Broome is an incredible place to visit and explore; however, it isn’t exactly cheap. As a small remote town, with a short but busy tourist season, means high prices. Coffee, meals and accommodation add up… However, the good news is, it’s entirely possible to explore many of the wonders of Broome on a budget.
To help you out, here’s my list of the 15 free (or nearly free!) things to do in Broome.
I’ve spent over 8 weeks exploring Broome over the last few years, so I consider myself a bit of a Broome expert – make sure to check out my other Broome guides (linked in the article below) for more help in planning your Broome adventures.
Visit the Beaches of Broome
This is a no-brainer for what to do in Broome for free… Let’s be honest, this was probably going to be the top of your list, anyway!
Besides the iconic Cable Beach, there are many other incredible beaches in Broome worth visiting. See the pink-stained sand and mangroves at Town Beach, or drive out on the hard-packed sand at Gantheaume Beach near Gantheaume Point.
One of my favourite things to do in Broome is join the pack of 4WDs heading “north of the rocks” in front of Cable Beach Club and watch the camels lope down the beach with the setting sun in the background. Otherwise, take some drinks and a picnic and chill out at the grass area near Cable Beach House.
For a full rundown on Broome’s best beaches and what to expect of each of them, check out my guide on my favourite beaches in Broome.
Spend an Afternoon at Gantheaume Point
One of my favourite places in Broome, Gantheaume Point is like nowhere else I’ve ever seen.
I feel like this place really represents Australia’s North West region. Striking red rock and sand, with turquoise water all around.
It needs to be seen to believe how incredible this place is. You could spend a few hours climbing around the rocks looking for hidden rock pools. Or when the tide is high, jump from the cliffs into the refreshing waters below. Or of course, go looking for the dinosaur footprints that have been preserved in the rocks.
Gantheaume Point is also a great place to catch the sunset. Sit on a ledge, crack a beer and watch one of Broome’s beautiful sunsets.
Gantheaume Point rockpools make the cut for my favourite unique swimming spots in Western Australia.
Check out the historical Streeter’s Jetty
Streeter’s Jetty, located off Dampier Terrace in town, is worth a visit while in Chinatown.
The jetty dates back to 1897, when the pearl trade was one of the main industries in Broome. You can learn more about the historical significance of Streeter’s Jetty with a visit to the Broome Historical Museum.
Before visiting Streeter’s Jetty, make sure to check the tides first!
If you don’t, you might visit at low tide when there is not a single drop of water in the mangroves! Check out the difference between low and high tide from the photos below.
Make sure the tide is over ~5m before coming here, and bring your mosquito repellent. I came away with quite a few sandfly bites.
Go Rock Pool Hunting at Coconut Wells
Coconut Wells is located a short 25-minute drive out of Broome. I love visiting here at both low and high tides.
At low tides, the receding ocean reveals hundreds of tiny rock pools on the beach. While at high tide, the lagoon fills with aquamarine blue water. You’ll see many locals here on the weekends of spring tides participating in a Broome tradition, the float.
Curious? Check out my detailed guide on Coconut Wells for all you need to know about spectacular spot.
Explore Broome’s Chinatown
Chinatown in Broome isn’t the conventional type of Chinatown.
Broome’s Chinatown is the main shopping, restaurant and business district of Broome. There is a multicultural and strong Asian influence in Broome thanks to the town’s history in the pearling trade.
Stroll through the two main streets of Carnarvon St and Dampier Terrace, window shopping at the many pearl shops situated in the latter. You can browse souvenir stores or check out some of the art galleries in town.
Take a shortcut through the boutiques in Johnny Chi Lane through to Carnarvon St where you’ll find a few spots for lunch and likely some interesting decorations.
Visit Broome’s Markets
During peak tourist season (during the dry season from May – October), there are 3 chances a week to get to check out the local markets.
The town markets, located at the Broome courthouse (also known as the Broome Courthouse Markets) are on both days each weekend during dry season.
These markets have a lot of variety with stalls selling coffee and fresh food, juices, local homewares, Indigenous art, jewellery and tours of Broome and surrounds.
As a cheap treat, make sure to try the famous “Mango Frozen Thingy” which is PURE heaven (and super healthy as it’s just 100% fruit!).
Broome Thursday Night Market
There is a night market at Town Beach on Thursdays, with food trucks serving delicious meals and sweet treats. Sit on the grass, eating your dinner whilst listening to live music.
Here you can also find Broome’s banana loompia, which had been recommended to me by a friend. It’s a sweet spring roll filled with fried banana, brown sugar and cinnamon – yum!
Seek Out the Catalina WWII Flying Boat Wrecks at Low Tide
Several flying boat wrecks can be found about a kilometre from the shoreline by walking out into the middle of Roebuck Bay at low tide.
Departing from Town Beach, the mud flats of Roebuck Bay have preserved several plane wrecks from World War II. At very low tides (<0.8m), you can walk out onto the mud flats and hunt out these Catalina Flying Boat wrecks.
We woke up early one morning and were out at Town Beach walking out onto the bay by 5.45am.
We had a super strong fog, which meant you couldn’t see anything out more than a few metres around you… very eerie!
One member of our group had a piece of paper with vague directions to the wrecks. After walking out for 45 minutes with no clue still I luckily managed to look up the actual GPS coordinates so we could find the wrecks!
Search for the Roebuck Bay wrecks on this link here for precise coordinates.
Tips for Visiting the Wrecks
A few tips and words of advice:
- It’s muddy for the first 800m or so. Make sure you wear appropriate footwear. It gets easier after this when it becomes more sandy and firm.
- Make sure you check the tides and go at the right time! Trust me, you don’t want to be stuck out a few km’s from shore when the tide starts to turn.
