The 2025 season saw record numbers of whale shark swims with over 41,000 taking place at Ningaloo.

Guests on the Ningaloo Discovery also saw manta ray. PIC: Ningaloo Discovery

The Coral Coast, which stretches from Cervantes to Exmouth, is increasingly popular with grey nomads and the 1250-kilometre Coral Coast Highway is often described as one of Australia’s greatest road trips.

Running from March to August, whale shark season is a major highlight, but tourism officials say Ningaloo is a year-round marine paradise.

Visitors can encounter the Ningaloo Big 5; whale sharks, manta rays, humpback whales, dugongs and turtles – making it one of the most diverse and accessible marine wildlife destinations in the world.

• Whale sharks (March–July): The iconic gentle giants of Ningaloo Reef.
• Manta rays (year-round): Graceful and inquisitive creatures found in Coral Bay and Exmouth.
• Humpback whales (June–October): Witness their migration from a number of vantage points along the Coral Coast or take a guided swim experience at Ningaloo.
• Dugongs (year-round): The elusive ‘sea cows’ of the ocean graze on seagrass beds in sheltered waters.
• Turtles (year-round): Green, loggerhead, and hawksbill turtles frequent the warm waters of Ningaloo and can be seen nesting from November to March.

# Have you been ‘wowed’ by a sighting of one of Australia’s magnificent sea creatures? Comment below.