{"id":19807,"date":"2013-03-04T07:10:41","date_gmt":"2013-03-03T21:10:41","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/?p=19807"},"modified":"2018-05-15T03:47:30","modified_gmt":"2018-05-14T17:47:30","slug":"beautiful-broome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/beautiful-broome\/","title":{"rendered":"Beautiful Broome"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The lastminute lovelies swap East for West with a luxe stay at the Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa.<\/strong>
\nAny hotel stay that starts with a glass of champagne on check-in is my kind of place. And so it seems the Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa<\/a> and I are going to get on just fine.
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

lastminute lovely Kirsty and I are lucky enough to be in Broome for the weekend. A two and a half hour flight from Perth, Broome is the southern gateway to the Kimberley, well known for its pearls and natural beauty including the iconic and Cable Beach and magnificent sunsets over the Indian Ocean.<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

While the rest of us were experimenting with hypercolour, UK Lord Alistair McAlpine bought up large amounts of Broome in the 80\u2019s, sparking a tourism-led revival of the town and establishment of Cable Beach Club resort. On behalf of all tourists, I say, thank you m\u2019Lord!<\/p>\n

Reaching the resort in the evening, the smiles keep on coming when we suss out our pool view studios. Modern and spacious and a few steps away from the pool (and poolside bar!) we\u2019re happy with our home away from home. Polished floorboards, king bed, deck with personal sunbed – what’s not to love.
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Stomachs grumbling, we make our way to the onsite Thai Pearl restaurant. Offering a delicious range of traditional and more modern dishes in a laidback setting, with the warmth in the air you can easily forget for a moment that you are in fact still in Australia, not Asia. (As a side note, Broome attracted Asian immigrants, lured by the promise of finding their fortune with pearls and the Asian influence is seen in the town today).<\/p>\n

Each dish hits the spot with fresh flavours but the \u2018Kra paw chicken\u2019 is the stand-out.
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Things to love about Broome:<\/strong><\/em> The people are sooooo friendly. Their easygoing nature will have you slipping into Broome-time in no time.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Rise and shine <\/strong>
\nWith a three-hour time difference to Sydney, I\u2019m up bright and early so decide to hit the gym. The well-equipped space ticks all the boxes for gym goers. With views of the gardens, it\u2019s actually a nice spot to train. While doing jumping squats, I even spot a joey jumping past in sync!
\nNext stop is breakfast at the beachside Sunset Bar and Grill.
\nCable Beach Club is the only resort in Broome located on Cable Beach so take advantage of that view!
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The buffet provides plenty of options including eggs, bacon, hash browns, pancakes, fruits, yoghurts, bircher and pastries.<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

It would be easy to sit back here for hours, nibbling on the fresh fruit and drinking pots of tea but I have a date…<\/p>\n

Hello relaxation <\/strong>
\nWhat\u2019s a resort getaway without pampering of some sort?
\nThe onsite Chahoya Spa has holiday relaxation all over it.
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Wandering past the water features lining the path to the entry, I can feel the stress slipping away already. Deciding on a remedial massage, my therapist Lily works her magic from head to toe and I float back to my villa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hot tip: <\/strong><\/em> The spa fills up quickly and is closed on Sundays so be sure to book in your treatment before you arrive, especially in peak season.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

If you want to continue the zen feeling, be sure to check-out the Buddha Sanctuary, believed to be one of the largest crystal Buddha statues in the world. Yoga classes are also hosted here on week days.
\nDid someone say pool time? <\/strong>
\nI love kids but when I hear the Cable Beach Club has a family pool and separate adults only \u2018Ocean Pool\u2019, I can\u2019t help but give them an extra tick of approval.
\nIt also has a no mobile phone policy so you can really switch off, pardon the pun.
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Nabbing a spot under an umbrella, we alternate between lazing the daybeds and cooling off in the lagoon style pool. We\u2019re on Broome time now \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

We order lunch and cocktails from the poolside bar. It would be rude not to.
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The fish and chips were a little on the greasy side (next time I\u2019d go the bucket of prawns) but regardless, there\u2019s just something about having your lunch delivered to your towel.<\/p>\n

Back-to-nature<\/strong>
\nPost deep-fry hit, we venture to the iconic Cable Beach. You can\u2019t help but be impressed by its sheer size and width. Stretching for 22 kilometres, it is absolutely huge.
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We dip our toes in and water is gorgeously warm. It is stinger season so you didn\u2019t catch us in there but many surfers were.<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

The rains are here! <\/strong>
\nBroome doesn\u2019t have a summer or winter. Rather it\u2019s defined by its dry season and wet season (and shoulder season).<\/p>\n

In the dry season (June to October), days are warm, evenings are mostly balmy and you\u2019ll enjoy clear blue skies by day and by night. Many visit during this peak period to escape the cooler weather in the other states.
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In the wet season (November to March), the days are hotter, there are isolated thunderstorms and occasional downpours (which provide welcome relief). Between January and March there is also the potential for cyclone activity…<\/p>\n

