Until 1979, the northwest Australian town of Broome was a pearling port and melting pot of cultures – Aborigine, Chinese, Japanese, Malaysian and Philippine. Then Lord Alistair McAlpine, property developer and ex-Conservative Party treasurer, built a hotel and a zoo there, and a few tourists trickled in.
Now, following the hoo-ha surrounding the launch of Australia, filmed in Kimberley to the west, the laid-back beach town is in the spotlight again.
Broome certainly isn’t short of attractions, from its magical setting (22km of pristine-white sand set between the red desert and aquamarine ocean) to its near-perfect climate (19-29°C, from autumn to spring).
Memorable activities include camel rides along Cable Beach, sundowners aboard old pearling luggers and starlit films at the open-air Sun Pictures Cinema. Not to mention standing in the 130-million-year-old footprints of dinosaurs and ‘climbing the staircase to the moon’, an illusory silver stairway on the mudflats that appears for three days after every full moon from March to October.
This season, two new hotels will broaden the town’s appeal further. Pinctada Cable Beach (pinctadacablebeach.com.au) is a 71-room, five-star resort in the style of an historic pearler’s residence, with butler service and a commitment to renewable energy. From July, visitors can also stay in self-sustaining luxury villas or tents at the new Eco Beach Wilderness Retreat (ecobeach.com.au) in Kimberley, one hour south of town.
Meanwhile, Sal Salis (salsalis.com.au), a new, six tented luxury camp on Ningaloo Reef, further down the coast, offers the opportunity to swim with whale sharks.
For more information, visit westernaustralia.com
British Airways flies and has codeshare flights to destinations throughout Australia. Book a flight on ba.com now.
Looking for an Australian hotel in the wilderness? Check out our five best outback hotels, from Queensland to the Kimberleys.
