Broome, Broome, Broome, make my heart go boom, boom, boom.
Are there any Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century fans out there?
Well, Broome is definitely one of our Australian SuperNovas. Western Australia isn’t typically on the itinerary of most people visiting, but it should be, and Broome should reside towards the top of the list.
Here are 10 things you shouldn’t miss when you visit:
Broome Town Trike Tour
If you want a great introduction to Broome, look no further than this tour. It is wonderful by itself, but when you add on the trike, it reaches a new level. We learned about the pearling industry, the reason Broome has a China Town, the wreckage WWII left in Broome, and a quirky story about a piece of land won through gambling. The best tours allow us to really appreciate the places we go and this tour did exactly that. If, for some reason, you are unable to do this tour, there is another way to learn a bit about the history of Broome. You can download the free Jetty to Jetty App, which shows videos and provides information and maps for you to give yourself a tour around the city.
It’s funny how a tour so good could make us so bad…to the bone.
Eat at Green Mango
We have been traveling for three months now and the Green Mango provided us, finally!, with some delicious food. I had the best burger we’ve had abroad and Ben’s Reuben wasn’t just deli sliced corned beef, but shredded corned beef. So good! Add in the nice, relaxed environment, delicious juices and smoothies, and a crazy good coffee bar, and it’s easy to see why we loved it so much.
Pearl Luggers Tour
Broome’s pearling history is fascinating. This tour provides not only information but artifacts which tell the story of how Broome went from supplying some of the biggest fashion houses in the world with buttons, to losing nearly everything before getting into cultured pearls. See, and feel, the extremely heavy gear men were required to wear in order to get the shells from the sea floor and have all of your questions answered by the knowledgeable staff. An incredible tour worth every penny.
These boots, made of lead, brass, and wood, weighed up to 34 pounds each!
Fossilized Dinosaur Footprints
Have you ever seen dinosaur footprints? Real dinosaur footprints? We hadn’t either; until Broome. There are thousands of these footprints which can be found at many places around town.
One of the many fossilized dinosaur footprints we saw dotting the coast in Broome.
Sunset at Gantheaume Point
Gantheaume Point is one of the places where you can find dinosaur footprints. It is also stunningly beautiful, so make sure to get there before the sun sets so you can take in the red rocks and the turquoise sea. Then, find a place amongst the rocks and set up a picnic as you watch the sun slip away.
No caption needed…
Good Cartel
If you are looking for incredible coffee, juices and delicious food, look no further than Good Cartel. Located at the back of a movie theater its location is a bit weird, but you shouldn’t be deterred. It also has free wifi, a hot commodity in Australia.
Cable Beach
Bring your chairs and umbrellas, or rent them, and spend some time on this beautiful beach. Just remember the sun is incredibly strong here. Both Ben and I got sunburned even with sunscreen and sitting in the shade (though that may not be saying much…)!
View of Cable Beach – we’re relaxed just looking at it!
Matso’s Brewery
Anytime we told an Aussie we were headed to Broome, they made us promise we would head to Matso’s. Matso’s is well known across Australia for unique beers like their popular Mango and Ginger Beers while also mixing these with spicy chili versions. While they weren’t our favorites, it was fun to try some of their different flavors.
Mango, ginger, and chili beer – oh my!
Mangrove Hotel
We were talking with two bartenders at our campground in Fitzroy Crossing and when we told them we were headed to Broome, they both said we had to check out the Mangrove Hotel. This beautiful property overlooks the water and is a fabulous place to grab a drink, or several, and enjoy the view. Sunsets here are not to be missed!
The view from the outdoor bar area is even better with a cold drink in your hand.
Sun Pictures
You can’t leave Broome without taking in a movie at the world’s oldest operating picture gardens, more than 100 years old. The chairs are still the originals and watching a movie under the stars is never a bad plan. Even when a lizard is constantly running across the screen, and you get pooped on by a big flying creature. Ben and I are still arguing whether it was a bird or a bat.
For being more than 100 years old, the chairs were surprisingly comfortable.
