As soon as I step out of Exmouth Airport, I notice the change—a quiet calm settles over me. The sky stretches endlessly above like an immense blue basin. Upon hitting the road, all you see stretching ahead in both directions is just wavering hot pavement bordered by reddish soil, sparse foliage, and termite hills. Arriving previously at bustling Cairns had always felt more fast-paced.
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The two Australian coastal cities, situated over 3,000 miles from each other, serve as entry points to reefs recognized by the World Heritage list.
Great Barrier Reef,
Available from Cairns, this is the biggest coral reef system globally.
Ningaloo
Accessible via Exmouth, it is the planet’s biggest fringing reef – frequently mere meters away from the coastline, allowing easy access with just a couple of strokes to reach where the coral begins.
It’s quite conveniently reachable since Perth, the capital of Western Australia, stands out as the sole Australian city offering direct flights from the UK. I opted for a layover journey involving this route.
Singapore Airlines
, allowing me to start fresh and be prepared for exploration.
Although Perth’s hotels are as cosmopolitan as you’d expect from a state capital, remote Exmouth’s are generally rather basic.
Nevertheless, luxurious accommodations are not what draw visitors to this place. The true allure of Ningaloo lies in its distinctive characteristics.
whale sharks
— the biggest fish globally — lured by plankton and krill during the yearly coral spawn. These massive organisms are filter feeders, possessing incredibly small teeth despite having approximately 3,000 of them.
Last year, over 40,000 visitors journeyed to Ningaloo for the chance to swim alongside these creatures, which is significantly fewer compared to the 2.24 million who visited the Great Barrier Reef.
Stringent regulations ensure that the encounter remains closely managed. Only 14 operators hold licenses for conducting whale shark tours.
Ningaloo Marine Park
, with up to 10 swimmers allowed in the water simultaneously. Despite being accessible from the shoreline, reaching the whale sharks requires a longer boat journey, which gives the team enough time for thorough briefing sessions.
For numerous people, swimming alongside these “gentle giants” of the ocean is a must-do activity. Typically, whale sharks cruise solo; however, encountering a cluster of them is referred to as a “constellation.”
Nothing could have gotten me ready for this initial glimpse. When we hear “heads down, NOW!” I’m abruptly faced with an enormous mouth nearly spanning the width of my arms. Though the shark’s gullet is roughly the size of a clenched human hand, adhering to the “keep at least 3 meters away from the head” guideline, I swiftly move alongside to admire the intricate patterns of white dots and stripes adorning its fins and large, dusky gray body.
Despite the absence of whale sharks, Ningaloo still provides
superlative snorkelling
During my excursion with Coral Bay EcoTours, which is a 90-minute drive south of Exmouth, I go snorkeling alongside vibrant schools of fish and encounter a calm sea turtle.
Snorkeling offers equal joy. We come across sharks, rays, an octopus, and a sociable yet peculiar-looking batfish.
I plan to come back; I’m not into bucket lists.
Getting there
The author traveled with Singapore Airlines from Heathrow to Perth via Singapore. economy class return tickets cost £908, while business class return tickets, which come with a menu crafted by Monica Galetti, start at £4,904.
singaporeair.com
Qantas offers flights from Perth to Exmouth for £262 return.
qantas.comWhere to visit
A full-day whale shark excursion with Ningalwo Discovery is priced at A$550 (£265), which covers transportation as well.
ningaloodiscovery.com.au
A two-hour tour featuring a glass-bottomed boat ride and snorkeling with Coral Bay EcoTours is priced at A$98 (£47).
coralbayecotours.com.auMore information
Tourism Western Australia,
westernaustralia.com
