Just 1½ hours south of Exmouth, Coral Bay is a fantastic spot for snorkelling. The Ningaloo Reef at Coral Bay is very close to the shore and it is possible to swim out from the beach.
The small town is also a good spot to see whalesharks. These 12m-long fish are the world’s largest. They arrive on the reef in April, but you must travel out past the reef with a licenced operator to snorkel with them.
Each year between October and February, around 200 reef sharks visit an area 1km from the main beach at Coral Bay.
As Coral Bay exists for tourism, food can be quite pricey. Some backpackers solve this problem by stocking up on groceries before they get here.
