Everything you need to know about swimming with whale sharks at Ningaloo

It's official: whale shark season is in full swing on Australia's Coral Coast.

Each year, whale sharks congregate en masse in the warm waters off Coral Bay and Exmouth. They’re drawn to the area to feed on the plankton population boom after the synchronised coral spawning on the Ningaloo Reef. It happens like clockwork — five to ten days after the full moon in March — spurring a flurry of activity in the marine park.

Technically, whale sharks can be spotted swimming along the reef as early as February; however, it’s hit-and-miss whether or not you will actually see one. By early March in Coral Bay and mid-March in Exmouth, the population has swelled enough that multiple daily sightings occur.

This season has gotten off to a bumper start, with marine scientists and tour guides spotting four to five whale sharks daily, even in February. The promising activity on the reef means guided whale shark swims kicked off early, the first boatload of passengers heading out to paddle alongside the gentle giants on February 27th.

Whale sharks remain in Coral Bay until June and Exmouth until early August, so there’s still plenty of time to book your once-in-a-lifetime swim before the season is out.

Where to swim with whale sharks

There are only two places in Australia where you can swim with the majestic spotted whale shark: Exmouth and Coral Bay.

How to swim with whale sharks

You'll need to book a dedicated tour to swim with the whale sharks safely and respectfully. Luckily, you’re spoilt for choice.

During the season, tours depart from Coral Bay and Exmouth daily, and it’s a bright and early 7:00am start to get you out to the whale shark zone. As you make your way past the reef, you’ll get your allotted wetsuit, snorkel, and set of fins and run through the safety brief. Meanwhile, your skipper will constantly communicate with the spotter planes flying overhead to guide the boat alongside any surface-swimming whale sharks they see. As you draw closer, it’s time to put the swim procedure into action.

Though there can be up to 20 people on some of the tours, only ten swimmers are allowed into the water at one time. If you’re not the most confident swimmer, tour guides will happily hand out pool noodles and life jackets to assist. You’ll have just enough time to slide in off the back of the boat and form a chain in the water before the whale shark comes swimming by. Listening to the cues of the tour guide in the water with you, you can take off paddling alongside. It’s imperative that you keep the recommended three metre distance from the whale shark, so they can go about their feeding uninterrupted.

Once you tire of paddling and the whale shark has swum on, the boat will swing back around to pick you up, manoeuvring itself ahead of the whale shark again to let the next group jump in.

It’s rare to head out and not swim with one of the gentle giants. So rare, in fact, that there was an interaction rate of 97.14% for the 2022 swim season. Most tour groups even get the chance to get in the water more than once, sometimes with different whale sharks and manta rays if they’re spotted too.

Post-swim, there’s time to snorkel a section of the Ningaloo Reef before heading back to port for a 5.00pm disembarkment.

Book your tour

In peak season, tours book out fast. Get in early and secure your spot on the swim of a lifetime with one of our trusted operators.