Things to do & see in Broome

No trip to Broome is complete without a visit to one of the markets – find locally made gifts and souvenirs and enjoy a wide range of cuisine.

Being the home of the pinctada maxima pearl Broome is the perfect place to indulge by purchasing a pearl for yourself or a significant other.

Located in Broome's Chinatown, Short St Gallery features indigenous artworks from across Australia.

Visit the Kimberley’s award winning brewery and restaurant. Sample their extensive menu or join a brewery tour before purchasing your favourite beer flavour.

Experience Broome’s local tidal landscape on a paddle adventure. Explore the natural environment and extraordinary colours where you have a chance to spot a turtle from your kayak.

Indulge in a full or half-day fishing charter catching quality table fish for dinner, or earning bragging rights by landing great fighting sport fish! Explore the local creek systems and try your hand at landing a Barramundi or a Mud Crab. 

Be in awe of the incredible Australian crocodile at the Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park. The park is also home to breathtakingly colourful bird life, kangaroos, and wallabies, as well as emus, jabirus, snakes and lizards.

Join our Croc Park & Feeding Tour or our Broome 3-in-1 Tour to include the Malcolm Douglas Wilderness Park in your Broome holiday! 

Our Broome "Must See" Tour will take you to the Malcolm Douglas Wilderness Park for the amazing croc feeding tour, daily! 

Escape to the dramatic gorges, wildlife retreats and ancient cave passages of the rugged western Kimberley on a 5 day Kimberley Family Safari. 

Join Kimberley Outback Tours for an adventure into the Western Kimberley and the Gibb River Road, with 2 and 6 day options. 

Take a relaxed 2 day journey into the dramatic gorge and river country of the rugged western Kimberley, visiting Geikie Gorge, Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek.  

A 3 day trip to the Dampier Peninsula allows you to immerse yourself in the delights of this beautiful location, including Kooljaman at Cape Leveque and Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm

Take a 1 or 2 day trip to one of the most spectacular coastal environments in Australia, staying in a Kimberley Wild private camp. 

Choose a 2 or 3 day trip to Cape Leveque - visit Aboriginal communities, learn of the exotic pearling industry, and cruise the picturesque Buccanneer Archipelago.

The 5 day Kimberley Express Tour (Broome to Kununurra or Kununurra to Broome) allows you to experience the wild Kimberley, including a 2 night stay at Bungle Bungle Wilderness Lodge and a cruise through Geikie Gorge.

On the 5 Day Broome to the Bungle Bungles tour, explore the unique landscapes of the Bungles, as well as Windjana Gorge, Tunnel Creek and more! 

Choose the 4 day Bungle Bungles Insight from Broome to Kununurra or the 5 day Broome to Bungles for an InStyle Adventure, visiting the Kimberley’s remote outback towns and exploring the region’s world-famous natural features.

How long you decide to stay in Broome may depend on whether it’s part of a longer trip through the Kimberley and Pilbara, or a Broome holiday. For a Broome holiday, a short break for 3 days to relax on the beach or a stay of a week or longer are both perfectly doable. If you are planning a few days in Broome before or after an extended tour through the Kimberley or Pilbara, we’d recommend allowing 3-4 nights to allow for some time to relax and to explore.

One thing to bear in mind when planning your trip, is that some tours are dependent on the tides, and Staircase to the Moon only takes place 3 nights per month from May to October – you may need to adjust the timing or duration of your stay in Broome if these experiences are on your ‘must-do’ list.

Broome is a unique Western Australian town, with the feel of a small outback town perched on the beautiful Indian Ocean coastline. Its remote location, closer to Singapore than to Perth, has shaped its one-of-a-kind character, from tens of thousands of years of Aboriginal culture, through its pearling heyday with a multi-cultural population, to today as a popular beach destination and launching point for Kimberley trips.

With direct flights from Perth and Darwin year-round, seasonal direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and the option to visit as part of a drive adventure, getting to Broome is straightforward. Once there, visitors can enjoy Broome’s interesting history and culture, art, pearls, food scene and its many natural attractions. Tour options are many and varied, from shorter sightseeing and cultural tours, to full-day explorations of Kimberley icons and longer adventures through the Kimberley and along the coast.

Broome’s outstanding natural environment offers many free activities, including exploring its beaches, witnessing the natural phenomenon of Staircase to the Moon and the incredible sunsets and starlit skies, and discovering ancient treasures such as the dinosaur footprints. The town’s parks and recreation areas are easily accessed, and the historic centre of town, Chinatown, has recently been revitalised.

There are also plenty of opportunities to take a self-guided tour through Broome using free downloadable apps, or simply by following the signposted locations. These locations include Chinatown, Town Beach, Gantheaume Point and heritage locations such as the Japanese and Chinese Cemeteries.

See our list of 10 Free (or almost free!) things to do in Broome here.

There is a wide range of tours that depart from Broome, including sightseeing tours of Broome and half and full day bus tours and scenic flights to iconic places like the Dampier Peninsula, Bandilngan (Windjana Gorge) and the Horizontal Falls and of course to pearl farms. Extended tours depart Broome for the Gibb River Road, Bungle Bungle Ranges, Punamii-Unpuu (Mitchell Falls) and for extended cruising along the Kimberley Coast. Discover Broome’s Aboriginal stories on a cultural tour with one of the local operators.

In Broome, many visitors choose to browse the wide range of pearl jewellery boutiques, art galleries and local retailers, dine in the many cafes and restaurants, and simply relax by the pool to enjoy some Broome Time.

Although the most popular time to visit Broome is in the Dry Season (May to October approx.), Broome is a year-round destination. The busiest time of year tends to be around the Australian school holidays in July each year, and around the final week of the Broome Race Rounds in August.

The two popular swimming beaches in Broome are Cable Beach and Town Beach during the Dry Season (approximately May to October). At this time of year, a section of Cable Beach is patrolled by the Broome Surf Life Saving Club, and swimmers are recommended to swim in the patrolled area marked by the flags.

During the wet season (approximately November to April), Broome's beaches are not patrolled by lifeguards. Swimming is not recommended at this time of year due to crocodile mating season, turtle nesting season and the warmer water temperatures attracting jellyfish to popular swimming spots. Most Broome hotels, resorts and self-contained accommodation have their own swimming pools.

Beachgoers are reminded to observe all safety signs and be aware of the Shire of Broome advice regarding beach safety.

During Dry Season (May to October) mean daytime temperatures in Broome range from 20C to 30C, with mean night-time lows of around 14C to 19C. At this time of year it’s recommended that visitors pack some clothing suitable for cooler evenings, e.g. long pants, cardigan or jumper, or a light jacket.

There are a number of ways to get around Broome. The Cable Beach, Chinatown and Town Beach areas have a 7-day public bus service (including special services to events such as Staircase to the Moon and the races), there are several taxi services, and visitors can also hire cars, bikes and scooters

As with many remote Australian destinations, it can be beneficial to plan your Broome trip in advance. Some good value ways to travel are by signing up for notifications of Qantas and Virgin Australia special deals – we recommend you book these deals early as they sell out! Check with your local travel agent for special packages that include airfares and accommodation, and book your experiences with the Broome Visitor Centre, who will be able to provide options and availability for tours ranging from all price points.  If you are booking your accommodation yourself, try booking directly with the accommodation provider.