Is snorkeling on Ningaloo Reef overrated?

Ningaloo Reef is one of the largest fringing reefs on the planet. It extends for 260 kms (162 miles) along the coast of Western Australia from Red Bluff, near Carnarvon to Bundegi Beach just north of Exmouth. The turquoise blue waters are stunning, the fish and other marine animals prolific and, best of all, much of the reef can be accessed by stepping straight off the beach. What is there not to love? I am a self-confessed snorkeling addict married to an otherwise perfect husband, who doesn't swim. Being able to snorkel by stepping straight off a beach ought to be nirvana for me. It saves me going out alone on long boat trips to reach the coral.  Perhaps my expectations were too high but having nagged David for years to take me to Ningaloo Reef, I was disappointed.


Over the course of a two week road trip from Perth to Exmouth I snorkeled Ningaloo Reef at four different locations and found the same thing every time - the coral isn't especially colourful. When I asked a few locals they all said the same thing - soft corals aren't as colourful as hard corals and soft coral predominates in the areas I chose. There was also no doubt that in the popular spots much of the hard coral is dead - broken off and trampled by snorkelers getting a bit too close or trying to stand where they shouldn't. I don't blame them. Sometimes a weak swimmer will get a bit panicky and just have to put their feet down, or a strong swimmer will misjudge the current. I have done it myself and will forever feel guilty about the beautiful piece of coral I snapped off when snorkeling off the Abrolhos Islands near Geraldton. However the result is, unfortunately, a lot of dead, bleached white coral - not what snorkelers come to see.

If you are headed to Ningaloo Reef and you want to snorkel, I have put together a guide to the main spots. Despite the disappointing coral I would go to Ningaloo again. The road trip from Perth to Exmouth along Western Australia's Coral Coast is a great Australian adventure, remote enough to feel like you are exploring the fringes of the populated world and yet not so far from civilisation that you are likely to get yourself into trouble.

Coral Bay.  Photo courtesy of Brittany from The Sweet Wanderlust

Coral Bay

Accommodation - 

Coral Bay is 240 km north of Carnarvon and 150 km south of Exmouth. People go there to snorkel - trust me there is nothing else and you have to be keen because the accommodation is basic. We had low expectations of the only motel in town (David doesn't camp or do hostels) so it was a pleasant surprise to find the room had been recently renovated. Perhaps all those scathing Trip Advisor reviews have had an effect. Even so after two nights we were happy to leave. If we ever go back I would try to rent a holiday house. If you are looking for accommodation you could try either of these websites. I have no affiliation with them so I can't vouch for them in any way - coralbay.org.

Ningaloo Reef Resort, Coral Bay

Snorkeling - 

The beach is lovely. Head down there early, grab one of the shaded cabanas and set yourself up for the day. The reef starts literally a metre or two from the water's edge.  The semi-circular bay is great for children and less confident swimmers. However don't expect stunning coral - the colours are very disappointing. In a day and a half spent exploring as much of the bay as I could swim to from the beach I saw lots of brightly coloured tropical fish, and some lovely coral but nothing like as much as I expected. Mostly the coral was bleached white and much of it, especially close to the shore, was broken off and lifeless. 

Advice from the locals was that the better coral was further out, however I am a strong swimmer and as far out as I could swim at low tide the coral was disappointing. The best coral was along the drift snorkel from the far southern end of the beach. The current runs back toward the main bay giving you the chance to just float along and enjoy the view.

Coral Bay

For a detailed guide on the best snorkeling at Coral Bay go to  Wild Western Australia, a personal blog written by a West Australian.

One thing we did see at Ningaloo Reef were turtles. There is nothing in the world quite like coming across a turtle. Photo courtesy of Shandos from Travelnuity

This photo gives an accurate picture of how colourless most of the coral is. Photo courtesy of Brittany of The Sweet Wanderlust

Fish Feeding - 

Don't miss the fish feeding.  On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 3.30 pm the local snapper are fed. Visitors line up in the shallows facing the ocean while the snapper, which are clearly a lot smarter than they look, swim up and down the line and between all the sets of legs, waiting. A park ranger hands out pellets, gives a few quick instructions, and then it is a fish feeding free-for-all with the snapper snatching pellets as they drop into the water. Don't be late because it all happens quickly.

The Oyster Stacks, Turquoise Bay and Bundegi Beach

Accommodation - 

The Oyster Stacks, Turquoise Bay and Bundegi Beach are all within an hour's drive of Exmouth. Accommodation at Exmouth is expensive, it is in the middle of nowhere after all, but there is plenty of it and there were a few places which looked reasonable. We stayed at Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort. It was nice but very pricey.

