A licenced bar with all your fave movie snacks, and a seat under the stars. Perfection.
Shopping – some faves I revisited a few times are Clifton Collective, Ripcurl, Shekki Swimwear and Barrels surf shop.
The Pearl Boutiques – Be prepared. You will fall in love with many many pretty things. Pearl boutiques such as Cygnet Bay Pearls, Allure South Sea Pearls and Willie Creek Pearls line Dampier terrace. Some, like Cygnet Bay, offer in store pearling experiences such as a live pearl harvest, pearl grading, and cultural experiences in partnership with Bart Pigram of Narlijia cultural tours.
A pint at the iconic Roey – It has to be done.
FOR THE BROOME VIEWS
Gantheaume Point – A dear friend of mine who used to live in Broome said to me, Katie, take a picnic and drive out to Gantheaume point for sunset. So I did. And it was completely magical. The rock formations and the colours are just so beautiful, what could be better than sitting there watching the sun set over the ocean while stuffing cheese and biscuits in your mouth? I ask you?
Roebuck Bay – You know all those photos of Broome with the mangroves and the slightly unbelievable turquoise water. That’s Roebuck Bay.
Cable Beach – Famous for being such a stretch of pristine coastline, Cable beach is such a hub of activity all day. The intense Kimberly tides mean early mornings are the best time to head for a walk – the tide is out, the sun isn’t quite torturous yet, and there’s plenty of room for all the people of Broome to get their morning steps in. Zanders is located here so if you want a cocktail while watching the sun set over the ocean be sure to get there a good hour before.
SMALL TOURS
Dinosaur footprints with Narlijia Cultural Tours – This you must do. Explore the Kimberly coastline with Bart Pigram and discover genuine fossilised dinosaur footprints while listening to the dreamtime stories that explain them. Such a rare and special thing to experience outside of a museum, this tour was a major hit with my Jurassic Park-loving husband, and an amazing one for kids too. The tour concludes looking out over Roebuck bay hearing all about the history of Barts family dating back to some of the first ever pearl luggers.
In house pearl tour at Cygnet Bay – Now, there is so much I need to tell you about Cygnet bay Pearl Farm. So much in fact, that there is an entire article on it’s way that is sure to make you fall in love and high tail it up there asap. In the meantime, if you’re looking for something to do closer to Broome, you can enjoy one of their in house tour options at the boutique in town.
Camel Ride – You’ve seen the post cards right? Sunset, cable beach, tourists atop a camel trying to look totally normal for a selfie? Well this could be you! It’s an iconic part of visiting Broome, and while clambering up such an animal is not for me, Red Sun Camels come highly recommended for all your camel beach walk needs.
OUT OF BROOME
Horizontal Falls – I know what you’re thinking… pricey right? Well in my humble opinion it was worth every penny. At around $800pp, we spent an entire day with GO Horizontal Tours discovering the Buccaneer Archipelago by air and sea… an are that we would never otherwise have been able to get near, and an experience of a lifetime. I’ll never forget it.
Full day Fishing Charter – I love a fishing charter, but unfortunately, my stomach does not. My intense sea sickness meant I had to skip this one. But Mitch assured my that his day out with Absolute Ocean Charters was a winner. He was also delivered back to me with two coral trout, a long nose emperor, a blue spot emperor, and more than a few beers in his belly. What else could you want from a fishing charter!?
Have you been up to Broome recently? Or are you heading there soon? Do you have an absolute favourite spot to eat or a tour that all of Perth needs to know about?
Let us know by tagging us on Instagram – @PerthHappenings #PerthHappenings
And if you’re feeling inspired and manage to visit any of these amazing spots up north be sure to let us know!
Did you love Katie’s Tour of Broome? Why not head to our dedicated WA Travel page- Your WA Tour Guide.
Originally published in 2020, updated in Jan 2023