Ningaloo Reef
Ningaloo Reef
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Mandi K
28 contributions
May 2022
Went with Kings Ningaloo Reef Tours to swim with the whale sharks. The staff were fantastic. Encouraging, engaging, helpful and friendly. Supplied all the necessary gear - wet suite, snorkeling equipment, flippers - all good quality. Took us out snorkeling first to get used to the gear, then to the deeper ocean to swim with the whale sharks. Took 3 dives with the biggest fish in the ocean. A delicious lunch was prepared and provided on the boat. A highly recommended experience. Thank you to Bill, Lydia and the team
Written 27 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gary P
Perth, Australia14 contributions
June 2022 • Friends
Fabulous place to visit and stay. We were fortunate to stay with friends right on the beach in their caravan. Absolutely pristine, air and water with fantastic fishing off the tinny at dusk. Fresh cooked Spangled Emperor on the barby …yum and sun sets ..wow!
Written 5 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oz_Kay_11
Sydney, Australia108 contributions
Apr 2018 • Friends
Essentially visiting this region is all about water activities. Snorkeling with whale sharks or humpback whales; diving especially the world famous Navy Pier, and just good ol’ swimming and snorkeling in pristine coral gardens teeming with fish just metres from the shore.
1. When?
It all depends on why you are going. Most people primarily go to see whale sharks, manta rays, turtles or humpbacks.
While the manta rays live year round in the calm waters near Coral Bay inside the reef the whales sharks only come for the coral spawning in April and hang around feeding July to August.
The humpback whale migration is in winter so consider the weather. Apparently this is when the larger tiger sharks also arrive but don't worry they prefer turtles as their main dietary source. Turtles are locally called sea biscuits because of this.
Turtles can be seen all year around but the egg laying and hatching happens only in February and March.
Oh and then there is the wind, which is constant all year round just at its lowest in April, to July. As you are likely coming to do water activities wind and sea swell really affect the enjoyment of your activities so this is extremely important especially if you get at all seasick. When we were there even though it was meant to be low wind season boat excursions were cancelled for a day because of the high wind and resulting swell.
If you don't have kids avoiding West Australian school holidays is also probably a good idea. Legions of faithful hitch up their trailers/caravans/boats and head towards the many camping and caravan parks in Coral Bay particularly for the April and July school holidays.
2. Where?
The other question everyone seems to ask is “Shall we go to Coral Bay or Exmouth?”. Do both! You’ve travelled a long way to get here why not see it all? We did both and I am so glad. However, I would change the order and stay in Coral Bay first then Exmouth.
The main reason is that if you hire a car the drive back from Coral Bay to the airport uses up more petrol than the hire company allowance and you need to go back into Exmouth to get petrol anyway. They charge a lot to fill up for you. The airport lies between Exmouth (22min/34.7km) and Coral Bay (1hr 11min / 116.8km).
Second reason is Coral bay a great place to unwind.
Coral Bay is so relaxed and laid back. Just what the jangled traveller needs to chill out. Shorts and thongs/sandals are the norm. It's a great place to get your sea legs and do some easy but spectacular snorkeling right from the main beach. Oh and the manta rays are from here. It’s definitely a family destination with a sprinkling of couples like us and young folk mainly from the European continent.
Exmouth has resort style accommodation, that is, places with swimming pools, bars, and other services. Oh and a fabulous Information Centre. Also better location if you are a diver.
3. How long?
Again you’ve travelled a long way to get here so make sure you have enough time to do the things you want to do and allow for bad weather or no shows by whalesharks or manta rays. Most of the tour operators provide guarantee sightings or free rescheduling of your tour.
Allow the day you arrive either in Coral Bay or Exmouth to do nothing as you have probably been travelling most of the day. Book your manta ray/ whaleshark experience for the next day. This allows for rescheduling in case of bad weather/ no shows. We spent 3 full days (not including travel days) in Exmouth and 2 in Coral Bay and were never bored. Maybe one more full day for more chilling out would have been nice but not necessary.
