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I didn’t know what to expect when I got off the coach at Exmouth Visitor Center after a short stay in Coral Bay a couple hours down the coast. I just finished a 2-week road trip across Southwest Australia and wanted to explore the never-ending coral coast of northwestern Australia all the way up to Exmouth and Cape Range National Park. I knew that the heritage site of the Ningaloo Reef was one of Australia’s many beautiful hidden gems and incredibly popular for diving and snorkelling with the Ningaloo Reef whale sharks. I had already been to the whitest sand beaches I had ever seen earlier on my trip in Esperance and Lucky Bay in South Australia, so what else was there to come? A lot as I would find out.
When to visit Exmouth and Cape Range National Park
One thing that struck me was how I expected it to be much busier that time of the year. It was the beginning of January and holiday season and yet the whole area seemed empty. As the Ningaloo Coast and Cape Range National Park is so famous for its Ningaloo Reef whale sharks and humpback whales, most people will visit between March and July when it’s possible to swim, snorkel and dive with these gentle giants. At the same time it’s simply too far off the beaten track for most international travellers. So visiting at the start of the year you’ve pretty much got some of the world’s most spectacular beaches for yourself.
Looking for solitude? Go in January and February
Want to to swim and dive with the Ningaloo Reef whale sharks? Go between March and July
Planning on swimming with Manta Rays and spotting humpback whales? Go between June and November
Exmouth - The Gateway to Cape Range National Park and Ningaloo Reef
Let’s start with Exmouth, as this is your base from where to explore Cape Range National Park and the Ningaloo Reef. Exmouth is a tiny town with about 2500 residents. The town itself doesn’t win any prizes for vibe or atmosphere but it’s a good place to stock up supplies and prepare to be further out.
Day Tours from Exmouth
During whale and manta ray season there is at least a dozen of operators offering whale swimming and watching tours touring the Ningaloo Reef just off the coast of Cape Range National Park.
The majority of operators offer snorkelling with the Ningaloo Reef whale sharks and humpback whales, sunset whale watching tours and the best reef spots looking for dolphins, turtles and rays. Ocean Eco Adventures is one of the most popular providers. Featuring one of the most modern boats, they offer a range of full-day trips. Prices start at about $420 AUS for a full day tour including all necessary gear, gourmet sea food lunch and free coffee and tea. They also offer trips on their very own microlight aircraft to see the reef from above.
Best Ningaloo Reef whale sharks tour for positive environmental impact
Ningaloo Blue Dive is a great choice for everyone wanting to support environmental initiatives while having an amazing day out whale watching or swimming with the Ningaloo Reef whale sharks. The operator participates in research and provides its vessels to ECOCEAN, a Western Australian NGO working towards the conservation of the marine environment. They also collaborate with Western Australia’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions on scientific fieldwork and community awareness for the whale shark. Besides their strong focus on environmental sustainability their tours are simply fantastic. They also have a no show policy meaning that if you don’t spot any whale sharks that day, you will go again for free. Lastly, there are one of the few providers offering professionally taken photos and videos of the day for free.
For the five senses
Overnight stay on a sailing catamaran with Ningaloo Discovery
Feel the wind, smell the sea, see marine life, taste deliciously prepared food and hear the waves rocking you to sleep. If you want the full Ningaloo Reef whale sharks experience, go for an overnighter on Ningaloo Discovery’s luxury catamaran. What better is there than ending a whole day of whale sharking with a glass of champaign and freshly caught and grilled sea food on deck watching the sunset out on the ocean? Nothing. On all their tours they also offer a Professional Photography Package which is completely free.
Want more scuba diving? Head over to Mary’s outdoor adventure blog to read about some of the world’s best liveaboard diving trips!
Ningaloo Reef Scuba Diving Tours
Besides swimming with whale sharks and humpback whales the Ningaloo Coast has to offer, it’s the actual reef and its other incredible marine life that attracts a lot of scuba divers. Exmouth Navy Pier is a world famous dive site. As it’s still an active Navy Pier it’s not accessible to the general public and Dive Ningaloo currently hold the only licence for operating scuba diving tours there. The restricted access means the site is brimming with marine life. Other amazing dive locations include diving around the Lighthouse Bay right where the Ningaloo Reef meets Cape Range National Park and the Muiron Islands a bit further off the coast.
What do in Cape Range National Park
Cape Range National Park itself is mostly composed of limestone plateau and features deep gorges, vast plains and the stunning Ningaloo coastline. There are a few worthwhile hikes such as to the park’s most popular landmark Yardie Creek, a beautiful ancient gorge filled with deep blue water winding between red limestone cliff. Another highlight is the Charles Knife Canyon at the eastern edge of the park and the Badjirrajirra Loop Trail.
Beaches in Cape Range National Park
The absolute best thing about Cape Range National Park however are the beaches, which are hands down some of the best I have ever seen. The beauty here is that you’ve got the some of the world’s most beautiful stretches of sand pretty much for yourself most of the time, especially in low season. We hardly saw another soul. It’s the ultimate Robinson Crusoe feeling, just without the hardships. While there are a handful of beautiful beaches in Cape Range National Park, we’ll focus on two of them, Turquoise Bay and Sandy Beach.
Turquoise Beach
Turquoise Bay is probably the most iconic white sand beach on Australia’s Coral Coast and is a must-visit for everyone visiting the North West Cape and Cape Le Grange National Park. The turquoise water is incredibly clear, which makes snorkelling at one of the two snorkelling sites a delight. Besides lots of fish and corals, you may spot the occasional turtle, sting ray or even reef shark. If you’re not a strong swimmer be more careful at the the drift area as the strong currents can pull you further out.
Highlight
Sandy Bay
Sandy Bay is about 19 miles or a 15min drive further south along the Ningaloo Coast. A liked it a tiny bit more than Turquoise Bay as it was even more deserted. We went with a group from our hostel and we were literally the only souls there. The beach is also popular for wind and kite surfing. We brought drinks and some food and spend the entire afternoon here before watching the sunset.
Cape Range National Park Camping
Most campsites within the Cape Range National Park are quite basic with no showers and compost toilets. But to be honest you wouldn’t want to do it any other way. Camping is the way to stay here. There are only eight oceanfront campsites within National Park borders, so makes sure you arrange to stay somewhere early on. They are all very similar, so I wouldn’t say there is any best campsite in Cape Range National Park.
Top Tipp: Don’t forget to pack binoculars when visiting during humpback whale season. Sitting on top of the dunes and watching the whales breach in the distance is absolutely magical.
Go Budget
Osprey Bay campsite offers arguably the best views of the lagoon and it’s the closet one to Sandy Bay, about a 15min walk. It’s right by the beach. A few miles further north you’ll find Kurrajong campsite tucked away behind some dunes which is great when the wind picks up a bit. Please note that no BBQs, campfires or dogs are allowed on the campsites. Mesa and Ned’s campsites are the two most northern campsites in Cape Range National Park, both directly located on a white sandy stretch of sand. All campsites come with basic compostable toilets but have no access to water, power or any other facilities. Prices for all campsites start at $11 AUD per adult.
Where to go from here?
If you are travelling back south and you haven’t been yet, your next stop should be Coral Bay at the southern end of the Ningaloo Reef. It’s a couple hours drive south from Exmouth. Especially if you’re keen on swimming with manta rays, you have a higher chance of spotting them here in season. If you have enough of the beach after having just experienced Australia’s most beautiful you may want to head towards the incredible Karijini National Park 420 miles east of Exmouth.
