Shark Bay, Monkey Mia, Carnarvon, Quobba Blow Holes, Coral Bay, Exmouth Cape Range, Ningaloo Reef
Shark Bay is well worth the minor 300km detour to the west! The area has World Heritage status due to its rare abundance of Stromatalites but most famous for the dolphin feeding at Monkey Mia. ($15 entry fee included). Personally the gorgeous beachfront camp spot and 4WD adventure in Francois Perron National Park are the highlights for me! Especially with the naturally heated hot tub to finish the day in!
Another worthwhile detour is to check out Quobba Blow Holes, these are the best I’ve ever seen and seem to always be working. The wilder the ocean the higher the spray. Just around the corner there’s a sheltered lagoon full of corals and marine life for spot of snorkelling and a taste of what lies further north on the Ningaloo Reef.
Almost everyone traveling the west coast has heard of Coral Bay and Exmouth. They are so well known because the stunning Ningaloo Reef is so easily accessible from these places. It’s a miracle that it’s not as famous as the Great Barrier Reef because it’s equally, (if not more) amazing. You can expect to snorkel over huge colourful coral gardens full of life, from turtles, reef sharks and countless reef fish to the biggest in the ocean the ‘Whale Shark’. Tours to swim with Whale Sharks and Humpback Whales can be booked as optional extras whilst we’re here. Prices start around $360 pp.
Running parallel to the Ningaloo Reef lies Cape Range National Parks which has plenty of great walks into deep creeks and canyons where you’ll likely see the tiny Rock Wallabies hanging out on the cliff ledges. Follow these walks with a dip at Turquoise Bay, and you’ll not want to leave this place.