An aerial photo of the contrasting landscape in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area. Image credit: Summersite

Plan Your Journey

To help you plan your Coral Coast holiday, we've made it simple.

The best time to visit:
We generally say the best time to visit the Coral Coast is between March to October. This is due to the weather being dry, mild heat and the majority of our seasonal experiences/tours happen between these months. 

Key travelling resources

Here's all the resources you'll need including Australia's weather/seasons. How to travel by air, road or water, booking accommodation and tours plus more. And of course, a map to help you get around! 

Western Australia has 192,000km of unique and contrasting road conditions. The variation can be challenging for even the most seasoned drivers, while small differences in road laws between other countries can have significant safety implications.

To help keep you safe, the Road safety Commission produces a Guide to Driving on WA Roads. This free booklet is essential reading for those getting behind the wheel and hitting our roads. It includes helpful information about Western Australian road rules and tips for driving in urban and regional areas.

Guide to Driving on WA Roads - English booklet

Guide to Driving on WA Roads - Arabic booklet

Guide to Driving on WA Roads - Chinese (Mandarin) booklet

Guide to Driving on WA Roads - French booklet

Guide to Driving on WA Roads - German booklet

Guide to Driving on WA Roads - Italian booklet

Guide to Driving on WA Roads - Japanese booklet

Guide to Driving on WA Roads - Korean booklet

Guide to Driving on WA Roads - Malay booklet

 

The Coral Coast's Regions

Pinnacles Desert Cervantes Western Australia Nambung National Park

Indian Ocean Drive

Best known for the Pinnacles Desert at Cervantes or the endangered Australian Sea Lions of Jurien Bay, the area is home to several National Parks and Marine Parks, sporting colourful wildflowers during the season.

See the Pinnacles
Kalbarri National Park Western Australia Nature's Window

Kalbarri & the Pink Lake

Kalbarri and Hutt Lagoon, the pink lake at Port Gregory are an easy self-drive holiday from Perth. Adventures to be had on the water, quad biking by the ocean or hiking and biking at the National Park sites.

Colours of Kalbarri
A swimmer alongside a manta ray chain at Ningaloo, Western Australia

Ningaloo Reef

The 300km long Ningaloo Reef is the best place on Earth to swim with megafauna including Whale Shanks, Manta Rays, Humpback Whales and Turtles. Learn to dive, hike the Canyons, cruise the gorge creeks and enjoy fresh seafood. 

Meet our Megafauna
Geraldton Street Art Butterfly Western Australia

Geraldton & its Islands

Geraldton has established itself as a contemporary coastal hub of cafés, shops, street art and galleries. It's also a great base for Western Australia wildflower carpets, a world-class kitesurfing hub and the gateway to the Abrolhos Islands with its black pearls.

Go to Geraldton!
Shark Bay Western Australia Francois Peron National Park Bottle Bay Image Outta Orbit

Shark Bay World Heritage Area

Shark Bay World Heritage Area is known worldwide for the Monkey Mia dolphin experience. Emus, Lizards, Dugongs, Turtles and Rays are found in its National Park - coloured red rust cliffs - and waters which are white sand (or shells) and turquoise waters.

See you in Shark Bay
Kid and dog in everlastings carpet of wildflowers, Western Australia

Wildflower Country

The Coral Coast is a popular spot to see dazzling Western Australia wildflowers - from late July to early October with the best months being August & September. Our region is Wildflower Hotspot, home to the flower carpets, orchids and the rare wreath flowers.

Wowed by Wildflowers

Discover all things Coral Coast

Overlooking Nature's Window and the Murchison River in Kalbarri National Park, Western Australia

Kalbarri Visitor Centre

Kalbarri Visitor Centre
70 Grey Street, Kalbarri WA 6536 Phone: (08) 9937 1104 E: bookings@kalbarri.org.au Website: www.kalbarri.org.au View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kalbarri Western Australia (@kalbarriwa) on
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Northampton, Australia's Coral Coast, Western Australia

Northampton Visitor Centre

Northampton Visitor Centre
202 Hampton Road, Northampton WA 6535 Tel: +61 8 9934 1488 E: info@northampton.com.au Website: www.facebook.com/northamptonvisitorcentrewa
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The Loop Walk in Kalbarri National Park, Western Australia

