The Coral Coast is the coastal adventures gateway to Western Australia’s north and begins only a couple of hours drive north from Perth. It stretches 1,100km along the WA coastline and features amazing white sandy beaches, stunning wildflower displays, ancient gorges and colourful reefs rich in marine life.
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Coral Coast Weather
Stretching from Cervantes to Exmouth the Coral Coast boasts warm weather all year round, and is a popular destination to escape the Perth winter cold. The further north you go the warmer it is, however day time temperatures range from low 20C in winter up to high 30C – 40C+ in summer. Some parts of the Coral Coast should be visited seasonally to enjoy the best weather condtions. These include –
- Abrolhos Islands – March to October
- Dirk Hartog Island – March to September
- Kalbarri inland gorges – March to October
- Ningaloo Reef – March to October
- Mackerel Islands – April to September
Coral Coast Popular Destinations
Popular holiday and tourist destinations along the Coral Coast of Western Australia include Cervantes, Jurien Bay, Lancelin, Geraldton, Kalbarri, Carnvarvon, Monkey Mia, Coral Bay and Exmouth.
Coral Coast Adventures
Coral Coast Adventures On & Under The Water
Beaches
There’s no shortage of white sandy beaches with cystal blue waters along the Coral Coast. Head to australiascoralcoast.com to find their list of the Top 10 Coral Coast Beaches, then take your pick or visit them all.
Canoeing
The Canoe The Gorges Tour in Kalbarri takes you on a 4WD adventure to the starting point. Here you will hike down to the steep rocky trail to 4 Ways Pool. You’ll then paddle along the river which is otherwise unaccessible. Find out more and book your place at Kalbarri Tours.
Cruises
What better way to see the Coral Coast than from the water! Enjoy sunset cruises in both Kalbarri and Geraldton.
Diving
Popular dive spots on the Coral Coast are internationally recognised for having the highest level of marine diversity in the world. The warmer ocean temperatures support hundreds of species of tropical fish and coral.
Popular Coral Coast dive spots include –
Jurien
The Jurien Marine Park features limestone reefs, cave dive throughs. You’ll also experience a large range of tropical and colourful marine life including the rocklobster, lionfish, nudibranch, soft and hard corals, sponges and more.
Geraldton
The South Tomi Wreck Dive is a 60 meter long vessel that was purposely sunk after being confiscated in 2004. It had been illegally fishing in Australian waters for Pantagonian Toothfish and was pursued and eventually boarded and confiscated off the South African coast before it was brought to Fremantle. It was then sunk 3 nautical miles from the Batavia Coast Marina, in 25 metres of water and has created an artificial reef and this recreational dive location.
Abrohlos Islands
Located 60kms off the coast of Geraldton you can dive the wreckage of the Dutch East Indies Trading Ship at the Abroholis Wallabi Islands. Found in 4 – 6 metres of water, it’s ranked the #1 dive spot in Western Australia with amazing coral formations, an abudance of marine life and colours.
Shark Bay
Steep Point and Dirk Hartog Island are popular dive locations within the Shark Bay World Heritage Listed Area. This area is home to dugons, whale sharks, dolphins and manta rays as well as a huge range of fish species including sharks.
Exmouth & Coral Bay
The Ningaloo Reef runs from Carnarvon through Coral Bay to Exmouth with many amazing dive locations from shore dives to deep advanced open water dives. The best time to dive Ningaloo is March – September. The extraordinary phenomenon of coral spawning happens in March precisely seven days after the full moon. Coral spawning creates an iridescent blanket of light on the surface of the water. Popular dive sites include The Murion Islands (9.8 nautical miles off the North West Cape near Exmouth) and Navy Pier Exmouth.
Dolphin Experience
Monkey Mia on the Coral Coast is known as one of the best and most reliable places in the world for encountering dolphins. The Monkey Mia dolphins reliably visit in pods multiple times daily all year round. The experience includes seeing the dolphins being fed up close. Rangers who supervise the experience, may chose you to feed the dolphins also. An entry fee to the Monkey Mia Conservation Reserve is payable, but other than this fee the Monkey Mia Dolphin Experience is free.
