The Couple’s Guide to Broome

Sunsets over the water, glistening pearls, golden sands and a delicious dining scene make Broome a surprisingly romantic place to holiday. 

This relaxed, balmy beach town has a rich history and a unique set of things you can do with your better half. Immerse yourself in nature, go stargazing beneath clear skies, ride a camel along the beach at sunset, or venture into the spectacular Kimberley region – Broome is the starting point for so many unique adventures, and a brilliant place to make memories you’ll talk about for years to come. 

Use this couple’s guide to Broome to plan your next holiday, for just the two of you.

Pick up pearls

In the 1880s, the European settlement in Broome launched the town as a pearling port. Broome’s beautiful pearls and pinctada maxima, the mother-of-pearl shell, became known around the world and were used to make buttons, beautiful cutlery and more for high-class society in London, New York and Paris. 

The pearl industry continues today in Broome, and you can tour a working pearl farm, Willie Creek Farm, north of the town. If you don’t have time to visit the source, tour the dozen or so local jewellers in Chinatown and find beautiful creations made with local Broome pearls and Kimberley diamonds. 

Fly over the Kimberley region

Takes to the skies and soar high above the stunning Kimberley landscape with a small scenic flight. If you’re short on time, this is the best way to explore some of the most inaccessible places in north-western Australia and make memories you’ll always remember fondly. 

Pass over the famous Horizontal Falls and Buccaneer Archipelago, and soak up aerial views of the islands and the Dampier Peninsula coast with Air Kimberley.

Enjoy a romantic sunset camel ride at Cable Beach

Set on a peninsular between Roebuck Bay and the Indian Ocean, Broome is surrounded by golden sands and red rock beaches in all directions. The most stunning of all is Cable Beach, a 22 kilometre-long stretch of white sand. It’s here you can catch a magical sunset over the turquoise ocean as you ride a camel along the beach. 

Broome Camel Safaris, Red Sun Camels and Sundowner Camel Tours can all help you tick this romantic Broome experience off your bucket list.

Watch a movie under the stars at the world's oldest operating outdoor cinema

Sometimes old-fashioned fun is the best fun. Step back in time at Sun Pictures Broome, the world’s oldest operating outdoor movie theatre. The cinema officially opened in 1916 and has been providing Broome with the latest blockbuster hits ever since. 

Find a cosy slingback chair, grab a bucket of popcorn and enjoy a night at the pictures beneath open skies with your better half.

Sink local pints and paddles

What does a gin and tonic taste like when it’s made with monsoon rains and native botanicals? Drop into Moontide Distillery to sample the “spirit of Broome” – an artisanal range of gins. Swing by the distillery door with your loved one to work through a tasting paddle with a cheeseboard.

Afterwards, pass by the award-winning Matso’s Brewery to taste its famous mango beer or ginger beer. Australia’s most remote brewery has been crafting tasty beers since 1997, and when you pass through you can taste the full range, enjoy a special Broome spritz and pair everything with delicious food inspired by Broome’s long connection with Asia.

Sail into the sunset together

Soak up a famous Western Australia sunset aboard Willie, one of the last operating Pearl Luggers in Australia. Simply relax and take in the beautiful landscape and scenes unfolding before your eyes, or get hands-on – you can jump in the boom nets and help pull sails up the masts while the sun sets into the ocean. 

As you cruise, keep an eye out for turtles, seas snakes, dolphins, manta rays and more, and enjoy complimentary canapes. Now, this is the life!

Gaze at the Milky Way above Broome

Spend a magical evening peering into huge telescopes and looking up at the clear starry night sky above Broome. Hold hands with your partner as you witness how the Milky Way stretches from horizon to horizon, cascading a stream of stars across the universe. 

‘Space Gandalf’ – educational and entertaining local astronomer Greg Quicke, known for his prodigious beard – hosts 2.5-hour Astro Tours and shares his knowledge about the movements of the stars and planets.

Get to know Indigenous culture 

The Yawuru People have lived in this area for thousands of years, and you can spend a morning or afternoon getting to know their culture. 

Join Mabu Buru on a crocodile feeding tour in Broome, or learn from an Indigenous guide how the local Yawuru people look after Country with both traditional and scientific knowledge. You can also pull on gumboots and wade through the mangroves with Narlijia Experiences, learning about local plants, animals and bush tucker.

Indulge at the Broome Courthouse Markets

Is there anything better than souvenirs you can eat? Drop by the local Broome Courthouse Markets and spend the morning trawling the vibrant array of stalls, shopping for homewares, artisanal goods and foodie fare. 

Meet the producers and pick up locally-made gourmet foods every Saturday all year long, and on Sundays between April and October. 

Dine out in Chinatown

Once a rough frontier strip of corrugated tin pearling houses, wild west saloons, brothels, and illegal gambling houses, Broome’s centre – or Chinatown – is now the heart of the town. Here you’ll find the recently renovated strip loaded with the best restaurants, offering everything from Thai and Balinese to Chinese and Indian cuisine. 

Whether you’re craving Middle Eastern flavours or Vietnamese soup, a great pub meal or classic cafe fare, you’ll find it here.

Need somewhere to stay? Oaks Cable Beach Sanctuary is a stunning resort close to Cable Beach, while Oaks Broome is located right in the heart of town.