The Coral Coast Highway

Take a morning Qantas flight from Perth to Learmonth Airport, the northern gateway to Ningaloo, and collect your hire car from Avis.

Head north to Exmouth and make your first stop the Ningaloo Aquarium and Discovery Centre to learn more about the region’s history and marine life, book your tours or hire snorkelling gear. Spend the afternoon exploring the town’s craft breweries, cafes, and boutiques.

Consider driving from Exmouth town to the Ningaloo Reef for a snorkel. If you’re time poor, the closest beaches to town and best for swimming are Bundegi and Town Beach.

Stay: Exmouth

Allow a day to immerse yourself among Ningaloo’s marine wonders. Join a full-day tour to swim with whale sharks (March to August and beyond – they’ve been known to hang around until November), humpback whales (July to October), turtles (Year-round with mating season tours running October to March), or manta rays (year-round). Tours depart from both Exmouth and Coral Bay.

Feel like an island escape? Extend your trip to the Mackerel Islands, flying out of Exmouth with Ningaloo Aviation.

Alternatively, spend the day enjoying a scenic flight over the reef. Keep an eye out for the elusive Dugong, and you may even tick off Ningaloo’s Big 5.

Stay: Exmouth or Coral Bay

Begin your day with a spectacular sunrise at Charles Knife Canyon - one of the rare places where you can witness both sunrise and sunset over the ocean. Spend the day exploring the sights of Cape Range National Park, or join a single or multi-day guided tour. Drift snorkel at Turquoise Bay, visit the Milyering Discovery Centre, picnic at Osprey Bay, or hike/cruise Yardie Creek, where you may spot the rare black-footed rock wallaby.

For a different perspective, glide across the Ningaloo Reef with View Ningaloo’s semi-submarine or hop aboard a Ningaloo Glass Bottom Boat tour - perfect for spotting turtles, rays and vibrant coral gardens without getting wet.

If fishing is more your thing, jump aboard Blue Horizon Fishing Charters and try your hand at Red Emperor, Coral Trout, Goldband Snapper, Spangled Emperor, just to name a few.

End the day at Vlamingh Head Lighthouse for sunset views or experience the wonder of the night sky on a tour with Ningaloo Stars.

Stay: Exmouth

Leave Exmouth early and drive south to Coral Bay. Stop in at Bullara Station for homemade scones, barista coffee, and a taste of outback charm.

Arriving in Coral Bay, consider an afternoon snorkelling tour, exploring secret and hard-to-reach Ningaloo Reef locations. Don’t want to get in the water? Join a glass-bottom boat tour of the reef with snorkel opportunities optional.

Dive or snorkel with Coral Bay’s resident manta rays on a guided tour with Ningaloo Reef Dive & Snorkel, or opt for a multi-day sailing escape with Sail Ningaloo to explore remote reef sites in comfort.

Treat yourself for a day well done with some delicious gelato from Sweet Ningaloo.

Stay: Coral Bay

Enjoy a laid-back start with a beachside breakfast, then snorkel at Bill’s Bay or take a quad biking tour along the coast. Then start the drive south to Carnarvon. Visit the OTC Dish at the Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum, then explore the Fruit Loop Drive Trail to sample tropical produce straight from local plantations, including the famous chocolate-coated bananas.

For a cultural experience, visit Gwoonwardu Mia Aboriginal Heritage and Cultural Centre, which celebrates the region’s Aboriginal heritage or join a cultural tour with Wooramulla Eco Cultural Journeys. Discover more of Carnarvon's fascinating history with a visit to the Carnarvon Heritage Precinct.

Take a pic at the popular Cactus Garden and end the day with a picnic by the Fascine.

Have some time up your sleeve? Stay an extra night and head up Carnarvon’s incredible coastline. Heading north, you can snorkel at the aquarium, watch the blow holes explode and take the iconic photo in front of the King Waves Kill sign. Further up, you’ll find Quobba Station and Red Bluff, great off-grid accommodation for fishing and surfing enthusiasts (4WD recommended for visiting Red Bluff).

For a bird’s-eye view of this dramatic coastline, jump on a helicopter tour with Coral Coast Helicopters - an unforgettable way to take in the colours and contours of the outback meeting the sea.

Stay: Carnarvon or Quobba Station

Get up early to grab a coffee or kombucha with a snack at 6701 Waterfront Cafe along the fascine before exploring some incredible beaches around Carnarvon. Approximately 40km south of Carnarvon, stop at Bush Bay and New Beach for a swim and picnic.

Consider a stay or stopover at Wooramel River Retreat for an artesian soak or a wander along their quirky tip trail.

Turning right onto World Heritage Drive, stop at Shell Beach before visiting the Shark Bay Discovery & Visitor Centre to learn about the area via displays, soundscapes, footage and interactive multimedia. Travelling with children? They will love the nature playground opposite the Centre. Enjoy a sunset wildlife cruise from Monkey Mia before dinner.

Stay: Denham or Monkey Mia.

