The Great Barrier Reef is definitely the most well known reef in Australia. However, little do people know that there is another amazing reef system off the West Coast of Australia, the World Heritage Ningaloo Reef. Stretching for 260km along the coast, this reef contrast greatly to its sister off Cairns. Relatively untouched, the reef is easy to reach, only 2-4 metres deep and located so close to the coast you can swim out to it from the beaches. Declared a national park in 1987 this is home to 250 species of colourful coral, 500 species of brightly coloured fish, manta rays and one of the few places in the world you can see and swim with the Whale Shark. During the months of April to July, visitors can swim with the gentle giants of the sea, the rare Whale Shark. The eight metre long sharks aren't the only visitors, from June to November the humpback whale pass Ningaloo on their annual migration and many tour boats cater to the keen whale spotter.




The tiny town of Exmouth is perfectly located along the coast of Ningaloo Reef. Originally, developed as a Communications base, Exmouth's major calling card is now tourism offering Ningaloo National Park, Coral Bay and Cape Range National Park, which all provide stunning beauty without the crowds. In fact with a population of just 2500, Exmouth’s population roughly doubles when a cruise ship comes to port.


Coral Bay, 155kms from Exmouth can only be described as untouched. A long stretch of white sand as far as the eye can see, sparkling blue water and absolutely nothing else! Perfect for getting some sun (but be careful you don’t get too much), it is a lovely area to take a long stroll or dive straight into beautiful warm waters and swim out to the reef which is a very short distance from shore.



For those who have seen enough of the water, gorges, limestone ranges, seemingly endless canyons, wildlife spotting and breathtaking scenery are all on offer just 40km from Ningaloo at the Cape Range National Park. Millions of years ago, the mountain ranges in the park were actually islands and many of the plants and animals seen in the area cannot be seen anywhere else in the world.



Various tours are available to get the most out of your time here including 4WD, snorkelling, glass bottom boats, scuba, ATV and yes you do definitely want to make the most out of your time here. Being 1260km from Perth city, makes Exmouth not the easiest place to get into and a cruise ship just may be the answer to that!



DID YOU KNOW

  • Within the 50,000 hectares that is Cape Range National Park there are over 630 species of flowering plants
  • The Whale Shark is the world's biggest fish