Feature by Fleur Bainger
Day one: winding down to Broome time
From 6am – Bask in the golden light of a Broome dawn while stretching into the sun warrior pose. Yoga is a ritual at Cable Beach Club Resort’s Chahoya Spa, and Buddha Sanctuary; and a restorative way to begin your escape. Whisper ‘namaste’ to the 3.5m tall crystal statue, which is positioned to enhance wellness and healing, then, once your muscles are supple and your mood serene, stroll through the leafy tropical gardens to breakfast.
Sunset camel ride on Cable Beach, Broome
9am – Give in to the call from the creamy sands of Cable Beach, less than a minute away. Cleanse your soles in the petticoat waves that are as gentle as the breeze, and after a mind-clearing walk along the car-free, southern end, bathe in the mineral-rich ocean and sense its balancing energy.
10.30am – Pad back to the resort’s adults-only pool for some pick-me-up lounge time. Grab a book, order something from the pool bar and relax. It’s a mobile phone-free zone and the peaceful air is perfumed with the heady scent of frangipani flowers.
12 noon – Indulge your holiday-induced calm with a treat: poolside lunch of local sardines with Persian fetta, or quinoa and tuna salad, delivered to your banana lounge. Drift into an afternoon siesta.
3pm – Stretch your limbs and readjust your sunglasses, it’s time to mosey over to the Chahoya Spa by L’Occitane. This is the only spa in Australia to partner with the luxury French brand, and the silky products meet the standard of nurturing here. Chahoya means pamper in Japanese; submit with a gentle footbath, followed by a long, stress-dissolving massage.
6pm – Float back to Cable Beach for an iconic sunset camel ride. It may seem touristy, but after five minutes loping rhythmically along the sand in quiet contemplation, you’ll realise why it’s so popular. It stills the mind, giving it space to drink in the coastal surrounds, readying you for the stunning sunset that happens as the camel train turns and plods gently through the shallows. Tip: like sundown, departure times vary.
8pm – In the fading peach light, order a cocktail at Sunset Bar and Grill before heading into the intimate, 28 seat Japanese restaurant, Zensai, for fresh sashimi and yaki-tori.
Gantheaume Point, Broome
Day two:
9am – A sleep in is deserved, but you can still venture to the Buddha Sanctuary for a moment of meditation in the peaceful garden. It’s open all day, should you want to adjust your inner compass.
12 noon – Head into nearby Broome town to order a green smoothie and raw lasagne at Broome Natural Wellness, where you can also top up your cacao nib supply. Wander around town, eyeing off the pearl boutiques, galleries and shops.
3pm – Meet Broome’s Dream Float experience, a natural therapy where you float inside a darkened pod, devoid of sensory distractions. Heated to skin temperature and saturated with salts and minerals, the liquid’s buoyancy encourages a profound state of mental and physical relaxation.
5pm – Breathe in the age and beauty of Gantheaume Point as you walk over eroded ochre rock and look for dinosaur prints – replicas of those found beyond the cliff edge or view the real thing aboard a hovercraft whisking you across the mudflats. Just being here can be meditative, especially if you stay for sunset. Alternatively, reverse the outlook by hiring a standup paddleboard from Broome Beach Hut and glide over transparent ocean and darting turtles.
7pm – Pull up a chair at the small bar meets open-air restaurant, The Aarli for Asian fusion dishes such as soba noodle and eggplant salad, or coconut battered threadfin salmon. The popular local spot’s excellent cocktails might test your healthful resolve.
Broome Hovercraft Eco Adventure Tours, Broome
Published August 2018.