Coral Bay lies protected from the Indian Ocean by the Ningaloo Reef, Australia’s only fringing reef. The Ningaloo Reef is a popular diving and snorkelling site with a large variety of coral and fish life and is one of the best places to see whale harks and manta rays. The migration of the humpback whales is also viewable from June to October.
The Main Beach of Coral Bay is the ideal spot for swimming as it’s enclosed by a protective reef. The reef is situated very close to the beach which makes it a perfect spot for snorkelling – Purdy Point and Bill’s Bay are popular snorkelling spots. If you don’t have your own equipment, you can hire snorkelling gear, bodyboards and glass-bottom canoes on the beach or from your hotel / resort.
A huge attraction at the Main Beach is the snapper feeding session at 3 pm daily which attracts hoards of snappers that feed in the shallow waters just off the beach. You can see shoals of them swimming around in just knee-deep water.
Other Coral Bay attractions include Point Maud and Bateman Bay which are located just minutes from the Main Beach. A short 20 minutes walk north of the Main Beach takes you to Point Maud where you can find manta rays swimming in the shallows. Around the point is Bateman Bay, a breeding ground for reef sharks from October to March. Swimming is not allowed here; however, you can swatch the sharks swimming in the shallow waters from the safety of the beach.
In addition to the above mentioned things to do in Coral Bay, there are several popular tours that are worth considering on your trip to Coral Bay. Some of them include swimming with whale sharks, scuba diving, whale watching, spotting marine life (dolphins, dugongs, turtles and manta rays), and coral-viewing from glass-bottom boats. Most tour prices include equipment and refreshments. If you haven’t booked your tour beforehand, you can find several tour operators in the shopping centre.
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