AU · Western Australia · 21.93°S 114.13°E

exmouth

Shore snorkelling on Ningaloo Reef and whale-shark trips from a desert-coast town.

Best time
April–September has the most comfortable days. Whale sharks visit from about March to July and humpbacks from July to October; December–February is fiercely hot, with cyclone risk.
How long
3–4 days
Getting there
Fly direct to Perth in just over 5 hours, then about 2 hours on to Learmonth; allow about 9–11 hours all in. Exmouth is about 30 minutes' drive from the airport. Western Australia is on the same time as KL.
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AU · Western Australiaexmouth21.93°S 114.13°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Shore snorkelling on Ningaloo Reef and whale-shark trips from a desert-coast town.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingExmouthAU, Western Australia
KLexmouth
≈ 3,099 km from KL, as the crow flies
Exmouth (Western Australia). Die Stadt mit etwa 2.500 Einwohner liegt an der Spitze der Halbinsel Vlaming Head.

Photo: W. Bulach · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Exmouth is a small town on a dry red cape, and the base for Ningaloo Reef and Cape Range National Park. The reef comes right up to the beach in places, so you can walk in off the sand and snorkel over coral.

Makan

  1. Exmouth Gulf prawnsBig, sweet prawns from the local fishery, on menus around town.Map ↗
  2. Reef fishRed emperor and other local catch, grilled or in tacos at the town cafés.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Turquoise BayCoral and fish a few strokes from the beach, and a famous drift snorkel that rides the current along the reef.Map ↗
  2. Whale-shark swimSmall boats, helped by spotter planes, take you out to swim beside the world's biggest fish.Map ↗
  3. Oyster StacksRocky outcrops just off the beach, crowded with fish; best snorkelled at high tide.Map ↗
  4. Yardie CreekA short gorge of red cliffs at the south end of the park, with rock-wallabies on the ledges.Map ↗

Good to know

  • The current at Turquoise Bay can pull swimmers out through a gap in the reef, so get out before the sandbar and skip the drift if you're not a strong swimmer.
  • Book the whale-shark trip early in your stay, so there's time to go again if rough seas cancel it.
  • Halal food is hard to find in Exmouth; bring supplies from Perth, and mention halal when booking any tour that includes lunch.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.