Coral Bay is one of the simplest places I’ve been to. After having driven several miles on the rugged west coast of Australia it’s like driving into another world. The world of Ningaloo. A dry landscape with hopping kangaroos is transformed into a beach with the most beautiful blue water you’ve seen! Coral Bay is straight in your face, white beach, blue water and exceptional marine life.
Meeting Coral Bay
Turn left on the Highway and follow the sign Coral Bay. Beware of the sheep and the kangaroos. A few dunes and hills later you’ll see the blue water shining. You are not in Coral Bay yet and you can already see the end of the village. You imagined yourself ten minutes ago in the rough Outback of Australia and now you are in paradise. The wonderful madness of Australia!
Protip! Watch out for the sheep and the kangaroos when you approach Coral Bay.
On the right you have the supermarket and the bakery, on the left you have two camping spots. At the end of the street you have the fancy overnight option.
That’s it!
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What to do in Coral Bay
Everything here revolves around the beautiful white beach in a perfect bay. Every day you stroll to the beach. You jump into the water and after maximum three meters you see the first fish pass by. Then the exotic colours of the tropical fish pass by. Then you see your first turtle and before you know it you get to know reefsharks. At sunset you buy a cheap bottle of wine and watch a beautiful sunset like there are so many in WA.
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Ningaloo Reef
It’s very simple. The Ningaloo Reef is the best place in Australia to discover marine life. The Great Barrier Reef may look more impressive from the air, but when it comes to underwater attractions, Ningaloo is the undisputed champ.
In Coral Bay you can choose between a few options to get to know the Ningaloo Reef better:
- Snorkel from the beach in the bay
- Day tour for whalesharks (between mid March and the end of June)
- Day tour for humpback whales (between late June and mid October)
- Tour for manta rays (between May and November)
Apart from the above highlights you also have a chance to see manatees, tiger sharks, hammerhead sharks, dolphins, killer whales, fake killer whales and bait balls in Coral Bay. Cairns, the Whitsundays, the Great Barrier Reef or the rest of the east coast of Australia can’t compete with that.
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Sunset in Coral Bay
Every day is a party. Because of the geographical location of the bay, it looks like a gigantic amphitheatre where you can watch the sunset. Plenty of picnic benches to take your supper with you.
Protip!You can buy fresh fish daily next to the picnic benches. There are barbecues available which you can use free of charge.
Do you want to see the sun go down in the sea? Then walk to the end of the street that ends in a parking lot. You’ll see a staircase that leads you to a raised platform where you can admire the spectacle of nature.
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Getting to Coral Bay
Of course, there’s a downside to the story. The west coast of Australia is very vast and it’s no easy task to get here. Coral Bay is located 1100km from Perth, the only big city in Western Australia. It’s perfectly located in the middle of the west coast, in the middle of the bush and the Outback. If you come from the north of the other city, Broome, it takes 14 hours by car.
Would you absolutely like to visit Ningaloo as soon as possible?
Then fly to Learmonth Airport and take the bus to Coral Bay for about $100. The ride will take about an hour and a half.
A realistic way is to combine Coral Bay in a roadtrip where you’ll also visit Exmouth and Cape Range National Park. With the icing on the cake maybe a visit to Karijini National Park?
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