Broome

A gateway town to Western Australia's Kimberley, with camel rides at sunset over the Indian Ocean on Cable Beach, the Staircase to the Moon phenomenon and a rich pearling history.

Broome lies in the southwest corner of the Kimberley region in northern Western Australia, a gateway town to the Kimberley wilderness about 2,200 km from Perth. From the late 19th century it was the world's leading source of mother-of-pearl shell and South Sea pearls, attracting migrants from Japan, China, Malaya, the Philippines and elsewhere and giving the town a diverse Asian flavor.

Key areas: first, the town center, home to Chinatown, Sun Pictures, the Pearl Luggers museum, Streeter's Jetty and the Courthouse Markets; second, the Roebuck Bay side, with Town Beach, the Broome Historical Museum, Matso's Brewery, the Broome Port jetty and the Japanese Cemetery — at full moon you can see the Staircase to the Moon; third, Cable Beach, Minyirr Park, Gantheaume Point and the red rocks of Reddell Beach to the west; fourth, the surrounding area, with the Broome Bird Observatory, the Crocodile Park, Willie Creek Pearl Farm, and Coconut Wells and James Price Point to the north. A seaplane day trip can take you to the Horizontal Falls about 300 km away; Cape Leveque on the Dampier Peninsula usually requires an overnight stay and is not included.

Climate: the May–Oct dry season is sunny and warm, the peak tourist season; the Nov–Apr wet season is hot, humid and rainy, with frequent cyclones, some attractions close and box jellyfish are present in the sea. Getting there: flights from Perth to Broome take about 2.5 hours; a loop bus runs around town, and renting a car is recommended for trips out of town. Allow 3–4 days. Protect yourself against sun and mosquitoes, and heed crocodile warnings at the coast.

Top sights

• Cable Beach – A white sand beach stretching 22 kilometers, famous for camel trains silhouetted against the sunset over the Indian Ocean. It is Broome's m…
• Gantheaume Point – A headland of red sandstone cliffs set against the turquoise Indian Ocean, with dinosaur footprints around 130 million years old preserved…
• Town Beach (Staircase to the Moon) – A small beach on Roebuck Bay where the rising full moon lights up the exposed mudflats to form the 'Staircase to the Moon', with a night ma…
• Chinatown Broome – A historic quarter once home to Asian migrant workers during the pearling era, where corrugated-iron houses and timber verandahs still stan…
• Sun Pictures – An open-air cinema opened in 1916, believed to be the oldest open-air cinema still operating in the world. Aircraft occasionally fly low ov…
• Roebuck Bay – A shallow bay southeast of Broome where huge tidal ranges expose vast mudflats. It is an internationally important wetland and a key stopov…
• Broome Bird Observatory – A birdwatching research station on the north shore of Roebuck Bay, offering guided tours and accommodation. At high tide, thousands of migr…
• Japanese Cemetery – A cemetery where more than 900 Japanese pearl divers are buried. Rugged sandstone headstones speak to the high-risk history of the pearling…
• Broome Historical Museum – A small museum in the former customs house beside the town beach, telling Broome's history of pearling, Second World War air raids and migr…
• Willie Creek Pearl Farm – A pearl farm on the red-earth coast north of Broome, where visitors can see the grafting and shell-opening process, take a boat ride past t…
• Minyirr Park – A jointly managed Indigenous conservation area between Cable Beach and the town, with dune trails and cultural tours led by the Yawuru peop…
• Streeter's Jetty – An old timber jetty among the mangroves beside Chinatown, where pearling luggers once unloaded. The original piles remain, and mudflats app…
• Pearl Luggers – A pearling-themed museum in Chinatown displaying restored traditional pearling schooners. Former divers explain hard-hat diving and daily l…
• Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park – A crocodile park founded by the late wildlife filmmaker Malcolm Douglas, with saltwater crocodile feeding talks every afternoon.
• Coconut Wells – Pristine coast north of Cable Beach, where low tide exposes reef rock pools and clear lagoons. Good for snorkelling among small fish and co…
• Courthouse Markets – A weekend market on the lawn of the old courthouse, selling Indigenous art, pearl jewellery, handicrafts and tropical fruit smoothies in a…
• Riddell Beach – A red-cliffed beach south of Gantheaume Point, where red earth, white sand and blue sea stand in clear contrast. Few visitors come, making…
• Port of Broome Jetty – A long jetty reaching into Roebuck Bay, popular with locals for fishing and sunset watching. It is also the departure point for cruise ship…
• Matso's Broome Brewery – A craft brewery in an old bank building on Roebuck Bay, known for its mango and ginger beers, with a terrace overlooking the bay.
• James Price Point (Walmadany) – A red coastal cliff about 55 km north of Broome, known to Indigenous people as Walmadany. Its red-and-white cliffs against the blue sea are…
• Windjana Gorge – A Devonian ancient coral reef gorge on the western section of the Gibb River Road, where dozens of freshwater crocodiles bask on the riverb…
• Horizontal Falls – The 'horizontal falls' formed when tides rush sideways through two gorge mouths in Talbot Bay. This is the signature Kimberley experience…

Where to eat

• Papa Fuego – An Argentine-style charcoal grill inside The Continental Hotel that has long topped Broome's review rankings, known for…
• Johnny Sausage – An Italian restaurant inside The Mangrove Hotel, known for duck ravioli and crab arancini. It has been named Broome's t…
• Matso's Broome Brewery – A long-established craft brewery on Roebuck Bay, known for its homemade ginger beer and mango beer. Meals are served al…
• Mr Saigon – A Vietnamese eatery on Pearl Street, hailed as Broome's best Vietnamese food, with generous bowls of pho at great value.
• The Good Cartel – A drive-thru café tucked down a laneway. Its coffee is often called Broome's best, and its burgers and sushi bowls are…

Itineraries

• Perth to Broome: Coast & Karijini Gorges – Head north along the West Coast, transition from Ningaloo to the gorges of Pilbara, and arrive at the gateway to the Ki…
• Gibb River Road: Broome to Kununurra – A 4WD adventure across 660 km of unsealed roads in the Kimberley, from Indian Ocean beaches to eastern gorges and beehi…
• Darwin to Broome Highway Crossing – Traverse the southern edge of the Kimberley from the Northern Territory along sealed highways, fly over the beehive dom…