Australia's Coral Coast

Western Australia's coastal highway north of Perth: the Pinnacles, Kalbarri, Monkey Mia's dolphins in Shark Bay, and whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef.

Australia's Coral Coast is a coastal region and road route promoted by Tourism Western Australia. It stretches about 1,100 km north from Cervantes, north of Perth, to Exmouth, anchored by two World Heritage natural sites. Highlights along the way include the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park (thousands of limestone pillars); Nature's Window, coastal cliffs and the pink lake in Kalbarri National Park; Monkey Mia in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area, where wild bottlenose dolphins come to shore each morning, along with Shell Beach, made of piled-up shells, and stromatolites, one of Earth's oldest life forms; and at the far north, Ningaloo Reef, one of the world's largest fringing coral reefs, where you can snorkel straight from the beach at Coral Bay or Exmouth. From March to July you can swim with whale sharks, and in winter you can also see humpback whales and manta rays. The classic trip is a one-way or round-trip self-drive from Perth taking 10–14 days; if time is limited, fly to Exmouth and head straight for Ningaloo. The route is long with few services, so avoid driving at night to prevent kangaroo collisions, and plan your supplies and sun protection.

Destinations

• Shark Bay
• Exmouth & Ningaloo Reef
• Kalbarri

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…
• 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…
• 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.