Wake early to greet the Monkey Mia bottlenose dolphins as they visit the shores daily from 7.45am.

Spend the rest of the day exploring Shark Bay's natural attractions. Join a 4WD tour into Francois Peron National Park or a scuba/snorkel experience with Shark Bay Eco Tours, take an Aboriginal guided tour with Wula Gura, or explore Dirk Hartog Island. Prefer a slower pace? Paddle in Little Lagoon, enjoy a picnic lunch at Big Lagoon or relax on one of the many private beaches.

Finish off the day with a Shark Bay Pizza on the beach or Denham foreshore - the sunsets over the Indian Ocean never disappoint.

Stay: Dirk Hartog Island, Denham or Monkey Mia

Wake up early, pack drinks and a snack and head out to the highway. Follow signs to Eagle Bluff for expansive views over the Indian Ocean. Between Eagle Bluff and Denham, stop in at Ocean Park Aquarium, a marine life rehabilitation centre, with stunning views from its restaurant Oceans, which overlooks Tinkerbell Flats.

Continue towards Kalbarri via the Ajana-Kalbarri Road, which bursts with wildflowers from July to October.

Families will love swimming in the sheltered waters of Chinaman’s Beach, while the foreshore’s Nature Playground will keep the kids well occupied. Snorkelling at Blue Holes is popular with big and small kids in Kalbarri. Hike the Bigurda Trail along the Kalbarri Cliffs coastline, past Shellhouse Grandstand to Island Rock and Natural Bridge.

Stay: Kalbarri

Get up early to spend the morning in Kalbarri National Park. Be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks.

Visit Nature’s Window, walk the Loop or Z-Bend trails, and experience the towering Kalbarri Skywalks suspended high above the Murchison River. For a more relaxed visit, join a guided tour with D’Guy Journeys or enjoy a scenic flight over Kalbarri and the pink lake, Hutt Lagoon.

Take to the water with Kalbarri Wilderness Cruises for a peaceful morning or sunset cruise along the Murchison River.

Continue the adventures with a Quad Biking tour at Wagoe Beach, about 20km south of Kalbarri or from Murchison Station, 12km east of the town.

Wrap up your day with dinner at Finlay’s, a local favourite.

Stay: Kalbarri

Start your day with breakfast at the Pelican Cafe before walking over to the daily pelican feeding on the foreshore from 8.45am. Drive south along the Kalbarri Coastal Cliffs. Continue down George Grey Drive towards Geraldton but don’t miss a stop at the pink lake.

As you drive through Northampton, make sure you take a break and discover the town’s rich history and Indigenous culture.

Travelling with kids? Visit Chapman Valley Fishing Park and add in a stop for lunch at Burnt Barrel, known for its smoked meats and family-friendly vibe.

Once in Geraldton, enjoy a sunset on the marina with fresh local seafood at Skeetas.

Stay: Geraldton

Explore Geraldton’s mix of culture, history, and adventure. Take a scenic flight over the Abrolhos Islands or for the more tactile experience book a full-day tour or multi-night cruise around the islands. Dive into maritime history at the Museum of Geraldton, shop for locally farmed pearls at Latitude Jewellers or Chimere Pearls, and visit the HMAS Sydney II Memorial. For active travellers, Geraldton is a hotspot for kite surfing, windsurfing, and paddleboarding.

If visiting between July and September, take a detour inland to Coalseam Conservation Park for incredible wildflower displays - tours also available from Kalbarri and Geraldton.

You will be spoilt for choice with dinner venue options from the local distillery, 30 Knots Spirits, the local brewery, Batavia Brewing, the trusted family-friendly sports bar, Bullseye Birdies, or choose to dine with rooftop views at Old Man & the Sea.

Stay: Geraldton

On your way south, stop to see Greenough’s leaning trees and meet native animals at the Greenough Wildlife Park. Have lunch or a swim at Ellendale Pool (also a great camping spot!) before arriving in Dongara-Port Denison. Spend some time bushwalking and spotting wildflowers (July to September) close by at Lesueur National Park. Visit the ANZAC soldier sculptures at sunset, then grab dinner on the marina at Southerly's, or catch a seasonal film at the drive-in cinema.

Stay: Dongara-Port Denison

Start your day with coffee and a treat from a local café, then head south to Jurien Bay. Take a morning sea lion tour, try tandem skydiving, or join a fishing charter to catch your own dinner.

Prefer to unwind? Visit Sandy Cape for beach time and sandboarding, or walk the scenic Three Bays Walkway in Green Head.

Stay: Jurien Bay, Sandy Cape or Cervantes

Your last day on the coast!

Spend your final day exploring Cervantes. Enjoy a seafood lunch, a pot-pulling tour, or a factory tour at the Lobster Shack. Visit the Pinnacles Desert in Nambung National Park, with an added visit to the Pinnacles Desert Discovery Centre & Gallery, and stop at Lake Thetis to see the ancient thrombolites.

Afterwards, return your hire car in Perth and reflect on the epic journey along the Coral Coast Highway.