Other tips:
1. Whale shark viewing is not a passive bob a round in the ocean. It’s best to have some experience snorkeling. You have to rally quickly and jump into the ocean in the middle of nowhere. No seeing the bottom - this is the big blue. Gorgeous but daunting if you haven’t done it before. Then the magnificent animal swims past you and you need to swim alongside. These 7+ metre babies (and yes they are babies, mostly being young juvenile males) swim quite fast even when they are feeding and it can get exhausting keeping up. Then you need to get back on the boat. Bit like a seal landing on shore, not a very elegant process. Worth every minute of it though. Just best to be prepared. We had 2 young boys with us who were totally fine and had an absolute ball. We are late in our 50s early 60s and there was another couple slightly older than us. However, snorkeling skills and a level of fitness is probably advisable.
2. Manta ray viewing was a lovely bob around the ocean. Out from Coral Bay and inside the reef this was a much easier experience. We had young-uns and much older folks with us. Everyone got in and snorkeled. There were noodles for the not so strong swimmers and it was in shallow clear water where you could see the bottom. In fact the manta rays were swimming in only 5 metres of water back and forth right under us. With a wingspan of 4 metres they got quite close to us on their turns. Good trip for the whole family.
3. Diving
If you want to dive the Navy Pier book in advance. Only one operator is allowed by the navy to conduct dives on this site and the rules are strict. For example must have dived in last 2 years, 30 plus dives if only Open Water Certified etc. The website explains all this. The navy conducts regular maintenance and sometimes uses this pier so diving is not offered during these periods. Currents in this whole area can be strong as we experienced snorkeling. Great for drift dives and snorkels but again daunting if not used to them.
4. $$$
Exmouth is expensive. You are a long way from anywhere so don't fight it. There is a great IGA for self-catering, pizza takeaways etc. But if you feel like indulging we had lovely meals at the Mantarays Resort and at Whalers Restaurant. Breakfast at Mantarays was expensive at $21 for continental and $28 for full breakfast. So if you are staying there you might like to self-cater for breakfast and just buy a coffee from the restaurant.
Coral Bay is more affordable with Fins Café/Restaurant, the pub bistro at Ningaloo Reef Resort and the most amazing bakery. The bakery is the only place we could find for breakfast before our excursions. The coffee was fantastic and the array of pastries, pies, quiches, breads..oh stop me, just go!
5. Snorkeling in Exmouth
Hire flippers, snorkels etc. from the Exmouth information centre for the day if you don’t have them. We took our own mask and snorkels but didn’t want to haul around flippers. Flippers were only $7 per day.
The Information Centre also has a great display / museum too if the weather sends you indoors.
Where to snorkel from Exmouth. Well everyone raves about Turquoise Bay with its drift snorkel. It is fabulous but we almost preferred a snorkel site called the Oyster Stacks. You can only snorkel it when the tide is above 1.25 metres as it is very shallow and only a few metres from shore. However this is what makes it a great and easy spot to snorkel. A little walk over some rocks and you’re in the water. It is a circle swim so you leave where you entered the water. We saw black tip reef shark, spotted ray and heaps of different fish among the coral bommies.
6. Shopping
Pretty lacking in both locations. The exception being Coral Bay Shells next to Fins café in Peoples Park Caravan Village shopping Centre Coral Bay. Don’t worry you’ll find it. Gary makes his own jewelry from high quality Italian silver and local shells. It is true artisan work beautifully executed. Even pieces depicting whale sharks and manta rays are artistic not corny. I invested in a full set; earrings, bracelet and necklace.
Did I mention the bakery?
Exmouth has a lovely market on 3rd Sunday (not sure how regular it is)
1. When?
It all depends on why you are going. Most people primarily go to see whale sharks, manta rays, turtles or humpbacks.
While the manta rays live year round in the calm waters near Coral Bay inside the reef the whales sharks only come for the coral spawning in April and hang around feeding July to August.
The humpback whale migration is in winter so consider the weather. Apparently this is when the larger tiger sharks also arrive but don't worry they prefer turtles as their main dietary source. Turtles are locally called sea biscuits because of this.
