Exmouth & Ningaloo Reef

On the World Heritage Ningaloo Coast, the reef starts right at the shore: swim with whale sharks Mar–Jul, drift-snorkel Turquoise Bay, explore Cape Range gorges and meet manta rays at Coral Bay.

Exmouth sits at the tip of the North West Cape peninsula in Western Australia, about 1,250 km from Perth, and is the gateway town to the World Heritage Ningaloo Coast (listed in 2011). Ningaloo Reef stretches about 260 km and is one of the world's longest fringing reefs; in many places you can snorkel just a few steps off the beach. The spine of the peninsula is the limestone ranges and gorges of Cape Range National Park, with Exmouth Gulf to the east.

Areas to explore: ① the west coast of Cape Range National Park – drift snorkelling at Turquoise Bay, Oyster Stacks, Lakeside and Sandy Bay, the Milyering Visitor Centre, hiking Mandu Mandu Gorge, and boat tours of Yardie Creek at the southern end; ② the northern tip of the peninsula – sunset at Vlamingh Head Lighthouse, the SS Mildura wreck, Jurabi Turtle Centre, Bundegi Beach and diving at the Navy Pier; ③ scenic drives to Charles Knife Canyon and Shothole Canyon on the east side; ④ the Ningaloo Centre in town; ⑤ Coral Bay, about 150 km south, for snorkelling with manta rays and its shark nursery.

Seasons: whale shark season runs Mar–Jul (peaking Apr–Jun), humpback whales Jun–Nov, turtle nesting Nov–Mar, and you can swim with manta rays year-round. Apr–Oct has the most comfortable weather; summer often tops 40°C and brings a risk of cyclones. Getting there: flights from Perth to Learmonth Airport take about 2 hours; the airport is about 37 km from town, so rent a car or take the shuttle. Driving from Perth takes 2 days. Allow 4–5 days. The national park requires an entry pass, and campsites must be booked online in advance; there are no supplies in the park, so bring plenty of water and sun protection. Book whale shark tours ahead, and when snorkelling inside the reef watch for currents and tides and don't stand on the coral.

Top sights

• Turquoise Bay – Exmouth's most famous beach, where white sand meets bright blue water and coral reef lies just a few meters offshore. It is world-famous fo…
• Coral Bay – A resort town on the southern stretch of Ningaloo Reef, where shallow coral near Bills Bay sits just off the beach. It is another base for…
• Whale Shark Swim (Tantabiddi Boat Ramp) – The signature Ningaloo experience: sail outside the reef to swim with the world's largest fish, the whale shark. Tantabiddi Boat Ramp is th…
• Cape Range National Park – A limestone mountain range and coastal national park on the northwest peninsula, with canyons to the east and the Ningaloo Reef hugging its…
• Yardie Creek Gorge – A red cliff gorge at the southern end of the Cape Range, where a deep pool at the creek mouth can be explored by small boat or from cliffto…
• Vlamingh Head Lighthouse – A historic lighthouse from 1912 on the hilltop at the northern tip of the northwest peninsula, the top choice in Exmouth for sunsets and wi…
• Oyster Stacks – Several rock stacks covered in oyster shells just off the shore attract large numbers of tropical fish, making this one of Ningaloo's best…
• Charles Knife Canyon – A scenic road that climbs the eastern slopes of the Cape Range in switchbacks, with several lookouts over deep red gorges and Exmouth Gulf.
• Shothole Canyon – A dry riverbed gorge on the eastern slope of the Cape Range, where a gravel road runs between layered rock walls. At the end, a picnic area…
• Mandu Mandu Gorge – The most popular hiking gorge on the west side of Cape Range National Park. A loop of about 3 km climbs to the gorge rim, with views over b…
• Lakeside Snorkel Area – A protected snorkelling area inside the national park. Walk from the car park to the beach, then drift snorkel back. Turtles and reef shark…
• Milyering Discovery Centre – The visitor centre for Cape Range National Park, offering snorkelling tide information, camping details, and exhibits on the Ningaloo ecosy…
• Jurabi Turtle Centre – A turtle information centre on the beach at the northern tip of the peninsula, where summer night tours led by volunteers let you watch tur…
• Bundegi Beach – A calm beach on the Exmouth Gulf side of the northeast corner of the peninsula. It is the closest snorkelling spot to town, with a boat ram…
• Navy Pier Dive Site – Rated among the world's top pier dive sites, where groupers, moray eels, reef sharks, and schools of fish gather beneath the pier pylons. A…
• Ningaloo Centre – A town-centre aquarium and museum in Exmouth showcasing Ningaloo Reef ecology, a whale shark skeleton, and the town's space and WWII histor…
• SS Mildura Wreck – The wreck of a cattle ship that ran aground off the northwest coast in 1907, its rusty steel frame jutting out of the shallows, one of the…
• Sandy Bay – A white-sand bay on the western side of Cape Range National Park, with fine sand and shallow, calm waters, ideal for swimming, paddling wit…
• Mangrove Bay Bird Hide – A mangrove lagoon in the northern part of Cape Range National Park, with a boardwalk leading to a bird hide where you can watch wading bird…
• Skeleton Bay Shark Nursery – A shallow bay just north of Coral Bay, where blacktip and whitetip reef sharks gather to breed, and where you can stand in the shallows and…

Where to eat

• Whalers Seafood Restaurant – A family-run seafood restaurant known for fresh local catch and its signature seafood platter. It is one of the most re…
• Whalebone Brewing – A craft brewery and bar run by two local families, serving beer and freshly made pizza under the stars. It is consisten…
• Adrift Cafe – A cafe opened in 2016 by chef Matt, serving simple, ingredient-driven food from breakfast through dinner, made with hig…
• Blue Lips Fish and Chips – A long-running takeaway fish and chips shop in the town centre, serving local goldband snapper fried or grilled, with a…

Itineraries

• Coral Coast: Perth to Exmouth – Head north along the Indian Ocean, linking desert pinnacles, red gorges, wild dolphins, and Ningaloo Reef, with a one-w…
• Ningaloo Reef Fly-In Short Break – Fly directly from Perth to Learmonth, swim with manta rays in Coral Bay, and swim with whale sharks in Exmouth.
• 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…