Shark Bay is a World Heritage listed area and has become one of the most famous natural attractions in Western Australia. Home to Monkey Mia, where wild dolphins come in close to shore to share the company of their human visitors. These trusting intelligent animals not only come to feed but seem to enjoy the contact. So famous has the phenomena become that the area is now strictly controlled by park rangers to prevent distress to the dolphins or damage to their environment. Accommodation has been built right on the famous beach so visitors can spend a couple of days exploring this unique area. The Shark Bay Marine Park is situated approx. 856kms north of Perth and dolphins are only 1 of the attractions. Turtles, whales, manta rays and dugongs also inhabit the pristine waters.

Ningaloo Reef, situated approx. 414kms north of Monkey Mia, stretches about 260 km along the coast of Western Australia which makes it the longest coastal reef in the world. Whilst the Great Barrier Reef is more famous, Ningaloo has many attractions to rival its east coast counterpart. For one, Ningaloo is much closer to shore and in some parts you can snorkel the reef right off the beach. For those who like to keep their fellow tourists at arms length, Ningaloo has a much lower profile (for now anyway) than the Great Barrier Reef. People who visit this area are usually very interested in the marine life and like to 'get wet'. One of the main attractions from March to June is the migration of the whale sharks and humpback whales into the area. Divers and snorkellers can swim with the giant Whale sharks which are the largest fish in the world. If you are unfamiliar with Whale sharks you may be forgiven for thinking this activity sounds quite mad but these gentle giants (which can weigh up to 40,000 kgs) only feed on plankton, not tourists! The humpback whales visit in October but there is plenty to see right throughout the year as the protected waters are home to dugong, manta rays, turtles and hundreds of varieties of fish. One of the best ways to explore this region is by self drive.

If you prefer to sit back and let someone else do the driving then we have a range of touring options departing from Perth:

3 Day Pinnacles, Kalbarri and Monkey Mia Dolphins tour
5 Day Pinnacles, Kalbarri, Monkey Mia and Ningaloo Reef Tour

3.5 Star
Situated right on the beach where the dolphins come in. This is an eco orientated resort with a resident naturalist who conducts nature talks and advises about the local environment. The place to stay - necessary to pre-book.

4 Star
Apartment style accommodation right on Sunrise Beach, Exmouth's new marina development.