Cable Beach, Broome — turquoise water and white sand

Local's Guide

Explore Broome

Cable Beach, Chinatown, pearling history and some of the most spectacular sunsets on earth. Here's how to make the most of your time in Broome.

Broome — where the Kimberley meets the sea

Broome sits at the edge of the Kimberley, where red pindan cliffs tumble into the turquoise Indian Ocean. It's a town with genuine character — shaped by pearling history, Aboriginal culture, and a laid-back tropical pace that makes it easy to stay longer than you planned.

Most visitors come for Cable Beach, and rightly so. But there's far more to discover: a working Chinatown, ancient dinosaur footprints, world-class birdwatching, art galleries, gin distilleries, pearl showrooms, and a food scene that punches well above its size.

Top things to see and do

Beach

Cable Beach

22 kilometres of white sand and turquoise water

Cable Beach is one of Australia's most iconic stretches of coastline — 22 km of white sand meeting vivid turquoise water, with pindan-red dunes as a backdrop. Sunsets here are genuinely extraordinary. The northern end (past the rocks) is clothing-optional. Swimming is generally safe in the dry season, but always check for marine stingers in the wet. Camel rides along the beach at sunset are a Broome institution.

Free public access. Parking on Cable Beach Road. Facilities include toilets, showers and a kiosk.

Local tip: Arrive early for a good spot in peak season (June–August). The sunset is best viewed from the beach itself, not the carpark.

Town

Chinatown

The historic heart of Broome's pearling era

Broome's Chinatown is the commercial and cultural heart of town — a compact precinct of heritage buildings, galleries, restaurants and shops centred on Carnarvon Street. The area reflects Broome's multicultural pearling history, when Japanese, Chinese, Malay and Aboriginal workers built one of the world's most important pearl industries. Browse the pearl showrooms, visit the Sun Pictures outdoor cinema (the world's oldest operating), and stop at the Broome Historical Society Museum.

Free to explore. Most shops open daily. Sun Pictures operates seasonally — check their schedule.

Local tip: The Broome Historical Society Museum on Saville Street is excellent and inexpensive. Allow at least half a day.

Nature

Gantheaume Point

Dinosaur footprints and dramatic red cliffs

About 6 km south of town, Gantheaume Point is where ancient red sandstone cliffs meet the ocean in a spectacular collision of colour. At very low tides, 130-million-year-old dinosaur footprints are exposed in the rock platform — check tide times before you go. Anastasia's Pool, a rock pool carved by a lighthouse keeper for his arthritic wife, is worth finding. The lighthouse itself is not open to visitors.

Free. Short walk from the carpark. No facilities on site.

Local tip: Check the tide chart — you need a very low tide (under 0.3m) to see the dinosaur footprints. A cast of the prints is on display near the carpark.

Nature

Roebuck Bay & Town Beach

One of the world's great shorebird sites

Roebuck Bay, on the eastern side of the Broome peninsula, is a Ramsar-listed wetland and one of the most important shorebird sites in the world. During the northern migration (March–April), hundreds of thousands of waders stop here to feed. Town Beach, on the bay's edge, is the best place to watch the Staircase to the Moon — a natural optical illusion created by moonlight reflecting off the exposed mudflats at low tide.

Town Beach is free and accessible. The Broome Bird Observatory, about 25 km north of town, offers guided tours.

Local tip: The Staircase to the Moon occurs on three consecutive nights around the full moon, from March to October. Check our events page for exact dates.

Town

Pearl Galleries & Showrooms

The finest South Sea pearls in the world, grown right here

Broome is the world capital of South Sea pearling, and the town's pearl galleries are a genuine highlight — not just a tourist trap. Paspaley, Kailis, and Willie Creek Pearls all have showrooms in Chinatown where you can learn about the cultivation process and browse extraordinary jewellery. Even if you're not buying, the education is fascinating. Many galleries offer free guided talks about how Broome pearls are graded and harvested.

Most showrooms are on Dampier Terrace and Carnarvon Street. Free entry. Open daily in peak season.

Local tip: Ask staff about the difference between South Sea and freshwater pearls — the quality gap is enormous and the explanation is genuinely interesting.

Town

Art Galleries

Kimberley art — from Indigenous masters to contemporary works

Broome has a thriving gallery scene, with works ranging from traditional Aboriginal dot painting and Wandjina imagery to contemporary Kimberley landscapes. Short Street Gallery and Courthouse Markets are good starting points. Many galleries represent artists from remote communities across the Kimberley — buying here puts money directly into those communities. Look out for works by artists from Warmun, Bidyadanga, and Balgo.

