The first tour that I was able to arrange while I was in town is the Sightseeing Tour with Sunset Nibbles, the tour has option for camel ride, since I already experienced riding a camel once while I was in Northern Territory on my way to Red Centre, I preferred the tour with just enjoying the Sunset with snacks. The tour was just a half day, therefore I stayed in my room that morning trying my best to arrange my next adventure for my second or last day in town. I was picked-up in my hotel around 12:30 PM that day, after I had my lunch at the hotel. While looking at the route of the tour, I think it can be done using public transportation, or even by just walking around the town, but because I had limited time to explore things how to go around the town using public bus or even by bicycle, I ended up signing up for a tour. I recommend the tour for visitors with limited time but with ample days in town, it is better to walk or bike around Broome.
At the mini bus, I saw some of the visitors that joined the tour. And I can say, I was the youngest. I observed during my travels and adventures, most people who typically joined bus tour were senior people. And I think that was understandable, they are the one who usually can afford such kind of tour, young people always tries to think alternative ways to go around the tour in much cheaper price or even with no cost at all for adventures.
When we left the hotel, we moved towards Chinatown where it said to be former place of taverns during its old days but now filled with pearl showrooms, retail outlets and cafes. I can say that it’s the center of Broome.
Sun Pictures (Sun Picture Garden)
Our first stop was an old cinema. Looking from the outside it was a simple single building and showing some films that made an impression that it is indeed a cinema. The name of the cinema is called Sun Picture Garden or simply Sun Pictures. It is the world’s oldest operating open-air picture gardens and is open for the public to view its history. The cinema at that time was nearing to celebrate its centennial anniversary.
Cygnet Bay Shops
The next stop of the group is one of the city’s famed pearl shops called Cygnet Bay Shops where they do pearling culture business at Cygnet Bay. It is said that Cygnet Bay is the oldest in Australia when it comes to pearling industry. While at the shop, there was a presentation conducted and that time I saw for the first time the different pearls at hand. I also learned a bit about pearling culture business happening that surrounds Broome. Inside this shop, displays the most rare and perfect pearls produced from Cygnet Bay as the pearls achieved all the five grading of perfect pearls.
One of the rarest and most valuable pearl produced from Cygnet Bay
Japanese Cemetery
The cemetery itself has relation to the pearling industry that once boom in the town of Broome. Japanese were the Asian who immediately flocks in Broome with the hope to get some share of fortune that the pearling business will bring. These where most of the Japanese divers interment due to divers paralysis related diseases that hit them.
Matso’s Broome Brewery
This is a business in town that has lots of transformation. It have over 100 years of history where at first it was a first bank in Broome named “Union Bank of Australia Ltd” in 1910 and operational for four decades. Then, it became general store run by Matsumoto family where it said where the Matso’s name derived. Then, the general store became a cafe, micro-brewery and art gallery. Then, the micro-brewery became a full mash brewery which retains the restaurant where visitors can taste not only the food they offer but also their signature beers.
Cable Beach – (Southern Part)
When we reached Cable Beach as the last stop of the tour, one thing that I realized, it was long one beach, to be exact it is 22 km stretch of the shore facing East of Indian Ocean. The group tourist guide, prepared everything so we can have a great snacks while enjoying the sunset in southern part of Cable Beach. While waiting for the sunset, I did walk a bit near the shore, played a bit of my camera to take some photos to gamble a shot of the beach.
Cable Beach – (Northern Part)
Since I already featured the Cable Beach here, I included the photos that I captured at the second time of my visit, when I got a chance to visit walk the beach at the northern part where most of the visitors comes. There are more people in northern part of the beach because of restaurants nearby and because it close to most of the hotels, guesthouse and other accommodations.
