At a Glance

Experience the awe inspiring Australian west coast where the Indian Ocean collides with the cliffs of a rainbow-hued desert, then relax in the sheltered waters behind the exquisite coral reef of Ningaloo. Ningaloo Marine Park is a World Heritage-listed site found half way up the West Australian coastline. The crystalline water harbours the world’s largest fringing reef, a 260-kilometre (162-mile) long coral reef swarming with turtles, tropical fish, manta rays, humpback whales and the elusive whale shark. Nowhere on Earth do these majestic creatures reliably congregate in such large numbers as here, at Ningaloo Reef.

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When to visit

The best time to visit the Coral Coast is between March to October. This is due to the weather being dry, mild heat and the majority of seasonal experiences/tours happen between these months. Whale Sharks visit between between late March and mid-July and Humpback Whales from about June to November. The Ningaloo gets very busy around school holidays, particularly popular towns like Coral Bay, which have relatively few places to stay.

Climate

The region mostly has no wet season but can be occasionally influenced by cyclones in the first quarter of the year (though this is quite rare). What rain does fall, is little and tends to be around the middle of the year. The area records over 300 days of sunshine every year and summer temperatures range from the mid to high 30 degrees while winters are around 25 degrees.