Turtles can be seen all year around but the egg laying and hatching happens only in February and March.
Oh and then there is the wind, which is constant all year round just at its lowest in April, to July. As you are likely coming to do water activities wind and sea swell really affect the enjoyment of your activities so this is extremely important especially if you get at all seasick. When we were there even though it was meant to be low wind season boat excursions were cancelled for a day because of the high wind and resulting swell.
If you don't have kids avoiding West Australian school holidays is also probably a good idea. Legions of faithful hitch up their trailers/caravans/boats and head towards the many camping and caravan parks in Coral Bay particularly for the April and July school holidays.
2. Where?
The other question everyone seems to ask is “Shall we go to Coral Bay or Exmouth?”. Do both! You’ve travelled a long way to get here why not see it all? We did both and I am so glad. However, I would change the order and stay in Coral Bay first then Exmouth.
The main reason is that if you hire a car the drive back from Coral Bay to the airport uses up more petrol than the hire company allowance and you need to go back into Exmouth to get petrol anyway. They charge a lot to fill up for you. The airport lies between Exmouth (22min/34.7km) and Coral Bay (1hr 11min / 116.8km).
Second reason is Coral bay a great place to unwind.
Coral Bay is so relaxed and laid back. Just what the jangled traveller needs to chill out. Shorts and thongs/sandals are the norm. It's a great place to get your sea legs and do some easy but spectacular snorkeling right from the main beach. Oh and the manta rays are from here. It’s definitely a family destination with a sprinkling of couples like us and young folk mainly from the European continent.
Exmouth has resort style accommodation, that is, places with swimming pools, bars, and other services. Oh and a fabulous Information Centre. Also better location if you are a diver.
3. How long?
Again you’ve travelled a long way to get here so make sure you have enough time to do the things you want to do and allow for bad weather or no shows by whalesharks or manta rays. Most of the tour operators provide guarantee sightings or free rescheduling of your tour.
Allow the day you arrive either in Coral Bay or Exmouth to do nothing as you have probably been travelling most of the day. Book your manta ray/ whaleshark experience for the next day. This allows for rescheduling in case of bad weather/ no shows. We spent 3 full days (not including travel days) in Exmouth and 2 in Coral Bay and were never bored. Maybe one more full day for more chilling out would have been nice but not necessary.
Other tips:
1. Whale shark viewing is not a passive bob a round in the ocean. It’s best to have some experience snorkeling. You have to rally quickly and jump into the ocean in the middle of nowhere. No seeing the bottom - this is the big blue. Gorgeous but daunting if you haven’t done it before. Then the magnificent animal swims past you and you need to swim alongside. These 7+ metre babies (and yes they are babies, mostly being young juvenile males) swim quite fast even when they are feeding and it can get exhausting keeping up. Then you need to get back on the boat. Bit like a seal landing on shore, not a very elegant process. Worth every minute of it though. Just best to be prepared. We had 2 young boys with us who were totally fine and had an absolute ball. We are late in our 50s early 60s and there was another couple slightly older than us. However, snorkeling skills and a level of fitness is probably advisable.
2. Manta ray viewing was a lovely bob around the ocean. Out from Coral Bay and inside the reef this was a much easier experience. We had young-uns and much older folks with us. Everyone got in and snorkeled. There were noodles for the not so strong swimmers and it was in shallow clear water where you could see the bottom. In fact the manta rays were swimming in only 5 metres of water back and forth right under us. With a wingspan of 4 metres they got quite close to us on their turns. Good trip for the whole family.
3. Diving
If you want to dive the Navy Pier book in advance. Only one operator is allowed by the navy to conduct dives on this site and the rules are strict. For example must have dived in last 2 years, 30 plus dives if only Open Water Certified etc. The website explains all this. The navy conducts regular maintenance and sometimes uses this pier so diving is not offered during these periods. Currents in this whole area can be strong as we experienced snorkeling. Great for drift dives and snorkels but again daunting if not used to them.
