Western Australia · Coastal

Coral Bay

Snorkel the Reef from the Beach

On the lands of the Baiyungu people.

sunny Best in April to October

schedule 2 to 4 days

location_on Ningaloo Coast, Western Australia

directions_car 150 km south of Exmouth

flight Learmonth Airport (LEA)

directions Directions

Best for Families Wildlife Wellness

schedule 1 min read / Updated Apr 2026

A tiny settlement on the Ningaloo Coast, Coral Bay is one of the few places in the world where a coral reef sits directly off a sheltered swimming beach. Walk into the water, swim 20 metres, and you're snorkelling.

Coral Bay has a permanent population of around 200 people, but receives over 250,000 visitors a year. The settlement sits on the southern end of the Ningaloo Reef, where the reef hugs the coast and forms a sheltered lagoon. The water in the bay is calm and shallow, making it the easiest reef snorkelling experience in Australia and ideal for families.

The town is the southern launch point for whale shark swims (March to August) and humpback whale tours (August to October). It is also the only place on the Ningaloo Coast where manta rays can be seen year-round.

Coral Bay sits on the long stretch of remote coast between Exmouth and Carnarvon, around 1,100 kilometres north of Perth. The town has a single petrol station, a small supermarket, and a handful of accommodation options including the popular Bayview Coral Bay holiday park.