- We were told by a local to get there about 30 mins to an hour before the lowest point of the tide to make sure we were safe and wouldn’t be caught by a turning tide.
- This is the free version, but if you don’t want to walk out there is a paid option where you go out on a tour in a hovercraft to see the wrecks .
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Day Trip to James Price Point
If time permits, head up Cape Leveque road to check out the incredible towering red cliffs of James Price Point as day trip from Broome.
We packed the car with some sandwiches, lots of water, a few beers and sun cream and set off for the 1.5-hour drive up Cape Leveque road.
Spend the day admiring the view from the top of the cliffs, before heading down to the sandy beaches. Walk along and admire the beautiful coastline and swim in crystal clear water.
We had this entire place basically to ourselves, other than some campers in a van on the cliffs above.
Technically, you don’t need a 4WD to get out to this place, but we made sure to hire an AWD SUV so the ride would be more comfortable – I wouldn’t recommend coming out here with a small car as the road is quite corrugated.
Admire the Vivid Hues of Roebuck Bay
When you see marketing materials for Broome, chances are high that there is a picture of Roebuck Bay in there.
The orange-hued sand of Roebuck Bay starkly contrasts with the bright azure blues, only broken by the pops of green from the mangroves in the bay.
It’s worth checking out the bay here and wandering along the shoreline.
You can access this spot at Simpsons Beach by the parking area located on the left at the turn-off from Port Drive, Minyirr. Look for a small sign saying “Beach Access.” It’s next to the Broome Hovercraft / Broome Dinosaur Adventures property. Here’s the Google Maps link.
Explore Minyirr Park Walking Trails
Start the day with a walk through the bush trails, through to the sand dunes. At the end, you’ll find the Banu Stairs to provide a path through the dunes and over to the south end of Cable Beach.
There is a small viewing platform up the top here, which provides a great 360-degree view of Broome! The 100+ stairs also make for a great workout after doing a few laps up and down.
Look for the Nagula trail marker (blue – to the ocean) to stay on the right track!
Tip: Time your visit for earlier in the morning because it will likely be quite hot later in the day!
Take Part in the Shinju Matsuri Festival
Luck had it that I was in Broome when the annual Shinju Matsuri, Festival of the Pearl, celebration was on. This festival celebrates Broome’s unique culture with a week of diverse and interesting cultural events.
If you are in Broome around September, you’ll be able to catch some of these events.
My absolute highlight was the Floating Lantern Festival, where we headed down to Gantheaume Beach and floated out lanterns with handwritten messages out onto the water.
You can pay a small fee for a lantern, or for free, you can still head down to the beach, watch the sunset as people float their lanterns with messages of hope and love into the water. It was a magical experience.
Other free things to do in Broome during Shinju Matsuri include a float down the middle of Chinatown, and the much-celebrated “Pets in the Park” competition down at Town Beach.
I also volunteered at the Jetty to Jetty, Stories of Broome event, which was an audio-visual display of storytelling from various elders within the Yawuru community sharing their stories of growing up in multicultural Broome.
This event was free, and for a gold coin donation, you could have a delicious serve of homemade kangaroo stew.
Check out their website to see what free events are being held this year.
Admire Broome’s Staircase to the Moon
And this leaves me with my last, and one of my favourite, free things to do in Broome – watching the remarkable phenomenon known as Staircase to the Moon.
Staircase to the Moon is a natural occurrence which happens when a full moon rises over the exposed tidal flats of Roebuck Bay and creates the illusion of a shimmering stair case of light up to the moon across the bay.
The Staircase to the Moon occurs for 2 – 3 days a month between March and October. I was fortunate enough to be in Broome for both August and September to see this incredible event.
Many head to the Mangrove Hotel or to Town Beach as popular viewing spots.
However, I’ll share with you my secret spot which provides an elevated view to watch in peace and quiet without the hordes of people found at the other two spots.
Head up the hill to the Broome Golf Club, where you will find just yourselves and a few other cars of people parked up to watch this sight.
2023 Update: Some friends recently went to watch the staircase of the moon here and managed to get on the wrong side of a locked gate after everyone else had left! So don’t hang around for too long after watching the phenomenon.
If you don’t mind sharing the experience with a few hundred others, Town Beach is another great spot and you can also check out the Staircase to the Moon night markets on the first two nights.
BONUS: Other Ideas for Cheap Things to Do in Broome
Here are some additional ideas for some low-cost activities worth doing in Broome:
- Sip on an ice-cold beer at Matso’s Brewery
- Watch a movie from a deckchair at the iconic Sun Pictures in town
- Learn more about Broome’s unique and cultural history at the Broome Historical Society & Museum
Final Thoughts
In summary, that wraps up my list of 12 absolutely free things to do in Broome (plus 3 bonus cheap ideas). Looking for more ideas of things to do while in Broome? Make sure to read my guide with 25+ ideas.
If you have any questions, feel free to put them in the comments below, or pop into the Broome Visitor Centre for some on-the-ground advice. Happy adventuring!
Check out my other Broome Guides:
- Complete List of the Best Things to Do in Broome
- 16 Exciting Day Trips from Broome
- Exploring Coconut Wells: Ocean Lagoon & Hidden Rock Pools
- Broome Rock Pools Guide
- Top Beaches in Broome
If you found this free guide useful, you’ll love my new Western Australia Road Trip & Travel Guide eBook! It’s jam-packed with over 90 pages of useful destination guides, essential tips and custom day-by-day itineraries to make planning your Western Australia adventures a breeze. Check it out here.
Staircase to the moon photo is ridiculously good!
These are some awesome ideas for free things to do, I’m so keen to visit Broome! How long would you recommend spending there?