If you’d love to experience the Monkey Mia dolphins but don’t fancy the 9 hour drive from Perth you can book a Monkey Mia Dolphins and Shark Bay Air Tour that leaves and returns to Perth on the same day!
Glass Bottom Boat Tours
Short of jumping in the water for a dive or a snorkel, a glass bottom boat tour from Coral Bay is the best way to see the Ningaloo Reef. Your glass boat tour guide will take you over the best coral formations and features of the Ningaloo Reef. You can also choose an Turtle Eco Tour and see them feeding in their natural surroundings.
Manta Ray Experience
Experience Manata Rays all year round in Coral Bay. The best way to see them is on a Marine Eco Safari – Swim with Manta Rays Tour.
Sea Lion Experience
Jurien Bay is home to the Australian Sea Lion and the popular Sea Lion Interaction Tours. Tours can be booked as an observer from the boat or as a snorkeller. Find Sea Lion Tour Operators at www.australiascoralcoast.com.au.
Check out our review of the Sea Lion Tour Cervantes by The Lobster Shack here.
Snorkelling
The Coral Coast offers amazing snorkelling experiences along it’s coast, with many of these spots accessible from the shore. There are several snorkelling hot spots along Western Australia’s Coral Coast.
Jurien Bay
The Jurien Marine Park features limestone reefs and a huge variety of tropical and colourful marine life including the rocklobster, lionfish, nudibranch, soft and hard corals, sponges and more.
Abroholos Islands
Located off the coast of Geraldton the Abroholos Islands is a 122 island archipelago. It’s surrounded by crystal clear waters and an abundance of marine life. This includes an extensive coral reef system, dolphins, sea lions (this is their northern most habitat) and migratory whales.
If you want to explore the Abroholos Islands without the 4 hour drive to Geraldton, book a Abroholos Islands Scenic Flight and Snorkel Adventure from Perth. It leaves and returns to Perth on the same day.
Shark Bay
Small coral reefs can be found within the Shark Bay Marine Park that is accessible by 4WD only or via boat or tour. Within the Francois Peron National Park, Gregories and Surf Point and Sandy Point on Dirk Hartog Island are popular snorkelling locations.
Ningaloo Marine Park Coral Bay & Exmouth
The Ningaloo Reef is a snorkelling paradise and is easily accesssed from both the shoreline and by boat. In Coral Bay you can walk down from your accommodation to the beach where you can explore the reef from the shore. Most popular Coral Bay snorkel spots include Five Fingers Reef, Oyster Bridge and The Lagoon. From Exmouth, drive up to the Cape Range National Park, where you will experience some of the best snorkelling in the world. The most popular Exmouth Snorkel spots include Turquoise Bay, Osprey Bay, Lakeside Beach, Oyster Stacks and Murion Islands.
Turtle Experience
Sea Turtles can be experienced on the Coral Coast all year round. Experiences range from snorkelling with turtles to watching them nest or hatch on the beach at night. Hatching occurs at Ningaloo from October and off Shark Bay from December. It’s important not to disturb mating, nesting or hatching turtles. Additionally, do not approach them while swimming, snorkelling, boating or paddling.
If you want to view turtles nesting (December/January) or turtle hatchlings emerging from the nest and making their way to the ocean (February/March), it’s recommended you visit the Jurabi Turtle Centre Exmouth. They conduct evening Turtle Eco Education Tours run by the WA Parks and Wildlife Service. These tours provide a high chance of finding and observing nesting turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs as well as turtle hatchlings emerging from the nest and making their way to the ocean. Participants will also learn how to observe turtles without disrupting them.