4. $$$
Exmouth is expensive. You are a long way from anywhere so don't fight it. There is a great IGA for self-catering, pizza takeaways etc. But if you feel like indulging we had lovely meals at the Mantarays Resort and at Whalers Restaurant. Breakfast at Mantarays was expensive at $21 for continental and $28 for full breakfast. So if you are staying there you might like to self-cater for breakfast and just buy a coffee from the restaurant.
Coral Bay is more affordable with Fins Café/Restaurant, the pub bistro at Ningaloo Reef Resort and the most amazing bakery. The bakery is the only place we could find for breakfast before our excursions. The coffee was fantastic and the array of pastries, pies, quiches, breads..oh stop me, just go!
5. Snorkeling in Exmouth
Hire flippers, snorkels etc. from the Exmouth information centre for the day if you don’t have them. We took our own mask and snorkels but didn’t want to haul around flippers. Flippers were only $7 per day.
The Information Centre also has a great display / museum too if the weather sends you indoors.
Where to snorkel from Exmouth. Well everyone raves about Turquoise Bay with its drift snorkel. It is fabulous but we almost preferred a snorkel site called the Oyster Stacks. You can only snorkel it when the tide is above 1.25 metres as it is very shallow and only a few metres from shore. However this is what makes it a great and easy spot to snorkel. A little walk over some rocks and you’re in the water. It is a circle swim so you leave where you entered the water. We saw black tip reef shark, spotted ray and heaps of different fish among the coral bommies.
6. Shopping
Pretty lacking in both locations. The exception being Coral Bay Shells next to Fins café in Peoples Park Caravan Village shopping Centre Coral Bay. Don’t worry you’ll find it. Gary makes his own jewelry from high quality Italian silver and local shells. It is true artisan work beautifully executed. Even pieces depicting whale sharks and manta rays are artistic not corny. I invested in a full set; earrings, bracelet and necklace.
Did I mention the bakery?
Exmouth has a lovely market on 3rd Sunday (not sure how regular it is)
Written 24 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nipper_11
Melbourne, Australia46 contributions
Oct 2012 • Couples
We had planned to camp at Ningaloo station camping site for a week. As I had a dog we couldn't go into the national park, near Exmouth.
I rang the Station caretaker who said there were many sites available. I enquirer about the track into the camp site from the highway. The caretaker said it had been graded and to just let my tyres down to 20 psi and I'd be fine. I did let the tyres down, but the track was just horrible. It was like being inside a washing machine. I tried all kind of speeds to try and smooth out the ride, but nothing worked. I am quite experienced at off road driving, but this road was just awful.
When we got to the camp site it is quite pretty, but be aware that there are no shade trees.
I would not return to this camp site again.
I rang the Station caretaker who said there were many sites available. I enquirer about the track into the camp site from the highway. The caretaker said it had been graded and to just let my tyres down to 20 psi and I'd be fine. I did let the tyres down, but the track was just horrible. It was like being inside a washing machine. I tried all kind of speeds to try and smooth out the ride, but nothing worked. I am quite experienced at off road driving, but this road was just awful.
When we got to the camp site it is quite pretty, but be aware that there are no shade trees.
I would not return to this camp site again.
Written 10 October 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter C
Attleborough, UK17 contributions
Apr 2014 • Couples
Ningaloo Station is a hot spot for campers/ caravaners local to WA. For us, coming from Melbourne, it was a mixed experience as we weren't sufficiently equipped for the delightful weather in store. A few pointer for anyone planning to stay at the Station as a a first timer like us:
1. The signpost to the Station, off the exmouth-coral bay road, was missing (removed by the Council) so it is easy to miss the turning.
2. The road in is horrendous it will take you several hours to reach the homestead, let alone then travel to your camp site - ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME (in daylight)
3. Take plenty of spare fuel, water, food and for your car: a tyre pressure gauge and pump
4. Take a two-way radio or satellite phone. There is no reception here. Everyone uses two-way radios.
5. Remember to take cash with you. Phillip requires cash for the deposit for the key to the gate of your site.
6. You need a chemical toilet to stay at the Station. If you need to hire one (from Phillip) then consider buying a toilet tent - we used a tarp!
