| |
Coral Bay is set 140km south of Exmouth and 1200km north of Perth on Australias Coral Coast. Coral Bay is the southern gateway town to the warm, lively waters of world-famous Ningaloo Reef. A small settlement of a few houses, stores, restaurants and the picturesque beachfront accommodation at Ningaloo Reef Resort, Coral Bay is the place where the reef meets the beach and the wonders of Australias largest fringing coral reef are accessible within one hundred metres of the shore.
| Coral Bay Hotels Cars Tour Specials | |
Coral Bay was formally settled in 1968 and was named after the hotel established in the area. The ocean is its greatest attraction; Ningaloo Reef makes for an enticing holiday distraction.
One of the few fringing coral reefs on the west coast of a continent in the world, Ningaloo Reef creates a protected lagoon around Coral Bay. First-time or inexperienced snorkellers will find Coral Bay an ideal base to explore the underwater environment. Manta Rays, colourful coral and beautiful species of tropical fish are accessible year-round as Coral Bay enjoys summer for most of the year.
For the ultimate wildlife encounter swim alongside a giant Whale Shark, the worlds largest fish. These majestic creatures cruise past Coral Bay from March to June. They can grow up to 18m long, but are harmless in that they are filter feeders, with plankton as their diet.
The coral of the Ningaloo Reef on Australias Coral Coast spawns at a totally different time to the coral spawns anywhere else in the world. The spawning is always at the time of the first full moon after Easter. The coral spawning occurs at night and is like an upside down snowstorm, with the spawn rising from the coral to the surface of the ocean. The Ningaloo Reef coral spawning signs the start of the mammoth feeding chain and unfailingly brings the whale sharks, the gentle giants up from the deep.
The Ningaloo Reef is the closest part of Australia to the continental shelf where whale sharks are believed to live. Tantabiddi, north of Coral Bay, is the closest point, hence the annual presence of the filter feeding whale sharks of the Ningaloo Reef.
Turtles nest on local beaches between November and February and make for an awesome sight as they retreat in their hundreds to the waters edge. Loggerhead and Hawkesbeak turtles are regularly seen in the lagoons on tours. Whales can be spotted as they migrate down the coast past Coral Bay June to October.
Snorkelling is amazing at Coral Bay.
Fishing is superb; beach fishing is easy and fun or perhaps deep ocean species like Red Emperor, groper, North West Snapper, mackerel or tuna are more your taste. Is there anyone who has fished at Coral Bay and not taken home his supper?
Access is by sealed roads from Perth or by air via Learmonth airport at Exmouth, 140km north of Coral Bay. Coral Bays humble settlement, no four or five star luxury here, only extensive and uncrowded beaches, and one of the worlds wondrous reefs within walking distance from the shore.
Central Coral Bay North West WA - Western Australia
|
|
Western Australia - Map of Coral Bay Australia
|
|
