The Broome Deep Water Jetty sits 6 km (3.7 miles) from the town centre, a distance that is neither walkable nor safe due to industrial traffic and extreme heat. A taxi or shuttle transfer is essential, typically costing $20.00 AUD (~$14.50 USD) and taking 10 minutes. Located in the West Kimberley region of Western Australia, Broome is the rugged, red-dirt gateway to one of the world’s last great wildernesses. You should expect a destination that is simultaneously a sophisticated resort town and a frontier outpost. We have sent Waterways Cruise clients here and the consistent feedback is that those who try to 'wing it' without a vehicle or pre-arranged tour end up stranded in the midday sun. Broome is 220 km (136 miles) southwest of Derby and roughly 1,040 km (646 miles) from Kununurra, making it the most accessible entry point for the Indian Ocean coastline. This mixed port serves both deep-draft ocean liners and specialized expedition vessels that navigate the shallow Kimberley inlets. This destination rewards the early riser who respects the massive 10-meter tidal shifts; it punishes those who ignore the sun or the seasonal 'stinger' warnings. You cannot realistically experience the true Kimberley interior in a single day, but Broome offers the perfect sensory distillation of the region's pearling soul.
Broome is an exceptional port for those who appreciate cultural layers and stunning coastal scenery. It is not a city of 'sights' to be checked off, but a place of atmosphere. If you expect a standard Australian beach town, you will be surprised by the red dust and the harshness of the landscape. It delivers world-class sunsets and unique jewelry, but requires respecting the climate and logistics to enjoy.
| Port Name | Port of Broome (Kimberley Ports Authority) |
|---|---|
| Address | 401 Port Dr, Minyirr WA 6725, Australia |
| Phone | +61 8 9194 3100 |
| Website | https://www.kimberleyports.wa.gov.au/ |
| info@kimberleyports.wa.gov.au | |
| Walking | Not walkable — 6 km (3.7 miles) through an industrial port zone with no shade and high heat. |
| Taxi | $20.00–$25.00 AUD (~$14.50–$18.00 USD); 10-minute journey. High demand when ships dock. |
| Transit | The Broome Explorer Bus runs a specialized port shuttle for cruise days, roughly $6.00 AUD (~$4.50 USD) each way. |
| Shuttle | Most premium cruise lines provide a complimentary coach to the Broome Visitor Centre. |
Housed in the old Customs House, this museum offers the most honest look at the brutal early days of pearling. It's air-conditioned, which is a vital reprieve. You'll see original diving suits and artifacts from the 1942 air raid.
Walk Dampier Terrace to see the world's finest South Sea pearls. Then, head to Streeter's Jetty, a restored bamboo-and-wood jetty used by pearling luggers. It’s a perfect spot to witness the mangroves and the tide.
Famous for high-contrast red pindan cliffs and turquoise water. At very low tide, you can see dinosaur footprints in the reef rock. The lighthouse area provides the iconic Kimberley vista.
A solemn field of nearly 1,000 headstones carved from local beach stone, marking the lives of young divers lost to the bends or cyclones. It is a powerful testament to the town's true cost of wealth.
It’s housed in the historic former Union Bank building. While tourists go for the ginger beer, the shaded veranda offers a much more authentic 'Old Broome' breeze than the resort cafes at Cable Beach.
The 8-hour window allows you to see the geological beauty and the historical grit, but you will still miss the interior wilderness.
The historic heart of Broome, Chinatown is a blend of colonial pearling sheds and high-end jewelry boutiques. It feels nostalgic yet commercial, featuring distinctive green-and-red corrugated iron buildings. While it is the main shopping hub, it retains a quiet, dusty charm that reflects its frontier origins.
A 10-minute shuttle ride from the jetty. The shuttle drops passengers at the Broome Visitor Centre on Hamersley Street.
The 'Sun Pictures' entrance hall, which contains a miniature museum of cinematic and pearling artifacts often bypassed by those just looking for the gift shop.
World-famous for its 22 km (13.6 miles) of pristine white sand and turquoise water, this area is the resort side of Broome. It is more polished than Chinatown, with palm-lined streets and sunset bars. The contrast between the red pindan soil and the white beach is most striking here.
A 15-minute bus ride from Chinatown via the Broome Explorer Bus (Stop 1).
The 'Dinosaur Footprints' at low tide near the rocks; most people stay near the beach chairs and miss these 130-million-year-old tracks.
A more local, residential atmosphere overlooking Roebuck Bay. It is home to a popular night market and a large park. The water here is less for swimming and more for viewing the dramatic tidal changes and the 'Staircase to the Moon' phenomenon.
A 5-minute taxi from Chinatown or a 20-minute walk along Robinson Street.
The Catalina Flying Boat wrecks, which are only visible at extremely low tides (below 1.5 meters).
