It's not the nearest place to go but with regular two-and-half-hour flights from Perth, the coastal pearling town of Broome is hardly inaccessible now.
Certainly it is one of Western Australia's more popular destinations and with mostly fine weather from autumn through to spring, with highs of 29°C in mid-winter, Broome is a year-round holiday drawcard.
When you think of Broome, what quickly come to mind are camel treks on Cable Beach, miles of white sand by a clear blue sea, and a town that continues to be a source of quality Australian pearls known throughout the world as South Sea pearls.
Broome is this, and more.
Pearl diving
Pearling in the sea off Broome started in the 1880s, reaching a peak in the early 1900s when Broome supplied 80 per cent of the world's mother-of-pearl.
Many of the early pearlers came from Japan and the Japanese influence is still apparent in town.
But pearl diving has always been a dangerous occupation and Broome's Japanese Cemetery attests to the fate to which many divers have succumbed.
Pearl farming
Today, through advanced technologies and the institution of pearl farming, Broome supplies four to five per cent of the world's pearls but these comprise about 70 per cent of the world's quality pearls.
The visitor to Broome will find pearl shops along Dampier Terrace and Short and Carnarvon Sts in Chinatown.
Staircase to the Moon
From October to March, when the conditions are right, you can see the Staircase ot the Moon when lights shimmer from the beach in a ripple pattern towards the full moon. This natural phenomenon occurs on about three nights each month.
Tours and cruises
There are various tours and cruises available in Broome, including those on a hovercraft and on a pearling lugger.
You can join organised bushwalks or go on cycling (bicycle and motorbike) adventures.
Check out Broome activities, and other attractions, at the tourist bureau on Broome Rd.
Historical museum
The Broome Historical Society Museum on Saville St contains information and exhibits on the history of Broome and its pearling industry.
And for the most part
And for the most part, visitors travel to Broome for its extremely popular Cable Beach.
Next page: Cable Beach