The best thing about this part of Ningaloo Reef is that Exmouth is an interesting town. It is literally the town America built in the Australian outback, but I will leave that story for another post. When you aren't snorkeling there are plenty of other things to do. Exmouth must be the emu capital of the world. It is the only town where I have seen emus walking down the main street. David and I had a great time watching them.

Emus in Exmouth

Note that the Oyster Stacks and Turquoise Bay are both in Cape Range National Park which has an entrance fee of $12.

The Oyster Stacks -

The Oyster Stacks are off Yardie Creek Rd in Cape Range National Park, about an hour's drive from Exmouth. The Oyster Stacks were the best snorkeling spot we found (excluding the Abrolhos Islands which aren't strictly part of Ningaloo Reef). The snorkeling is safe, family friendly and, although the coral was disappointing, there were dozens of brightly coloured fish. The reef comes right up to the edge of the water. The shoreline is rocky and you need to be a little careful entering the water but we had no trouble. There is a small sandy beach to the left at the end of the path where you can enter the water without picking your way across rocks. Don't go at low tide. The local Visitor Information Centre has information on the tides.

The Oyster Stacks. Getting into the water requires a bit of care but it isn't too hard.

Turquoise Bay - 

With a reputation for being one of the best snorkeling spots in Cape Range National Park perhaps my expectations of the drift snorkel at Turquoise Bay were just too high. The beach is gorgeous, the colour of the water is glorious and floating along with the prevailing current is heavenly but where was the beautiful coral - nowhere that I could see. Even the tropical fish seemed to have the day off. Turquoise Bay is ten minutes north of the Oyster Stacks so you can snorkel both in the same day easily but if you are pressed for time I would choose the Oyster Stacks. Having said that, Turquoise Bay is all sand and sea without the rocky shoreline of the Oyster Stacks. If you are after that lazy, sun-drenched, white-sand, beach in the middle of nowhere feel then Turquoise Bay is for you.

Turquoise Bay.

Turquoise Bay. Photo courtesy of Shandos from Travelnuity

Turquoise Bay. Photo courtesy of Shandos from Travelnuity

Bundegi Beach

The Navy Pier at Bundegi Beach was the launch point for the only guided snorkeling tour we tried. We went with Snorkel Ningaloo on a half day tour using underwater scooters. David is a weak swimmer and he was convinced that using a scooter would giving him the confidence he lacked - it didn't! Notwithstanding that the scooters are advertised as suitable for children and less confident swimmers David found the experience so daunting that after five minutes he was back in the boat. Even I  took a while to get used to the scooter and I am a strong, confident swimmer. Going against the current the scooter was helpful but I couldn't really see that it made much of a difference to the overall experience, and once again the coral was disappointing. I did see a manta ray, which was pretty exciting.

Bundegi Beach boat ramp

Is Ningaloo Reef overrated?

Sadly, as a snorkeling destination, I have to say yes. I have seen much more colourful coral on the Great Barrier Reef (snorkeling off Lizard Island).  Being able to access the reef directly from the coastal beaches is a huge plus but not enough to make up for the lack of colour. If you are looking for great snorkeling on the Western Australian coast you don't need to go further than a day's drive from Perth. Off the coast at Geraldton you will find some of the best snorkeling in Australia on Morning Reef  at the Abrolhos Islands. Read my blog post on snorkeling the Abrolhos and exploring the site of the Batavia mutiny here - The Abrolhos Islands with Shine Aviation

Other blog posts on Western Australia - 

The Kimberley

• Berkeley River Lodge: A wilderness resort in the Kimberley.

• Amalia Gorge: Would you go swimming with a crocodile?

• Zebedee Springs and Chamberlain Gorge: Disappointment in the Kimberley

• Wille Creek Pearl Farm & The Perfect Pearl

• El Questro Station Bungalows: The best kept secret in the Kimberley

The Coral Coast

• The Abrolhos Islands Fly & Flipper Tour

• Mantra Geraldton

• Hutt Lagoon: A pink lake you can drive to

• Pinnacles and Stromatolites: Ancient formations and living fossils.

The South West: Perth to Esperance

• Springtime tulips at Araluen Botanic Park, Western Australia
• Wildflowers in Western Australia: Kings Park, Perth
• Rottnest Island: A guide to quokkas, cycling and beaches
• Fraser Suites, Perth - a review
• The National ANZAC Centre, Albany
• Albany Harbourside Apartments and Houses
• 7 things to do in Amazing Albany
• Esperance: Pink lakes and kangaroos on the beach. Does Esperance live up to its reputation?
• 2 Weeks in Western Australia: A road trip itinerary

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