The Loop Walk

The Loop Walk
The Loop Walk The challenging yet spectacular Loop Walk highlights the erosive power of the Murchison River, which has carved magnificent gorges through the landscape. The hike will take you along the
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Geraldton Beach

Sunset Beach

Sunset Beach
Sunset Beach is one of the most popular Geraldton beaches for wind surfing and kite surfing. Hire your equipment in town, and whilst you are there you can arrange to take a lesson with a former
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Swimming with manta rays on the Ningaloo Reef, Coral Bay, Western Australia

Swim with Manta Rays

Swim with Manta Rays
Swimming with manta rays is one of Ningaloo Reef's 'Big 3' bucket list experiences, along with swimming with whale sharks and swimming with humpback whales. You can swim with manta rays year round on
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Kalbarri National Park

Kalbarri

Kalbarri
Kalbarri is Western Australia's outdoor holiday playground and home to the spectacular Kalbarri National Park. The town is encircled by two distinctly different landscapes, to the east of the town the
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An aerial photo of Ningaloo Reef and Cape Range National Park, Western Australia. Image credit: Lauren Bath

Mandu Sanctuary Zone

Mandu Sanctuary Zone
Mandu Sanctuary Zone provides an excellent opportunity for snorkelling amidst the stunning corals and abundant marine life of the world famous Ningaloo Reef. Time your visit with the incoming tide if
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Kalbarri Chinaman's Beach Western Australia

Chinaman's Beach

Chinaman's Beach

Make the most of the clear, tranquil waters of Chinaman’s Beach on the Murchison River. This swimming spot in the heart of Kalbarri is popular among families due to its safe swimming conditions
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Badgingarra

Badgingarra
The town of Badgingarra is situated north of Dandaragan along the Brand Highway at the edge of the Badgingarra National Park. Badgingarra is renowned for its incredibly diverse bushland that becomes
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Starry night at Valmingh Head Lighthouse, Exmouth, Western Australia

Solar Eclipse 2023

Solar Eclipse 2023
A total solar eclipse is the king of eclipses, and Western Australia’s Exmouth Peninsula, in Australia's Coral Coast, will play host to a ‘hybrid’ solar eclipse on April 20, 2023. Eclipse chasers are
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Horrocks Western Australia beach Indigo Storm Photography

Horrocks

Horrocks
Horrocks Beach was named the #1 Mainland Beach in Tourism Australia's Best Australian Beaches for 2018 You'll instantly feel on holidays as you take in the glorious ocean views on your descent into
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An aerial view of Ellendale Pool, near Geraldton, Western Australia

Ellendale Pool

Ellendale Pool
Ellendale Pool is a stunning water hole naturally formed along the picturesque Greenough River. Located near the historic town of Greenough, it is surrounded by magnificent gum trees and a rocky gorge
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An aerial photo of the Batavia anchor, found at the Batavia shipwreck site at the Abrolhos Islands off Geraldton, Western Australia

Batavia Shipwreck

Batavia Shipwreck
With tales of murderous mutiny, the Batavia Shipwreck off the coast of Geraldton is one of Western Australia's best known historic dive sites. The ship lies in four to six metres of clear Indian Ocean
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Eneabba Wildflowers Western Australia Self Drive Holiday

Eneabba

Eneabba
The Eneabba sandplain is part of the world-renowned biodiversity hotspot, supporting native vegetation known as Kwongan - the Aboriginal word for low, hard scrub and heathland. Kwongan of the Eneabba
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The Fascine

The Fascine
The Fascine is a picturesque bay in Carnarvon favoured by locals and popular with visitors. Take a gentle stroll along the board walk on the ocean front to admire the coconut and cotton palms that
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Ordering coffee from the Short Order Coffee van in Exmouth, Western Australia

Town Beach

Town Beach
The Exmouth coastline offers a number of beautiful sandy beaches and the Town Beach is the most accessible and closest to the town centre. The beach is a safe place to swim, especially at high tide
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Let's start planning your trip