… Enter Cyclone Rusty.
\nWhile the cyclone didn\u2019t hit while we were there, thanks to Rusty hanging around WA, we did cop more rain than we would have liked which was a little unlucky (a fellow resort goer was there a couple of weeks early and had perfect weather).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hot tip: <\/strong><\/em> During the wet season, you\u2019ll score cheaper accommodation and less crowds (maybe wait for the forecast and book at the last minute). During peak season, you have the advantage of direct flights from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. So there are pro\u2019s and con\u2019s for both.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

In true lastminute lovely style, we don\u2019t let a little (or a lot of!) rain get in the way of having a good time.
\nHitting the (China)town <\/strong>
\nCatching the bus into Chinatown with our trusty resort umbrellas, we brave the puddles and find respite at a delicious tapas joint, called Aarli Bar. A casual yet stylish space, it\u2019s the perfect spot to base ourselves for a few hours of pinot grigio guzzling and tapas tasting.
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From \u2018Sashimi of yellow tail kingfish with wakame, sesame, chilli and ginger\u2019 to \u2018Crab cakes with sweet chilli & cucumber\u2019, and \u2018Crispy skin quail with cumber, pickled ginger & coriander salad\u2019 to \u2018Sugar cane prawns with ginger & lime syrup\u2019, the variety of flavours and textures keeps you coming back for more.<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

We can\u2019t resist dessert and share a \u2018Double chocolate brownie with vanilla bean ice-cream\u2019 (heavenly!) and the \u2018Watermelon, pomegranate, strawberry & mint salad with pistachio ice-cream (as refreshing as it sounds).<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Some might skip the outdoor movies on a night of torrential rain but not the lastminute lovelies!<\/p>\n

We couldn\u2019t miss out on the chance to visit Sun Pictures<\/a>, the world\u2019s oldest picture garden (as recognised by Guinness World Records). Opened in 1916 with a silent movie, the space was originally an Asia emporium.
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Given the weather, we were grateful to discover some undercover seating and settled into our low old-school sling seating. On a balmy Broome evening, grabbing a spot on the grass would be perfection but it\u2019s still a damn good option on a rainy one too.<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n\n\n\n
Things to love about Broome: <\/strong><\/em> It might be the biggest \u2018city\u2019 in the Kimberly but at its heart, it\u2019s still an outback town. Case in point, on our bus ride into town, the driver waited a couple of minutes for a man to finish his ice-cream cone so he could board. That doesn\u2019t happen in Sydney!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Lazy Sunday <\/strong>
\nWith our camel ride along Cable Beach cancelled due to the weather (a good excuse to plan a return visit \ud83d\ude09 ), we take the opportunity to further check-out the resort. And with 26 acres of gardens there\u2019s plenty to explore.
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Hot tip: <\/strong><\/em>If you do happen to get lost at the resort, look for the terracotta horses. They\u2019re scattered throughout the property and point in the direction on reception. Genius! (And greatly appreciated by this very average map reader).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Not many resorts strike the balance between romantic couples escape and family friendly getaway (without sabotaging the other) but Cable Beach Club gets it right.<\/p>\n

For the family market, spacious bungalows, play equipment, mini-golf, tennis courts and family pool (with poolside dining here too) will keep kids and parents happy.
\nCouples will love the private villas, adults only pool, quality dining options and bar.
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

For my return visit (yep, I\u2019m so going back), I\u2019ve got my eye on the villa with private plunge pool.<\/p>\n

If you really want to impress or perhaps for a honeymoon or special occasion, you can also add in a butler service. Posh!
\nMango Beer… don\u2019t mind if we do! <\/strong>
\nA trip to Broome isn\u2019t complete without a visit to Matso\u2019s Broome Brewery<\/a>.
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

With its traditional Aussie pub vibe, you can very comfortably settle in for a Sunday session.<\/p>\n

Most famous for its alcoholic ginger beer and mango beer, we sample both in the name of research and give them both a big thumbs up. I\u2019ll be seeking out stockists in Sydney, they were that good, and maybe even trying to track down their ciders too.
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Not to be outdone by the beverages, the modern Australian menu (with Asian influences, of course) doesn\u2019t disappoint. My grilled prawn salad (with a very generous serve of prawns) was light and fresh and the steak sandwich and burgers we saw came out of the kitchen also looked like winners.<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

It\u2019s the perfect way to farewell a fleeting visit to Broome.<\/p>\n

Is a trip to Broome on your travel wish list? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Nicole and Kirsty travelled to Broome as guests of Cable Beach Club Spa and Resort and Tourism WA. <\/em><\/h5>\n\"Aarli<\/a>\n
\n
Flights to Broome<\/a><\/div>\n
More hotels in Broome<\/a><\/div>\n
Experiences in WA<\/a><\/div>\n
Car Hire in WA<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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