We stayed at Windibandi Point. Stunning location. Unfortunately the weather was a little unkind, we hit a a storm, but would love to return. We met so many lovely people who holiday at Windibandi every year - we hope to meet you again soon
1. The signpost to the Station, off the exmouth-coral bay road, was missing (removed by the Council) so it is easy to miss the turning.
2. The road in is horrendous it will take you several hours to reach the homestead, let alone then travel to your camp site - ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME (in daylight)
3. Take plenty of spare fuel, water, food and for your car: a tyre pressure gauge and pump
4. Take a two-way radio or satellite phone. There is no reception here. Everyone uses two-way radios.
5. Remember to take cash with you. Phillip requires cash for the deposit for the key to the gate of your site.
6. You need a chemical toilet to stay at the Station. If you need to hire one (from Phillip) then consider buying a toilet tent - we used a tarp!
We stayed at Windibandi Point. Stunning location. Unfortunately the weather was a little unkind, we hit a a storm, but would love to return. We met so many lovely people who holiday at Windibandi every year - we hope to meet you again soon
Written 22 June 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susan T
Sydney, Australia51 contributions
July 2014 • Family
We are a grown up family of five. We had an amazing trip swimming with the whalesharks with this company . I almost never list a review when asked by the company to do so but will make an exception here as these guys provide a wonderful experience. We had 20 people on our trip and were divided into 2 groups each with our own guide when in the water. The equipment was great, probably the best fitting mask I have ever used! The wetsuits though some were a little frayed around the back were still fine. Our guides Ro and Naomi were delightful and helpful who obviously enjoyed their job, they had a group each and guided us to were we should wait in the water for the whaleshark to swim past. We were lucky enough to swim with 3 whalesharks , 1 very close up ( I had to swim back away !) the second I swam along for a short while before it did this amazing dive to the depths of the ocean and the third I was lucky enough to swim alongside with for a while then swam behind watching its amazing tail manoeuvre through the water before he out swam me! We also had a fabulous snorkel on the outer reef prior to the whaleshark swim. The skipper was very skilful in putting us in the water in line with the direction the whalesharks were swimming.We had a spotter plane that was shared between 3 companies who clocked off at about 1330 when we then had lunch. Lunch was healthy and delicious ,salads and cold meats. After lunch we were collectively given the option of another snorkel or to go searching for Dugongs, most people decided on the search so we all stayed dry for rest of afternoon. We were lucky enough to see 2 Dugongs and 4 Indopacfic dolphins.The deckhand was in the water with the inflatable when we were swimming in case anyone needed a hand. The videographer Ve was a beautiful lady who though she worked independently definitely felt part of the crew, we were very happy with our video, well with the $60. We also had 2 researchers plus a uni student doing a human- animal interaction on our trip. Definitely recommend this company for a Whaleshark swim. This experience dose not come cheap but we got a good deal with Exmouth Sea Breeze Resort which included accommodation,this swim plus car hire.
Written 4 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AlistairHawkwind
Brisbane, Australia14 contributions
Aug 2013
I recommend Staying in the little town of Coral Bay, where the sand is pretty white, the sea colours are stunning and all you have to do to go snorkeling is get you and your snorkeling gear into the water, swim out a little bit and the beauty of the coral reef and all its colourful wonders. When you go to the great barrier reef on the East coast, you nearly always have to pay for an expensive boat trip, whereas here, you can go out every day for free. Also, go at the right time of year and there are plenty whale sharks around. A paradise of a place that's nearly always sunny
Written 8 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah B
Winnipeg, Canada72 contributions
July 2015 • Couples
This is a real gem in Western Australia. We are divers and this site offered a better experience snorkeling than half of the dives that we've done in SE Asia and some off the Great Barrier reef. There's something magical about it.
