THE ESSENTIAL DETAILS
When to go
The Kimberley cruise season runs March to October. Pick a time based on what appeals most: waterfalls are most dramatic from March to May; climate is most livable from June to August; whales are most visible from June to late September; and fishing is best in September and October.
Getting there
Most cruises start and finish in BROOME or WYNDHAM (via Kununurra), but DERBY and DARWIN are also launch ports for some itineraries. BROOME is the simplest and most popular departure hub, with major Australian airlines ( QANTAS and VIRGIN AUSTRALIA) servicing its international airport; it takes just under seven hours from Sydney (via Melbourne), 4.5 hours from Melbourne and 2.5 hours from Perth. There are direct flights to Darwin from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide; from Melbourne it takes about 4.5 hours, Perth takes 3.5 hours and Sydney takes 4.5 hours. Cruise companies will pick you up from your accommodation transferring you to the port, or for points closer to the sights, transfer is either by scenic flight or bus.
Where to stay
CABLE BEACH CLUB RESORT AND SPA (cablebeachclub.com) is the closest accommodation to the sand, its manicured, sculpture-speckled grounds leading to its SUNSET BAR AND GRILL the perfect spot for watching camel chains return from their evening beach strolls. THE BILLI (thebilli.com. au) sits back from the ocean, but its poolside safari tents and single-floor apartments create a resort feel. Meanwhile, KIMBERLEY SANDS RESORT AND SPA (kimberleysands.com.au), also a walk from the sea, has luxury, adults- only villas framed around a multi-zone pool.
What to do
BROOME is a characterful outback town facing the Indian Ocean and its 13-mile beach. It has a rich pearling history – the resulting migration transforming it into a multicultural oasis of welcoming people and diverse cultures and traditions. There’s plenty to justify a stop- over: browse pearl boutiques, spot Australian snubfin dolphins on a cruise in ROEBUCK BAY, take a hovercraft to see fossilized dinosaur footprints, walk through town on an Indigenous tour, and join one of Broome’s iconic camel treks along CABLE BEACH.