Whale Sharks Experience
March through to July each year Whale Sharks are found in large numbers on the Ningaloo Reef. Swimming with the Whale Sharks is certainly an experience of a lifetime. Tour dates differ from year to year depending on Whale Shark activity. They usually operate around mid-March through to the end of June in Coral Bay, and from April through to the end of July in Exmouth.
Whale Watching
Humpback Whales migrate along the Coral Coast from June to November each year. In Coral Bay and Exmouth you can swim with the Humpback Whales at the Ningaloo Marine Park. This is the only place you can do this.
Whale Watching Tours also depart from Geraldton, Kalbarri and Denham.
Coral Coast Adventures On Land
Gorges
Kalbarri National Park
Kalbarri is well known for it’s gorges. Carved out by the Murchison River over 400 million years, you can hike or paddle your way through the Kalbarri Gorges. Find more information about the Kalbarri Inland River Gorges at kalbarri.org.au or additionally may also like to book a Canoe the Gorges Tour with Kalbarri Tours.
Cape Range National Park Exmouth
Hike the 3km return trail into the Mandu Mandu Gorge with views of the Ningaloo Reef too. Additionally, you can also hike the Yardie Creek Gorge Trail or join a Yardie Boat Tours to explore the Yardie Creek Gorge from the water.
Hiking Trails
The best way to find hiking trails on the Coral Coast is at TrailsWA. Popular hike trails within the Coral Coast include –
- Desert View Walk Trail @ The Pinnacles
- Lake Thetis Loop Trail Cervantes
- Turquoise Way Trail Jurien Bay
- Greenough River Nature Trail Geraldton
- Z Bend River Trail Kalbarri
- The Loop Trail Kalbarri
- Beach to Bluff Trail Kalbarri
- Wulyibidi Yaninyina Trail Monkey Mia
- Mandu Mandu Gorge Exmouth
- Yardi Creek Gorge Exmouth
Lookouts & Skywalks
Kalbarri
You don’t have to do a long hike to see and experience the wonders of Kalbarri’s gorges. The Kalbarri Skywalk offers a stunning view of the Murchison River Gorge. The twin skywalks protrude 25m and 17m from the gorge rim and are elevated at over 100m above the Murchison River. The Ross Graham Lookout offers incredible views of the Kalbarri Gorges and you can reach the river’s edge for a swim with just a short walk from the carpark. Natures Window is another popular lookout (1km return walk) over the Kalbarri Gorges where wind has eroded an opening in the rock face that has created a “window frame” view of the Murchison River below.
Road Trips
Do you love making the journey just as much an adventure as the destination? Well here are some Coral Coast Road Trip Adventures for some fun and adventurous pit stops on the way to where you are going.
Perth to Kalbarri
Perth to The Pinnacles
Perth to Jurien Bay
Quad Bikes
Shark Bay
Cruise on Shark Bay’s beaches, then ride up to the highest point to enjoy a panoramic sunset on a 3 hour Quad Bike adventure with Shark Bay Scenic Quad Bike Tours. You’ll need a drivers licence and each bike seats two people so you can book a passenger too.
Coral Bay
Not just a quad bike tour but also a Coral Bay sunset, turtle and snorkel experience with Coral Bay Tours. Drivers must have a drivers license and quad bikes can seat one passenger. Multiple tours available daily.
Coral Coast Adventures By Air
Scenic Flights
Experience the most spectacular coastal and inland features of the Coral Coast by air. Scenic Tours are available from Geraldton, Kalbarri, Carnarvon, Shark Bay, Denham, Coral Bay and Exmouth. Additionally you can book return day flights to the Coral Coast from Perth.
Coral Coast Accommodation
Need somewhere to stay while you adventure in and around the Coral Coast? Compare prices and read reviews: Check Kiwi.com
Coral Coast Caravan Parks
If you are looking for more adventure outside of the Coral Coast? Check out my Western Australia Adventures Guide for more inspiration and I’d love for you to share your Coral Coast adventure experiences in the comments below.