--- title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Broome, Australia | Wimup" description: "The 10 best things to do in Broome: a Cable Beach camel ride, Gantheaume Point dinosaur tracks, Sun Pictures, the pearl luggers and the Staircase to the Moon." url: https://wimup.com/city/broome type: City guide updated: 2026-10-13 publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com) --- # Top 10 Things To Do in Broome Broome, Australia · Oceania · By Wimup Editorial, 12 min read Broome grew rich on pearl shell, and the town still shows it: Japanese graves by the port, luggers on Dampier Terrace, a 1916 open-air cinema in Chinatown. Spring tides run to about 10 metres, so plan days by the tide table and evenings by the Cable Beach sunset. ## Quick answer Broome is a pearling town on Yawuru Country at the south-west edge of the Kimberley, in a shire of about 17,000 people. Come in the dry season, May to October. Ride a camel on Cable Beach at sunset, find the dinosaur tracks at Gantheaume Point on a low tide, walk Chinatown to the pearl luggers, see a film at Sun Pictures and, around a full moon, watch the Staircase to the Moon. ## Quick facts - **Best months:** May–Oct - **Ideal length:** 4–5 days - **Budget per day:** A$180–350 - **Language:** English - **Getting around:** TransBroome buses, taxis & a hire car - **Tourism board:** [↗ Website](https://www.visitbroome.com.au/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## The 10 best things to do in Broome ### 1. Ride a camel along Cable Beach at sunset Beach · Cable Beach, Broome, Western Australia Cable Beach runs 22 km and takes its name from the telegraph cable to Java that came ashore here in 1889. Camel trains walk the sand at sunset; in the dry season the rides book out weeks ahead, so reserve before you fly. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Paid ride - **Best at:** Sunset - **Tip:** Book weeks ahead May–Oct Links: [Website](https://www.visitbroome.com.au/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 2. Find the dinosaur tracks at Gantheaume Point Lookout · Gantheaume Point, Broome, Western Australia Red pindan cliffs drop to the sea at the south end of Cable Beach, and the reef below holds dinosaur footprints about 130 million years old. They show only at very low tide; casts on the clifftop stand in when the water is up. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Low tide, then sunset - **Tip:** Check the tide table first Links: [Website](https://www.westernaustralia.com/au/attraction/gantheaume-point/56b266f0aeeeaaf773cf9b09?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 3. Watch the Staircase to the Moon over Roebuck Bay Lookout · Town Beach, Robinson Street, Broome, Western Australia On a few evenings around each full moon from March to October, the moon rises over the bare mudflats and its light breaks into steps. Town Beach is the place to watch, and a night market runs there on many of those evenings. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Full moon, Mar–Oct - **Tip:** Get the dates from the visitor centre Links: [Website](https://www.visitbroome.com.au/info/staircase-to-the-moon-dates?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 4. See a film under the sky at Sun Pictures Heritage cinema · Sun Pictures, Carnarvon Street, Chinatown, Broome Sun Pictures opened on 9 December 1916 and is billed as the oldest working picture garden in the world. You sit in deckchairs under the stars, and the cinema lies under the airport approach, so jets pass low over the screen. - **Time:** 2–3 hr - **Cost:** Cinema ticket - **Best at:** Dry-season evenings - **Tip:** Bring insect repellent Links: [Website](https://www.westernaustralia.com/au/attraction/sun-pictures/695e471c30245c9c56d05a40?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 5. Walk the rows of the Japanese Cemetery Heritage · Japanese Cemetery, Port Drive, Broome, Western Australia The largest Japanese cemetery in Australia, begun in 1896, holds about 919 people in 707 graves, most of them pearl divers. A stone obelisk remembers the men drowned in the 1908 cyclone. Go early, before the heat. - **Time:** 45 min - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Early morning - **Tip:** The Chinese cemetery is next door Links: [Website](https://www.westernaustralia.com/en/attraction/japanese-cemetery/56b2669d2880253d74c4eba9?