Ningaloo Reef is a famous coral reef stretching 260 kilometres along the coast of Western Australia from Cape North West. It is about 20 kilometres wide and in some places comes as close as 50 metres to the shore. It is the only reef in the world so close to the continent and is Australia's longest continuous barrier reef.
This tropical underwater paradise is home to 500 species of fish and 220 species of coral. But the reef's most famous inhabitants are whale sharks, reaching up to 12 metres in length. Here you can also see giant mantas, dolphins, sea turtles and whales - humpback and southern right whales. Clumsy dugongs scurry among the corals.Every year an amazing spectacle unfolds on the reef: in spring a huge number of coral polyps simultaneously release their ripe eggs into the sea. A variety of crustaceans emerge in anticipation of the feast, followed by whale sharks like hoovers pulling krill into their huge jaws... This is the best time to watch the great natural spectacle from a boat or snorkel into the thick of things. Just don't forget that touching any marine life is forbidden. The entire reef is part of the Ningaloo Marine Park.
The reef can be reached by plane from Perth to Learmonth and then by bus to the town of Exmouth. The best time to visit the reef is between April and July, when there is a good chance of encountering the ocean giants, the whales.
