BASE YOURSELF: Exmouth, Coral Bay, Carnarvon, Denham or Monkey Mia
DURATION: 9 days
WHEN: March – November
SEASONAL: Whale Shark season (March to July)
HIGHLIGHTS: Food, landscapes, water, nature, animals and photography
Discover Western Australia’s magnificent Ningaloo and Shark Bay World Heritage Areas on this fly/drive itinerary. There’s so much to see and do in this pristine part of the world, from swimming with whale sharks and snorkelling the world’s largest fringing reef in the Ningaloo Marine Park, to walking along a beach made entirely of shells and interacting with wild dolphins at Monkey Mia.
DAY ONE
Perth to Exmouth
Take a morning flight from Perth to Exmouth (Learmonth Airport) with Qantas.
Pick up your hire car and stop off at Charles Knife Canyon and Shothole Canyon – on your way into Exmouth, enjoy the 360 views over the Gulf and the Reef. If you haven’t already done so before arriving, book your full-day tour to explore the Ningaloo Reef. You can do this whilst visiting the Ningaloo
Overnight: Exmouth
DAY TWO
Explore Exmouth
Get up early to spend a day in and on the water:
- Book a Whale Shark full-day tour from mid-March to July to swim with the world’s largest fish.
- Dive the Navy Pier with Dive Ningaloo.
Overnight: Exmouth
DAY THREE
Explore Exmouth
Get up early, pack a picnic lunch and other snacks for a day in the National Park.
- Drive into the Cape Range National Park either on tour with Ningaloo Safaris or self-drive and jump on the Yardie Creek Boat Tour to see the incredible red gorges.
- Join a glass bottom boat tour to see the reef without getting wet
- Stop at Milyering Visitor Centre for the tide information, then drift snorkel at Turquoise Bay.
Overnight: Exmouth
DAY FOUR
Exmouth to Carnarvon
367 kilometres
Take an early morning dip at Town Beach in Exmouth before heading south to Carnarvon, a subtropical oasis where fresh produce and seafood are plentiful.
Spend the afternoon:
- Visit the Space and Technology Museum, open daily
- Get takeaway local seafood and enjoy a sunset at the Fascine waterway
- Visit the Growers Market on Saturday's during May to October.
Overnight: Carnarvon
BONUS night: If you want to slow down even more, consider staying overnight at Woormel River Retreat found between Shark Bay and Carnarvon.
DAY FIVE
Carnarvon to Shark Bay
300 kilometres
Head south on the North West Coastal Highway and turn right onto the Shark Bay World Heritage Drive. On your way into Shark Bay, stop in at the following landmarks:
- Remarkable Hamelin Pool Stromatolites (the oldest living fossils in the world)
- Shell Beach (70-kilometres of beach made entirely of billions of tiny shells)
- Eagle Bluff for spectacular ocean views and spotting marine life in the water below
- See the area from above on a scenic flight tour
- Enjoy a drink on the foreshore at Denham or Monkey Mia and watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean.
Overnight: Denham or Monkey Mia
DAY SIX
Explore Shark Bay
Wake up early to meet the Monkey Mia bottlenose dolphins that visit the shores daily. Afterwards, get up close to more of Shark Bay’s animals.
- Cruise the bay spotting marine life on a wildlife cruise
- Book an Indigenous kayaking tour at Little Lagoon
- Join a 4WD day tour to Francois Peron National Park for some rugged adventure
- Dive for the day at Steep Point
- Fly and 4WD nearby Dirk Hartog Island for a bit of history and snorkelling
Overnight: Denham or Monkey Mia
DAY SEVEN
Shark Bay to Coral Bay
564 kilometres
Leave Shark Bay in the morning and head north. Stop for lunch in Carnarvon and:
- Explore the Heritage Precinct and stretch your legs with a stroll
- Drive the ‘Fruit Loop’ to buy fresh fruit, vegetables and other treats for the road
Continue your journey to Coral Bay.
Overnight: Coral Bay
DAY EIGHT
Explore Coral Bay
Get up early to spend a day at the Bay:
- Book a Manta Ray interaction tour; there’s a resident population at Coral Bay so you can do this any day of the year
- Kayak and snorkel the Blue Maze and Asho’s Gap
- See-do or underwater scooter the impressive cabbage coral formations
- Quad bike and snorkel the secret and hard to reach spots only the locals know
- Sail away with Sail Ningaloo to relax or get serious and take your fishing line out
Overnight: Coral Bay
DAY NINE
Coral Bay to Learmonth Airport
116 kilometres (approx 90 minute drive)
Take one last morning dip in the crystal waters of Coral Bay before departing for Learmonth Airport for your afternoon flight back to Perth. On the way to the Airport, consider stopping in to Bullara Station for barista coffee and homemade scones!