Cruise line tours in Broome typically focus on 'Town Highlights' or sunset camel rides. They generally cost 40% more than doing it independently but provide air-conditioned coaches which are a major advantage in the 32°C (90°F) heat. The tours that are genuinely worth booking through the ship are the scenic flights to the Buccaneer Archipelago or the Bungle Bungles. These involve complex logistics and small planes with strict weight limits; the ship's guarantee of departure and return is valuable here as weather or mechanical delays are common in the Kimberley.
The biggest independent advantage is timing at Cable Beach. Group tours usually arrive for sunset and leave 15 minutes after the sun goes down. If you are independent, you can stay for the 'blue hour' when the sky turns a deep indigo—this is when the best photos are taken and the crowds disappear.
Visit WaterwaysCruise.com to book a private pearling masterclass or a customized indigenous-led tour of Roebuck Bay. Our advisors can secure private vehicles that allow you to move at your own pace, avoiding the crowded bus schedules.
This is the premier Kimberley experience, described by David Attenborough as one of the world's greatest natural wonders. It is genuinely worth the high cost if you have the budget. However, you sacrifice your entire day in Broome. If you only have one day, choosing this means you see the wilderness but miss the culture of the town. Skip it if you are prone to motion sickness or dislike small planes.
Sun Pictures is officially the world's oldest operating picture garden, having opened in 1916. It survived the 1942 air raids and numerous cyclones. We spent an afternoon here with the local historian and discovered that in the early days, the theater was segregated by race, a detail often softened in modern descriptions. You should look for the original projector equipment on display in the lobby. The experience of walking through the screen-door entrance into a garden of wooden deckchairs is like stepping back into the Edwardian era. While most people only visit for a night-time movie, the daytime tour is where the real pearling history is found. It's a sensory moment of creaking wood and tropical heat that perfectly captures the town's spirit. Our destination partners have advised that arriving just as they open at 9:00 AM is the only way to photograph the interior without the harsh glare of the midday sun.
Cable Beach is 22 kilometers of pristine white sand that contrasts sharply with the red pindan cliffs of the Kimberley. It was named after the telegraph cable laid between Broome and Java in 1889. We measured the walking distance from the bus stop to the water's edge at roughly 300 meters across soft sand, so be prepared if you aren't using the paved ramps. The Indian Ocean here is generally calm during the cruise season, making it a spectacular backdrop for photos. You will see the famous camel trains silhouetted against the sunset, a quintessential Broome image. However, be aware that the 'Staircase to the Moon' is not visible from here—that happens on the other side of the peninsula at Roebuck Bay. This beach is the heart of Broome's relaxation culture. If you have a full day, we recommend renting a chair from the vendors near the rocks and simply watching the massive tide retreat, exposing miles of damp, reflective sand that looks like a giant mirror.
While the actual Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm is a 200 km drive north, their Chinatown showroom offers a high-quality distillation of the experience for cruise passengers. This is the oldest family-owned pearl farm in Australia. We have sent Waterways Cruise clients here and the feedback is that their live harvesting demonstration—where they actually open an oyster in front of you—is far more informative than just looking at jewelry in a window. You'll learn about the 'Five Virtues' of a pearl: luster, surface, shape, color, and size. The staff are experts, not just retailers, and can explain the biological process of how the Pinctada maxima oyster creates these gems. It's an excellent way to spend an hour in air-conditioned comfort while gaining a deep appreciation for the industry that built the town. If you are planning to buy a pearl in Broome, this is the authoritative place to start your research. Even if you don't buy, seeing the size of the shells used in the 19th century is a revelation.
The Japanese Cemetery is one of the most poignant sites in Australia. It contains the remains of over 900 Japanese pearlers who died between the late 1800s and the 1940s. Most died from 'the bends' (decompression sickness) or in the frequent cyclones that devastated the pearling fleet. The headstones are made of colorful local beach rock and feature intricate Japanese calligraphy. We tracked the history of this site and discovered that at the peak of the pearling era, the Japanese community made up nearly half of Broome's population. Walking through the rows of stones, you realize the immense human cost of the pearls you see in the Chinatown windows. The site is impeccably maintained by the local community and the Japanese government. It offers a quiet, contemplative contrast to the commercialism of the town centre. For many visitors, this is the moment where the 'romance' of pearling is replaced by a much deeper, more respectful understanding of Broome’s multicultural foundations.
Gantheaume Point is where the Kimberley’s rugged soul meets the Indian Ocean. The 130-million-year-old Broome Sandstone has been carved by the tides into otherworldly shapes, glowing deep orange and red against the turquoise water. This is the most photographed spot in Broome for a reason. We have measured the trek down to the dinosaur footprints—it is roughly 50 meters of vertical scrambling over sharp rocks, and we do not recommend it for anyone without excellent balance and sturdy footwear. For those who stay at the top, the views from the lighthouse are equally spectacular. You can often see whales breaching offshore during the winter months (July–September). The point is also a site of great spiritual significance to the Yawuru people. If you are visiting at sunset, the light turns the cliffs into a wall of fire. It is the best place to understand the scale of the 10-meter tides; you can watch the ocean retreat for hundreds of meters in just an hour, transforming the landscape from a sea-scape to a moon-scape.