Oyster stacks is the highlight where you're just over a meter over the the coral and it's lit up well on a sunny day (check your tide times as it has to be dived at high tide). We saw a few blue spotted sting rays, octopus and lion fish among others on our many snorkels. At Turquoise Bay we spotted a turtle munching on coral. Coral Bay fittingly had the most impressive Coral of the Ningaloo sites. Comparing Ningaloo with GBR, with the exception of whale sharks, Ningaloo didn't offer as many large creatures. We chose not to dive with the whale sharks as it was expensive but others raved about the experience.
Ningaloo is affordable and accessible to snorkel. All you need is a park pass and snorkel gear. You can rent for $15 a day or just go buy a mask and snorkel for $15-50 at the tour operators or dive shop. From there just walk or swim out. There are glass bottom boat tours for those who don't want to get as wet.
There's a range of accommodation options from hotels to campgrounds. The national park camping gets quite booked out during school holidays. We lined up one morning for the walk up spots but couldn't get one.
We visited in the winter (July school holidays) and found there was plenty to do! We had cold, windy rainy weather but still went snorkeling 5 times. We would have stayed longer if the daily tides weren't getting too low to continue snorkeling Oyster stacks. It's cold getting out of the water without a wet suit but manageable.
On the drive into Exmouth, take a drive up to Charles Knife canyon area. It's stunning and completely unexpected! There's a walk you can do there as well.
At the far end of the national park, past Exmouth and Oyster stacks, is the Yardie Gorge trail where you can see a lot of rock wallabies. There are a few other walks that we did as well in the park, but this was the most memorable.
Enjoy your visit and be careful when driving at dusk - so many kangaroos! We saw an echidna as well.
Oyster stacks is the highlight where you're just over a meter over the the coral and it's lit up well on a sunny day (check your tide times as it has to be dived at high tide). We saw a few blue spotted sting rays, octopus and lion fish among others on our many snorkels. At Turquoise Bay we spotted a turtle munching on coral. Coral Bay fittingly had the most impressive Coral of the Ningaloo sites. Comparing Ningaloo with GBR, with the exception of whale sharks, Ningaloo didn't offer as many large creatures. We chose not to dive with the whale sharks as it was expensive but others raved about the experience.
Ningaloo is affordable and accessible to snorkel. All you need is a park pass and snorkel gear. You can rent for $15 a day or just go buy a mask and snorkel for $15-50 at the tour operators or dive shop. From there just walk or swim out. There are glass bottom boat tours for those who don't want to get as wet.
There's a range of accommodation options from hotels to campgrounds. The national park camping gets quite booked out during school holidays. We lined up one morning for the walk up spots but couldn't get one.
We visited in the winter (July school holidays) and found there was plenty to do! We had cold, windy rainy weather but still went snorkeling 5 times. We would have stayed longer if the daily tides weren't getting too low to continue snorkeling Oyster stacks. It's cold getting out of the water without a wet suit but manageable.
On the drive into Exmouth, take a drive up to Charles Knife canyon area. It's stunning and completely unexpected! There's a walk you can do there as well.
At the far end of the national park, past Exmouth and Oyster stacks, is the Yardie Gorge trail where you can see a lot of rock wallabies. There are a few other walks that we did as well in the park, but this was the most memorable.
Enjoy your visit and be careful when driving at dusk - so many kangaroos! We saw an echidna as well.
Written 16 May 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
joeflies
Takanini, New Zealand20 contributions
We thoughly enjoyed Ningaloo Reef, and will definitely be back to see the Whale Sharks!
This is a snorkellers paradise....
You can reach parts of the reef from the shore, so no boat needed. You will see plenty of fish, turtles and coral... The colours are just breath taking.
Make sure you are there in the right season for the Whale Sharks!! ~ April to June.
This is a snorkellers paradise....
You can reach parts of the reef from the shore, so no boat needed. You will see plenty of fish, turtles and coral... The colours are just breath taking.
Make sure you are there in the right season for the Whale Sharks!! ~ April to June.
