The Pearl of Western Australia

When South Sea pearls were discovered near Broome in the 1800s, Japanese, Malay and Filipino divers came to seek their fortunes. Years later, the town is still a melting pot of cultures as intriguing as the landscape around it.

Cruise around with a four-wheel drive along the Gibb River Road to Kununurra, home to the Ord Valley Muster and near the beehive-striped Bungle Bungles of Purnululu National Park; then text the snaps and the OMGs to your friends and family back home. Or join us on a tour along the Dampier Peninsula—a rugged, spectacular coastal stretch dotted with small Aboriginal communities. For a real adventure, stay in an Aboriginal wilderness camp, a remote natural paradise where you can swim, snorkel, and fish.

Watching the sun sink into the sea on Cable Beach is a nightly ritual for almost all visitors to Broome. The most popular way to watch is from the back of a swaying camel, but you can also see it over the top of a cocktail (hopefully not swaying) from a beachside bar.