Turquoise Bay

Ideal stay

5–7 nights

The vibe

Remote, sun-bleached, reef-obsessed

From our guides

1. 01

   The Turquoise Bay drift

   Enter at the southern end, let the current carry you north over the coral bommies, then get out before the sandbar channel and walk back along the beach.

2. 02

   Whale shark swims

   Licensed boats out of Exmouth and Coral Bay use spotter planes from roughly March to July to put snorkellers in the water alongside the sharks.

3. 03

   Cape Range gorges

   Behind the beaches the limestone plateau is cut by dry gorges, with a short walk above Yardie Creek's permanent waterhole and rock wallabies on the cliffs.

4. 04

   Oyster Stacks

   A snorkelling site over dense coral heads that only works near high tide, and one of the richest spots on the whole fringing reef.

5. 05

   Coral Bay

   A small settlement at the southern end where the reef starts a few strides from the sand, easier with young children than the national park beaches.

6. 06

   Vlamingh Head lighthouse

   The headland above Exmouth is the sunset spot and a good place to watch for humpbacks passing offshore through the winter months.

1. Fly to

   Exmouth (LEA)

   Nearest airport to Ningaloo Reef, about 26km away as the crow flies.

2. Then

   To Exmouth

   Learmonth (LEA) is about forty minutes by road north to Exmouth, with a shuttle meeting the Perth flights.

3. On the ground

   Getting around

   Turquoise Bay is roughly an hour's drive from Exmouth inside Cape Range National Park, sealed road the whole way, with a car park behind the beach.

Public transport: None to speak of. Beyond the airport shuttle you need a hire car or a booked tour.

Caravan park cabins, motels, a few eco-tent camps and national park campsites. Luxury is limited to a couple of tented lodges, and there are no large beach resorts.

• Best base overall

  Exmouth

  The only town with supermarkets, tour operators and a proper choice of rooms, about forty minutes from the bay by sealed road. It sits on the gulf side, so the reef is a drive.

  Find stays in Exmouth →
• Closest to the sights

  Cape Range National Park campgrounds

  Bare-bones bays such as Osprey and Kurrajong put you on the reef at first light. No power, no water and no shade, and sites are allocated by advance ballot.

  Find stays in Cape Range National Park campgrounds →
• Best with children

  Coral Bay

  A tiny settlement where the reef starts at the swimming beach, so small children snorkel straight off the sand. Choice of food and accommodation is very limited.

  Find stays in Coral Bay →
• Quietest

  Vlamingh Head

  The lighthouse end of the peninsula, with caravan park cabins, turtle beaches and sunsets over the Indian Ocean. You are self-catering and driving for everything.

  Find stays in Vlamingh Head →

Worth knowing before you book: National park campsites are released online months ahead and go in minutes, and whale shark season fills Exmouth. Book rooms and tours together for April to July.

Getting there

Learmonth airport near Exmouth takes flights from Perth. Driving up is well over a thousand kilometres, so most people fly and hire on arrival.

Pack this

There is no shade at the beaches. Take a shelter, far more water than you think, reef-safe sunscreen and your own mask and fins.

Currents

The drift at Turquoise Bay is real. Get out before the channel at the northern end and never try to swim back against it.

Park entry

Cape Range charges a vehicle fee and caps daily numbers in peak season, so arrive early rather than after breakfast.

Supplies

Stock up in Exmouth. There are no shops inside the park and mobile coverage disappears along most of the coast road.

Ningaloo Reef

Australia · 117km away →

Uluwatu

Bali, Indonesia →

Kuta

Lombok, Indonesia →

Nusa Penida

Indonesia →

Batu Bolong

Canggu, Bali, Indonesia →

Ubud

Bali, Indonesia →

Elsewhere in Australia