Galleries are mostly in and around Chinatown and Short Street. Opening hours vary — many close on Sundays.

Local tip: Ask about the artist's community and story before you buy. Reputable galleries will always be able to tell you.

Town

Japanese Cemetery

A moving tribute to Broome's pearling pioneers

The Japanese Cemetery on Port Drive is one of the most poignant sites in Broome. Over 900 Japanese pearl divers are buried here — men who died in diving accidents, cyclones, and the 1908 decompression sickness epidemic. The cemetery is beautifully maintained and tells a powerful story about the multicultural workforce that built Broome's pearling industry. The adjacent Chinese Cemetery is also worth visiting.

Free. Located on Port Drive, about 2 km from the town centre. Open daily.

Local tip: Visit in the early morning or late afternoon — it's a reflective place and the light is beautiful. Allow 30–45 minutes for both cemeteries.

Town

Sun Pictures

The world's oldest operating outdoor cinema

Sun Pictures has been screening films under the stars since 1916, making it the oldest operating outdoor cinema in the world. Deckchairs on the lawn, the occasional fruit bat overhead, and a warm Broome night — it's one of those experiences that's genuinely hard to replicate anywhere else. The cinema screens current releases and classics throughout the dry season. Booking ahead is strongly recommended.

Located on Carnarvon Street in Chinatown. Tickets available online or at the box office. Operates April–November.

Local tip: Bring a light jacket — evenings can get cool in June and July. Arrive early to grab a good deckchair position.

Town

Matso's Broome Brewery

Broome's beloved brewery — cold beer, great food, tropical vibes

Matso's is a Broome institution. The brewery on Hamersley Street has been producing its famous Mango Ale, Chilli Beer, and Ginger Beer since 1999. The beer garden is family-friendly, the wood-fired pizzas are generous, and the vibe is quintessentially Broome. It's as much a cultural experience as a drinking one — you'll meet travellers, locals, and grey nomads all in the same afternoon.

60 Hamersley Street, Broome. Open daily from 10 am. Free entry.

Local tip: Try the tasting paddle before committing to a pint — the Chilli Beer is genuinely spicy. The Mango Ale is the crowd favourite for good reason.

Town

Broome Distillery

Small-batch gin made with native Kimberley botanicals

Broome Distillery produces small-batch spirits using native Kimberley botanicals — finger lime, lemon myrtle, and native juniper among them. The tasting room on Hamersley Street offers guided tastings and tours of the distilling process. It's a great wet-season activity and a genuinely interesting insight into how the unique flavours of the Kimberley translate into a glass. Their gins make excellent gifts.

Hamersley Street, Broome. Check their website for current tasting session times — bookings recommended.

Local tip: Book a guided tasting rather than just dropping in — the story behind each botanical makes the experience far more memorable.

Nature

Pearl Farm Tours

See how the world's finest pearls are grown

Willie Creek Pearl Farm, about 38 km north of Broome, offers guided tours that take you through the entire pearling process — from seeding the oysters to harvesting and grading the finished pearls. The setting on a tidal creek surrounded by mangroves is beautiful, and the guides are knowledgeable and entertaining. Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm on the Dampier Peninsula is a more remote but equally rewarding option.

Willie Creek is accessible by 2WD on a sealed road. Tours depart from Broome town and from the farm. Bookings essential.

Local tip: The boat tour option at Willie Creek is worth the extra cost — seeing the pearl lines from the water is a completely different perspective.

Nature

Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park

Get up close with Australia's most formidable reptile

The Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park on Cable Beach Road is home to hundreds of saltwater and freshwater crocodiles, as well as other native wildlife including snakes, lizards, and birds. Named after the legendary Kimberley filmmaker and naturalist Malcolm Douglas, the park offers guided tours that explain crocodile behaviour, biology, and the conservation work being done in the region. Feeding sessions are a highlight — watching a 5-metre saltwater croc launch out of the water puts the Kimberley's wildlife in sharp perspective.

Cable Beach Road, Broome. Entry fee applies. Guided tours run daily — check the website for session times. Bookings recommended in peak season.

Local tip: The evening tours are excellent — crocodiles are more active as the temperature drops, and the guides have more time to answer questions.