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 6. Board a restored lugger at Pearl Luggers Pearling · Pearl Luggers, 31 Dampier Terrace, Chinatown, Broome Two original pearling luggers sit on a replica tidal jetty on Dampier Terrace. The 90-minute tour covers the diving years, passes round pearl shell and ends with a taste of pearl meat. Call ahead for the day’s times. - **Time:** 1.5 hr - **Cost:** Tour ticket - **Best at:** Late morning - **Tip:** Call the office for tour times Links: [Website](https://www.visitbroome.com.au/pearl-luggers?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 7. Walk Chinatown down to Streeter’s Jetty Heritage · Streeter’s Jetty, Dampier Terrace, Chinatown, Broome Chinatown, between Carnarvon Street and Dampier Terrace, was the pearling town’s commercial heart, and pearl showrooms still line it. Take Johnny Chi Lane to Streeter’s Jetty, in use by 1897, and go when the creek is full. - **Time:** 1.5 hr - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** High tide - **Tip:** Low tide leaves the jetty on mud ### 8. Read the town’s story at the Broome Historical Museum Heritage museum · Broome Historical Museum, 67 Robinson Street, Broome Partly housed in the old Customs House near Town Beach, the museum covers pearling, the Japanese crews and the 1942 raid that destroyed 15 flying boats in the bay. Hours shrink in the wet season, so check before you go. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Entry ticket - **Best at:** Morning - **Tip:** Check seasonal hours Links: [Website](https://broomemuseum.org.au/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 9. See pearls farmed at Willie Creek Pearling · Willie Creek Pearl Farm, Broome, Western Australia A working pearl farm about 38 km north of town, where guides show how a cultured pearl is seeded, grown and harvested. The access road is partly unsealed, so take the coach transfer unless you have a 4WD. - **Time:** Half day - **Cost:** Tour ticket - **Best at:** Morning - **Tip:** Take the coach transfer Links: [Website](https://williecreekpearls.com.au/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 10. Watch the shorebirds at Broome Bird Observatory Wildlife · Broome Bird Observatory, Crab Creek Road, Roebuck Bay BirdLife Australia runs this base on Roebuck Bay, about 25 km east of town, on a Ramsar wetland used by over 300,000 waders a year. For many it is the first Australian landfall from Asia. Come on a rising tide, when flocks push close. - **Time:** Half day - **Cost:** Varies - **Best at:** Rising high tide - **Tip:** Check the tide table Links: [Website](https://birdlife.org.au/places/broome-bird-observatory/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## Best pearling & heritage in Broome The shell paid for Broome. These are the places that tell how. 1. **Pearl Luggers** (Tour · 90 min · Chinatown): Two restored luggers and a taste of pearl meat on Dampier Terrace. 2. **Japanese Cemetery** (Cemetery · since 1896 · Port Drive): About 919 people in 707 graves, most of them divers. 3. **Sun Pictures** (Outdoor cinema · Chinatown): Deckchairs under the sky since 1916, with jets passing overhead. 4. **Broome Historical Museum** (Museum · Customs House · Old Broome): Pearling, the crews and the 1942 air raid, by Town Beach. 5. **Streeter’s Jetty** (Jetty · best at high tide · Chinatown): A pearl dealers’ jetty into the mangroves, in use by 1897. 6. **Broome Court House** (Heritage building · Old Broome): The 1889 cable station, with markets in its gardens on Saturdays. ## Best beaches & lookouts in Broome Sunset faces the Indian Ocean side; the moonrise faces the bay. 1. **Cable Beach** (Beach · Indian Ocean · Cable Beach): Twenty-two kilometres of white sand, with lifeguards and camels. 2. **Gantheaume Point** (Lookout · south of Cable Beach · Minyirr): Red cliffs, a lighthouse and dinosaur tracks at low tide. 3. **Town Beach** (Beach · Roebuck Bay · Old Broome): The Staircase to the Moon spot, with a jetty and water park. 4. **Entrance Point** (Point · by the port · Port): The mouth of Roebuck Bay by the port, with a boat ramp. 5. **Reddell Beach** (Beach · cliffs · Minyirr): Red cliffs south of Gantheaume, inside the Yawuru conservation park. ## Best restaurants & bars in Broome Bay seafood, Asian cooking from the pearling years, and cold beer. 1. **Matso’s Broome Brewery** (Brewery · since 1997 · Roebuck Bay): A brewpub over Roebuck Bay. Order the ginger beer. 2. **Roebuck Bay Hotel** (Pub · live music · Chinatown): The Roey: Chinatown’s pub since 1890, with live bands in the Oasis Bar. 3. **The Aarli** (Modern Australian · Town): Share plates on a terrace under a giant frangipani. 