Getting to Broome
We travelled to Broome as it was the starting point for a ten-day four-wheel drive safari through the Kimberley region. It took us three plane flights to reach Broome. The first flight was from Newcastle to Sydney, then Sydney to Perth and finally Perth to Broome. Yes, Broome is remote and hard to get to but is worth the effort.
We were met at the airport by a shuttle bus driver who took us to our accommodation at Cable Beach Resort where we stayed for two nights. Arriving late in the evening, and after a long day of travel, we had a meal and went to bed.
Cable Beach
After a fantastic breakfast early the next morning, we walked along Cable Beach which was right next to the hotel.There were already a few people there, but the beach is so big, it was really pleasant. People were in the water swimming, or paddle boarding and a few were fishing.
We wandered along the beach for a while and scrambled over some rocks at the north end of the beach, before returning to our room and getting ready for the day.
Broome Visitor Centre
We caught the hotels shuttle bus into town and went to the tourist information centre. We were looking for something different to do, as we had little time, and wanted to do something besides just walking up the main street.
Best seen at low tide, one of the big attractions is the dinosaur footprints, and as this was in the evening when we had a camel ride already booked we had to give them a miss. For the same reason the World War Two flying boat wrecks were also off the list. One of the friendly staff at the information centre suggested a tricycle motorbike ride around town with Coastal Trike Rides. We phoned him up, he was free that afternoon, so we booked it in.
Town Walk
From the information centre we walked to the main street and spent some time looking around the pearl sellers and other shops. By this time, we wanted a coffee, so we chose a café and relaxed in the air conditioning for a while.
Broome is famous for its pearls and there is a whole row of shops dedicated to them. If you like pearls, you will love Broome. Pearl Luggers on Dampier Terrace helps to preserve the history of pearling in Broome by displaying two old pearling luggers and artifacts. The boats are interesting to look at and walk over, particularly the Sam Male, which is in the best condition. In the grounds is an old-style dive helmet, which, if you are brave can put your head inside. There are no guarantees given you won’t get stuck.
Tricycle Motorbike Tour
After lunch, our guide picked us up for the tricycle ride around town. Passengers get headphones and a microphone so that you can talk to the driver, listen to the commentary and ask questions. The trip took us all over Broome, from the residential areas, shopping district, airstrip, beaches and surrounding areas. Throughout the ride, we had a great overview of the town and its history. We ended at Cable Beach where it looked as if most of the town had gone to spend the evening.
Cable Beach Sunset Camel Ride
We finished our day’s adventures with a sunset camel ride with Red Sun Camels. This was the highlight of our stay. The guides greeted us with a beer or glass of champagne and then introduced us to our camels. Getting on the camels was easy, as there was a platform to walk onto where we simply sat on the camels. None of the wondering if you are going to fall off when the camel stands up, as it already is. Our guides then led us up the beach, where we got to watch the sun set over the ocean.
Our stay in Broome was short but very enjoyable. What else would we do if we had time? There is a plane flight to Mitchell Falls, that would be great. Timing the trip for tides to see the dinosaur footprints and flying boat wrecks would be a good idea and booking the hovercraft ride in advance to see both would be ideal.
Our timing was determined by our follow on four-wheel drive trip, so matching dates for the tides was not possible.
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