Snorkelling in Ningaloo Reef

Ningaloo is the rare fringing reef you can reach straight from the beach, running for hundreds of kilometres along Australia's remote west coast, and once a year it hosts the largest fish on earth. Timed to the coral spawn, whale sharks — filter-feeding giants up to eight metres long and completely harmless — gather to feed, and you get into the water with them.

The operation is precise: a spotter plane finds an animal from the air, the boat drops you in ahead of its path, and a creature the size of a bus glides past a few metres away while you finish somewhere in its wake. On the days you're not chasing sharks, the reef itself is right there off the sand — turtles, rays and coral gardens in warm, clear water.

Licensed operators only, with strict rules on distance and swimmer numbers per animal. The season is tied to the spawn and shifts a little each year, running roughly March to July. Come for the encounter, and enjoy the reef around it.

A rare fringing reef you can reach straight from the beach, running hundreds of kilometres along Australia's remote west coast — and once a year it hosts the largest fish on earth.

Timed to the coral spawn, whale sharks, filter-feeding giants up to eight metres long and completely harmless, gather to feed, and you get in the water with them.

The operation is precise: a spotter plane finds an animal from the air, the boat drops you in ahead of its path, and a creature the size of a bus glides past a few metres away.

On the days you are not chasing sharks, the reef itself is right off the sand — turtles, rays and coral gardens in warm, clear water.

Book a whale-shark swim with a licensed operator — the encounter runs guided only, with strict rules on distance and swimmer numbers per animal — and base at Exmouth or Coral Bay on the Ningaloo coast.

The season is tied to the coral spawn and shifts a little each year, running roughly March to July; the peak is April to June. You need only basic snorkelling ability, so it suits beginners and families from around six. Bring or hire a wetsuit and reef-safe sun protection.

On non-shark days, snorkel the shore reef directly off the beach — no boat or guide required for that.