Written 3 November 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hellinhr
Lakewood, OH48 contributions
Feb 2014 • Family
I have travelled pretty extensively, and this is by far the most amazing and beautiful place I have ever been. Outback, barrier reefs, seclusion and amazing stars. I cannot wait to get back here sometime in my life as I think about it constantly. Difficult to get to, but it is more than worth the hassle getting there!!!!
Written 12 August 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello
My family and I are looking to visit in March 2020 am I right in thinking Coral Bay or Exmouth are the nearest places to stay? And how far away are they from Ningaloo Reef?
How long would you recommend visiting for? Thank you
Written 7 November 2019
Coral Bay is closer, about an hour away, Exmouth is further north. It’s worth staying at least a few days
Written 3 January 2020
Hi. My dream is to see whale sharks "naturally" while scuba diving. I am wondering how likely you are to see a whale shark while diving (not snorkeling/swimming). For example, if I'm doing 2 dives per day for a week, would I see one or more? I plan to visit in April 2020. Thank you for your input!
Written 19 May 2019
Not sure Wendy only stopped there for a day but I'd imagine if there is any it will be expensive and booked well in advanced. Sorry couldn't be more helpfull
Written 3 April 2017
Travelling by car in late August to Ningaloo from Perth via Monkey Mia...any tips on stop offs, places to stay, petrol stops etc....not booked anything yet! 4 of us including 2 kids 12 and 14....
Written 25 February 2017
How busy is this part of Australia in late August- trying to establish how much to book in advance...some tour operators are closed from end of July too
Written 22 February 2017
I was there in January and it was really busy since August is a little bit cooler it may be quieter but I'd only be guessing. I didn't book anything just camped off road and did our own touring.Hope you enjoy it anyway it's amazing
Written 22 February 2017
Where did you stay? What accomodation choices are there as there seem to be a few close to Exmouth & a way out of Exmouth?
Thanks
Written 27 July 2016
I'm not sure what type of accommodation you're looking for in particular, but this was our experience.
We stayed in campgrounds outside of Exmouth during our stay. The first one we tried was Ningaloo Lighthouse but we moved to Yardie Homestead caravan park after a couple nights.
There is very little in terms of restaurants, shops and services outside of Exmouth, so that's something to keep in mind when choosing a location. Our main goals were to snorkel and explore the park so staying outside of Exmouth was perfect for us. There's also basic camping in the park if you book in advance or it's not busy.
There are plenty of non-camping options too.
Written 5 August 2016
Do snorkelling trips still operate in September? If so, which companies? Have has no luck getting information form the internet. Thanks.
Written 17 June 2015
We went snorkling without an organised trip - just took advicee from the Rangers. FANTASTIC
Written 27 December 2015
Was it rough getting out to where the whale sharks are?
Thank you.
Yvonne
Written 3 April 2015
It depends on the wind and swell. We went out at the end of June and there was a strong south westerly wind which created a lot of chop on the reef and a large swell on the outer side where the whale sharks swim. You have to be quite a confident swimmer but there is a guide to help if you feel anxious. Once the sharks were spotted our guide took us to the right place where we had to jump off the boat and swim in the shark's path. The swell was high but it didn't obscure our experience and visibility was good. The water temp was 25 degrees but the day was cold. Maybe July or August would be better weather as we also had rain in June.
Written 3 July 2016
Chris M
Brisbane, Australia
Hi
Was wondering what the best way was to fly from Perth to Coral Bay (obviously looking for the cheapest flights if possible)? Which carriers go there, what is the cost and the fruequency of travel?
Any help would be great thanks.
Written 23 March 2015
Use the greyhound coach service - much cheaper than flyimg and you get there in less than a day - marvellous views of the country as well
Written 13 August 2015
Hi,
I'm here now, March, and it has been incredible (except for the cyclone about to hit tonight). The whale sharks showed up early this year which was great. I think Late March/ early April would be good. Just make sure the weather report looks clear. Check out Ningaloo Blue charters for a wonderful snorkeling experience.
Amazing place,
Sam
Written 12 March 2015
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