4. **Good Cartel** (Cafe · Town): Coffee, burgers and sushi bowls, with a drive-through queue. 5. **The Wharf** (Seafood · Port): Barramundi wings and whole reef fish at the port. 6. **Mr Saigon** (Vietnamese · Town): The town’s Vietnamese kitchen, a regular local pick. ## Best nature & wildlife in Broome Shorebirds, tidal flats and the bush Yawuru manage inside town. 1. **Broome Bird Observatory** (Birding · Ramsar site · Roebuck Bay): BirdLife’s base on Roebuck Bay, 25 km east of town. 2. **Roebuck Bay** (Marine park · Roebuck Bay): A marine park managed with Yawuru, its flats bared by huge tides. 3. **Minyirr Park** (Bush · walking trails · Cable Beach): Yawuru conservation land behind the Cable Beach dunes. 4. **Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park** (Wildlife park · Broome Highway): Saltwater crocodiles and other wildlife, 16 km out of town. ## Best day trips in Broome Pearl farms, a mission church and a seaplane to the tidal falls. 1. **Willie Creek Pearl Farm** (Pearl farm · half day · North of Broome): A working farm 38 km north; take the coach in. 2. **Beagle Bay** (About 100 km north · Dampier Peninsula): Sacred Heart Church, built in 1917 by Aboriginal people and Pallottine monks. 3. **Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm** (Dampier Peninsula · overnight · Dampier Peninsula): Australia’s oldest operating pearl farm, set up in 1946. 4. **Horizontal Falls** (Scenic flight · full day · Talbot Bay): Seaplane flights to the tidal falls in Talbot Bay. ## Best neighborhoods in Broome Two centres, about a bus ride apart: the beach and the old town. 1. **Cable Beach** (Resorts · West): Resorts, the sunset and the camels, west of town. 2. **Chinatown** (Town centre · Dampier Creek): Pearl showrooms, Sun Pictures and most restaurants. 3. **Old Broome** (Residential · Roebuck Bay): Quieter streets by Town Beach, the museum and the courthouse. ## Best camel tours in Broome Three operators share Cable Beach, and sunset rides sell out weeks ahead in the dry season. 1. **Sundowner Camel Tours** (Afternoon and sunset · Cable Beach): Among the first on the beach in the 1990s; yellow saddle mats. 2. **Camels in Blue** (Three ride times · Cable Beach): Morning, pre-sunset and sunset rides. 3. **Red Sun Camels** (Sunset · Cable Beach): A one-hour ride timed to the sunset. ## Festivals & annual events in Broome (2026) - **Broome Pride Mardi Gras** (Feb – Mar): A pride festival at the Roebuck Bay Hotel, closing in early March. - **Staircase to the Moon** (Mar – Oct): Full-moon rises over the mudflats, with night markets at Town Beach. - **Broome Fringe Festival** (Jun – Jul): Local and touring acts across town in late June and early July. - **Broome race season** (Jun – Aug): Eleven weeks of racing at the Gantheaume Point track. - **Broome Cup** (Aug): The season finale, on a Saturday in mid-August after Ladies Day. - **Opera Under the Stars** (Aug): A one-night open-air concert under the dry-season sky. - **Shinju Matsuri** (Aug – Sep): The Festival of the Pearl: 17 days in 2026, with a float parade. - **Broome Mango Festival** (Nov): Lions Club weekend at the end of November: tastings and chef cook-offs. ## Must-try dishes in Broome, Australia - **Pearl meat**: The pearl oyster’s muscle, a pricey local delicacy. - **Barramundi**: Grilled or roasted whole on most menus in town. - **Threadfin salmon**: Roebuck Bay’s prize catch, back in numbers since netting ended in 2013. - **Mud crab**: Caught on the mangrove flats; crabbing trips run on the bay. - **Gubinge**: A tart native plum from the Dampier Peninsula, very high in vitamin C. - **Mango**: The fruit the town throws a festival for each November. - **Mango beer**: Matso’s fruit beer, brewed in town. - **Ginger beer**: Matso’s alcoholic ginger beer, its best-known pour. ## Broome transport & airports - **Broome International Airport** (BME): Qantas and Virgin Australia fly direct to Perth in about 2 hours 40 minutes. The airport sits inside the town, a short taxi ride from Chinatown. - **TransBroome bus** (BUS): The state took over the town route in August 2025. It links Cable Beach, Chinatown and Town Beach; check TransRegional for times. [Official website](https://www.transregional.wa.gov.au/broome?