Discover Broome's Dinosaur Footprints

Along Broome's coastline, embedded in ancient rock platforms and tidal flats, lie some of the most significant dinosaur trackways on earth. Dating back approximately 130 million years to the Early Cretaceous period, the fossilised footprints record a remarkable diversity of species — sauropods, theropods, ornithopods and ankylosaurs among them — making this one of the most diverse dinosaur track assemblages found anywhere in the world.

For the Yawuru and other Aboriginal peoples of the Dampier Peninsula and west Kimberley, these tracks carry deep cultural significance. They are known as Marrala — the tracks of the emu man, a creation ancestor — and form part of a living cultural landscape that connects Country, story and identity. Visitors are asked to approach these sites with respect for both their scientific and cultural importance.

Viewing depends on suitable low tides and current site conditions. Tide requirements and access vary between locations — check the Dinosaur Coast Management Group website for location-specific guidance before you visit.

Dinosaur Coast Management Group — location-specific guidance

Gantheaume Point

The most accessible viewing site. Fossilised sauropod tracks are exposed on the rock platform at very low tides. A fibreglass cast of the prints is on display near the carpark for those who miss the tide window. Free access, short walk from the carpark.

Cable Beach

Tracks have been recorded along sections of the beach at low tide. The beach is long and conditions vary — local guidance or a guided tour is recommended for locating specific sites.

Reddell Beach

A quieter site south of town with recorded trackways. Access is on foot from the Gantheaume Point area. Check current access conditions before visiting.

Entrance Point

Tracks have been documented at this location. Access and visibility depend on tidal conditions. Check the Dinosaur Coast Management Group for current guidance.

Visiting responsibly

Check tide times and current access guidance at dinosaurcoast.org.au before you go — conditions vary significantly between sites.

Wear sturdy, closed-toe footwear. Rock platforms are uneven and can be slippery when wet.

Watch the incoming tide carefully. Tides in Broome can rise quickly and cut off access.

Do not step on footprint edges, drive vehicles over trackways, or remove sand from the prints. These are irreplaceable.

Take a guided dinosaur footprints tour

A guided experience can make a real difference — knowledgeable guides know exactly where to look, how to read the tracks, and can share the cultural and scientific context that makes these sites so extraordinary.

Broome Adventure Cruises

Specialised guided tours to dinosaur trackway sites around Broome, including the Dinosaur Adventure Cruise — a coastal cruise to 120-million-year-old footprints with beachside tapas and cocktails. Book direct through our tours page.

View tour & book Visit website

Enquire about dinosaur tours Broome Tides & Beach Safety

Suggested itineraries

3 Days in Broome

Day 1

Cable Beach & Sunset

Morning swim at Cable Beach, lunch at a beachside café, afternoon at leisure, sunset camel ride or drinks at the beach.

Day 2

Chinatown, Galleries & History

Broome Historical Society Museum, pearl showrooms, art galleries on Short Street, Sun Pictures cinema in the evening.

Day 3

Gantheaume Point, Cemeteries & Matso's

Morning at Gantheaume Point (check tides for dinosaur footprints), Japanese and Chinese cemeteries, afternoon at Matso's Brewery, Staircase to the Moon if timing aligns.

5 Days in Broome

Days 1–3

Core Broome

As per the 3-day itinerary above.

Day 4

Croc Park, Pearl Farm & Distillery

Morning tour at Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park, afternoon at Willie Creek Pearl Farm, evening tasting session at Broome Distillery.

Day 5

Dampier Peninsula Day Trip

Drive the Manari Road to Barred Creek or Quondong Point. 4WD recommended. Pack lunch and plenty of water.

Practical information

Getting there

Broome Airport has direct flights from Perth (2 hrs), Darwin and several east coast cities. Qantas, Virgin Australia and Airnorth all service the route.

Getting around

A hire car gives you the most flexibility. Taxis and rideshares operate in town. Cable Beach is about 6 km from the town centre — a short drive or a long, hot walk.

Best time to visit

The dry season (April–October) is peak season — warm days, cool nights, no rain. The wet season (November–March) brings heat, humidity and dramatic storms, but also lower prices and fewer crowds.

Marine stingers

Box jellyfish and other stingers are present in Broome waters from October to May. Swim at patrolled beaches and wear a stinger suit if you're in the water during this period.

Ready to book your Broome experience?

Browse tours, scenic flights, camel rides and more — all bookable through local operators.

Browse Tours Ask a Local

Day trips from Broome

Coconut Well, Barred Creek, Quondong Point and James Price Point — red pindan cliffs, rock pools and wild beaches within an hour or two of town.

See the guide