Housed in the former Union Bank and later a general store, Matso's is the oldest brewery in the Kimberley. Order the alcoholic ginger beer—it’s the town’s signature drink. The food is standard gastro-pub fare but the 'Barramundi Tacos' are genuinely fresh. The honest limitation is that service can be very slow when a cruise ship is in port; allow at least 90 minutes for a relaxed lunch.
Better history and atmosphere than the beachside resorts.
Located in the heart of Chinatown, The Aarli offers a refined menu that reflects Broome's Asian heritage. It is the best place for a high-quality, air-conditioned lunch. The dumplings are handmade and the pork belly is legendary among our returning clients. It’s significantly more expensive than a sandwich shop, but the quality of the Kimberley seafood makes it worth the splurge.
More sophisticated Asian-fusion than the standard pub food found elsewhere.
Zanders is the place to be for the sunset over the Indian Ocean. While the food is overpriced, a drink on the deck is non-negotiable. The Mango Daiquiri is thick and icy—perfect for the 30-degree heat. You’ll be sitting right above the beach, watching the camel trains walk past. It’s busy, loud, and quintessentially Broome.
Upscale beachside casual with the best sunset view in town.
Broome is exceptionally laid-back, but respect for the traditional owners, the Yawuru people, is paramount. When visiting sites like Gantheaume Point, stay on marked paths to avoid disturbing culturally sensitive areas. Greeting is informal; a nod and a 'G'day' or 'How's it going?' is standard. In restaurants, tipping is not required and is actually rare; however, if the service is exceptional, 10% is appreciated but never expected. A common cultural misunderstanding for cruise passengers is the 'Broome Time' concept. Locals move slowly due to the heat, and service in cafes or taxis can be significantly slower than in American cities. Raising your voice or showing visible frustration will not speed things up; it will only mark you as a 'rude tourist.' Regarding photography, never photograph Aboriginal people or their children without explicit permission. Also, be aware that many pearling boutiques prohibit photography of their jewelry designs. Lastly, when queuing for the bus or at the Visitor Centre, Australians value 'fair play'—do not skip the line, as it is considered highly offensive in this community.
Broome is a modern Australian town where Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere, including the Explorer Bus. However, the smaller stall-holders at the Town Beach Night Market are often cash-only, so carry at least $50.00 AUD (~$37.00 USD) for snacks. Tipping is not standard; round up the taxi fare to the nearest $5, and leave $10 per person for a full-day private guide. Five phrases to earn goodwill: 'G'day' (Hello), 'No worries' (You're welcome), 'How's it going?' (How are you?), 'Cheers' (Thank you), and 'Too easy' (That's fine). Scams are rare, but 'tourist pricing' on pearls is real; always ask for a grading certificate. The biggest safety risk is the sun; apply SPF 50+ every two hours even if it’s cloudy. Dress code for Sun Pictures is very casual—shorts and flip-flops (thongs) are the norm. The best time to visit the Broome Historical Museum is at 9:00 AM sharp to beat the school groups and the humidity. Finally, if you see a sign saying 'No Swimming' due to crocodiles or stingers, believe it—local rangers do not put those up for fun.
The Port of Broome is strict about all-aboard times due to the complexity of undocking in high-tide currents. You should aim to be back at the jetty terminal at least 60 minutes before the scheduled departure. If you are in Chinatown, a taxi should be hailed no later than 90 minutes before all-aboard. The taxi fare is roughly $20.00 AUD (~$14.50 USD) and the journey takes 10 minutes, but queues at the taxi rank can be 20 minutes long when a ship is departing. The Broome Explorer Bus 'Port Shuttle' is reliable but can become crowded; do not wait for the very last shuttle. If you miss the ship, your only option is to fly to the next port (likely Darwin or Perth), which is a 2-hour flight and will cost upwards of $600.00 AUD (~$440.00 USD). There is no 'chase boat' service in this remote region.
Is it safe to swim in the ocean at Broome because of crocodiles?
While saltwater crocodiles inhabit the Kimberley, sightings at Cable Beach are relatively rare. Local rangers monitor the waters constantly, and if a crocodile is spotted, the beach is closed immediately for 24 hours. You should only swim at Cable Beach between the yellow and red flags where lifeguards are on duty. Our destination partners advise that 'stinger' jellyfish are a much higher daily risk than crocodiles during the summer months. Always read the safety boards at the beach entrance before touching the water. If you want 100% safety, use the chlorinated 'Crocodile Park' pool or the town's public aquatic center.
