Coral Bay

Coral Bay is a marine-lovers paradise and one of Western Australia’s premier family holiday destinations. Named Coral Bay due to the beautiful coral gardens which lie mere metres from the pristine white sandy beach, this tiny, laidback seaside location is a must-visit destination for nature lovers.

Coral Bay is all about the water and the coast, and it's hard not to fall in love with the picturesque town. Top sights and things to do include:

• Swimming with Ningaloo's Big 3; manta rays, whale sharks and humpback whales
• 4x4 buggy trekking to secret beaches for incredible snorkelling
• overnight-cruising on the bay looking for wildlife
• chartering a fishing boat for bottom-fishing or deep-sea fishing
• learning to dive in the pristine Ningaloo Marine Park
• flying high over the Reef on a scenic flight
• enjoy a meal and beer at Bill's alfresco bar
• seeing the coral gardens without getting wet, onboard a glass bottom boat

There's also plenty to do for land-lovers.

Enjoy the Coral Bay Walk Way, a stunning 2km walk fringing the coastline along Ningaloo Reef. Given the reef's close proximity to the shore, the walk gives you the unique opportunity to see dolphins, manta rays and a large variety of fish swimming through the crystal clear waters from a number of vantage points. The walk takes you through Coral Bay's Pioneer and Naturalist Parks, where you can see kangaroos, emus and an array of birdlife. Don't forget to stop along the way to soak up some sun on unspoiled beaches, or settle back on the white sands to watch a famous Western Australian sunset.

For those who are into 4WDing, there are some incredible 4WD-access only locations around Coral Bay, including Oyster Bridge and Five Fingers Reef. The Ningaloo Coastal Reserves and Station Stays are located to the north and south of Coral Bay, offering 4WDers and campers the opportunity to get off-the-beaten-track and connect with nature in some of Western Australia's most incredible coastal locations.

How do I get to Coral Bay?

Coral Bay is approximately 12 hours' drive north of Perth along the Coral Coast Highway.

For those looking to fly, you can fly from Perth to Exmouth's Learmonth Airport with Qantas or from Perth to Carnarvon with Regional Express Airlines. Learmonth Airport is approximately 2 hours' flight from Perth and then 90 minutes' drive to Coral Bay, whilst Carnarvon is approximately 2 hours' flight from Perth and then 2.5 hours' drive to Coral Bay.

If flying into Carnarvon, you will need to hire a car (must be pre-booked) from the airport and self-drive to Coral Bay.

If flying into Learmonth Airport, you can choose to hire a car (must be pre-booked) and self-drive to Coral Bay. Alternatively, you can pre-book an airport transfer with Coral Bay Airport Transfers or taxi transfer with Venture Ningaloo. All transfers must be booked in advance; there is no regular shuttle service or taxi rank at Learmonth Airport.