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Hire car and 4WD** (CAR): A car opens Gantheaume Point, Willie Creek and the Dampier Peninsula. The Cape Leveque Road is sealed; many side tracks still need a 4WD. - **On foot** (WALK): Chinatown, the museum and Town Beach are walkable from each other. Cable Beach is a bus or taxi ride, and the midday heat argues for both. ## Broome at a glance - **Country:** Australia - **Region:** Western Australia · the Kimberley - **Population:** 16,959 Shire of Broome (2021) - **Founded:** Gazetted 1883 · Yawuru Country long before - **Nickname:** Rubibi, its Yawuru name - **Language:** English - **Currency:** Australian dollar (A$) - **Time zone:** AWST · UTC+8 - **Calling code:** +61 8 - **Airports:** BME - **Power:** 230V · Type I - **Emergency:** 000 ## Interesting facts - Cable Beach is named for the telegraph cable to Java that came ashore there on 26 February 1889. - The 1889 cable station is now the Broome Court House, and its gardens host the Saturday markets. - Spring tides in Roebuck Bay rise and fall by about 10 metres and bare around 160 km² of mudflats. - On 3 March 1942 Japanese fighters destroyed 15 flying boats in Roebuck Bay; wrecks show at extreme low tides. - In April 2006 the Federal Court recognised the Yawuru as native title holders over Broome and its surrounds. ## Broome travel FAQ ### How many days do you need in Broome? Four to five. One day for Cable Beach and Gantheaume Point, one for Chinatown, the luggers and the museum, a morning at Willie Creek, a night at Sun Pictures and, with time, a day up the Dampier Peninsula. ### When is the best time to visit Broome? The dry season, May to October: warm days, cool nights and little rain. November to April is hot, humid and wet, cyclones peak from January to March, and some attractions cut their hours. ### Is it safe to swim at Cable Beach? Swim between the flags in the patrolled section. From November to May box and Irukandji jellyfish are a risk: wear a full-length stinger suit, obey closures and use the vinegar stands if stung. ### When can you see the Staircase to the Moon? On a few evenings around each full moon from March to October, when the moon rises over the bared mudflats. The Broome Visitor Centre publishes the dates and times each year. Town Beach is the main place to watch. ### How do you get to Broome? Fly. Qantas and Virgin Australia run direct flights from Perth in about 2 hours 40 minutes, and the airport sits inside the town. Driving up from Perth takes several days. ## Nearby guides - [Labuan Bajo](https://wimup.com/city/labuan-bajo.md): Indonesia · 10 picks - [Dili](https://wimup.com/city/dili.md): Timor-Leste · 10 picks - [Ubud](https://wimup.com/city/ubud-bali.md): Indonesia · 10 picks - [All of Oceania →](https://wimup.com/oceania): 22 cities Part of the [Australia guide](https://wimup.com/country/australia.md) · [Oceania](https://wimup.com/oceania.md) ## Sources - [Broome tourism board](https://www.visitbroome.com.au/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Find the dinosaur tracks at Gantheaume Point (official site)](https://www.westernaustralia.com/au/attraction/gantheaume-point/56b266f0aeeeaaf773cf9b09?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Watch the Staircase to the Moon over Roebuck Bay (official site)](https://www.visitbroome.com.au/info/staircase-to-the-moon-dates?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [See a film under the sky at Sun Pictures (official site)](https://www.westernaustralia.com/au/attraction/sun-pictures/695e471c30245c9c56d05a40?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Walk the rows of the Japanese Cemetery (official site)](https://www.westernaustralia.com/en/attraction/japanese-cemetery/56b2669d2880253d74c4eba9?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Board a restored lugger at Pearl Luggers (official site)](https://www.visitbroome.com.au/pearl-luggers?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Read the town’s story at the Broome Historical Museum (official site)](https://broomemuseum.org.au/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [See pearls farmed at Willie Creek (official site)](https://williecreekpearls.com.au/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Watch the shorebirds at Broome Bird Observatory (official site)](https://birdlife.org.au/places/broome-bird-observatory/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [TransBroome bus (official site)](https://www.transregional.wa.gov.au/broome?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.