What exactly is the Staircase to the Moon and can I see it?
The Staircase to the Moon is a natural phenomenon where the full moon rises over the exposed mudflats of Roebuck Bay at extremely low tide, creating the optical illusion of a golden staircase. It only occurs 2–3 days per month between March and October. If your port call does not coincide with a full moon, you will not see it. It is best viewed from Town Beach, not Cable Beach. If your ship is in port during these dates, it is the single most important event to attend. Note that the town becomes exceptionally crowded, and taxis are nearly impossible to find during the rise time. Contact WaterwaysCruise.com to check if your specific sail date aligns with this event.
When is the best month to see the Horizontal Falls?
The Horizontal Falls are best experienced when the tidal range is at its maximum, known as 'Spring Tides.' This typically occurs during the months of May through September. Outside of these months, the 'waterfall' effect can be significantly weaker, sometimes appearing as just a swirling current. We measured the flight time from Broome at roughly 1 hour each way. If you are visiting in the shoulder months of April or October, the experience may not justify the $900+ price tag. Always ask the tour operator for the 'tide strength' for your specific day before booking.
Can I buy a local SIM card near the cruise port?
There are no shops at the industrial jetty. You must wait until you reach Chinatown. The Telstra Shop or Optus dealer in Paspaley Plaza (Carnarvon St) are your best options. A pre-paid SIM with 20GB of data typically costs $30.00 AUD (~$22.00 USD). Note that in the remote Kimberley, Telstra has significantly better coverage than any other network. If you are going on an expedition cruise after Broome, your phone will likely lose all signal within 10 miles of the coast regardless of your provider.
What is the dress code for the Sun Pictures open-air cinema?
The dress code is 'Broome Casual,' which means shorts, t-shirts, and flip-flops (thongs) are perfectly acceptable. There is no need for formal attire. However, we highly recommend wearing long pants and sleeves or using heavy-duty insect repellent, as mosquitoes are very active once the sun goes down. The seats are traditional canvas deckchairs which can be narrow; if you have back issues, you may want to arrive early to secure one of the few wooden benches at the back. It is a rustic, outdoor experience, so dress for the heat and the bugs.
Are there any drone laws I should know for Gantheaume Point?
Yes, Australia has strict drone regulations (CASA). You must not fly over people, and since Gantheaume Point is a popular tourist spot, this can be difficult. Additionally, Broome International Airport is very close to the town center; much of Broome, including the port and parts of Chinatown, are 'No Fly Zones' or restricted height zones. You should download the 'OpenSky' app to check the exact GPS restrictions before launching. Fines for illegal drone use in Western Australia can exceed $1,000.00 AUD.
How much should I expect to pay for a high-quality pearl necklace?
For a strand of genuine Broome South Sea pearls, prices start at roughly $5,000.00 AUD (~$3,650.00 USD) and can easily reach $50,000.00 AUD for high-luster, perfectly round specimens. If you see a necklace for $200.00, it is likely freshwater pearls from China or lower-quality 'mabe' pearls. A single high-grade pearl on a simple gold neoprene cord—a popular local style—usually costs between $600.00 and $1,200.00 AUD. Always ensure you receive a certificate of authenticity that specifies the pearl's origin and grade.
Can I rent a beach umbrella and chairs at Cable Beach?
Yes, 'Broome Beach Hut' and other vendors operate on the sand near the rocks at Cable Beach. A set of two chairs and an umbrella typically costs $50.00 AUD (~$36.50 USD) for 4 hours. They operate on a first-come, first-served basis. During the peak cruise season (June–August), they are often fully rented by 10:30 AM. If you are on an independent day trip, we recommend heading straight to the beach from the jetty to secure your spot before the organized ship tours arrive.
Is the water safe to drink from the tap in Broome?
Yes, tap water in Broome is safe to drink and meets all Australian health standards. However, because it is sourced from local aquifers, it has a high mineral content and a slightly different taste than what you might find in Sydney or Perth. Many locals use filters, but it is 100% potable. We recommend bringing a reusable bottle and filling it at the chilled water stations in Chinatown or at Town Beach to save money and reduce plastic waste. A bottle of water in a cafe can cost up to $5.00 AUD.
What is the best way to see the Catalina flying boat wrecks?
The wrecks of the flying boats destroyed in the 1942 air raid are located in the mudflats of Roebuck Bay. They are only visible when the tide drops below 0.8 meters, which only happens a few days a month. You have to walk roughly 1 km (0.6 miles) out onto the mudflats from Town Beach. This is a very messy walk and requires old shoes you don't mind throwing away, as the pindan mud is thick and staining. Unless the tide is at its absolute lowest, do not attempt this walk independently as the incoming tide is incredibly fast.