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Is Ningaloo Reef worth visiting?
Yes, and for one reason the Great Barrier Reef cannot match: you snorkel it off the beach. Ningaloo is a fringing reef — the coral starts metres from the sand. Add whale sharks from roughly March to July and it is worth the 1,250km from Perth. Six days, from $1,449.
Checked on 6 October 2026.
Ningaloo is World Heritage listed, 260km long, and almost nobody outside Western Australia has heard of it. It is a long way from anywhere — 1,250km north of Perth — and the question of whether that is worth it has a clear answer once you understand what a fringing reef means.
Why it is worth going
- You walk in off the sand.The coral starts metres from the beach at Coral Bay and Turquoise Bay. No boat, no day trip, no fare — you put a mask on and swim.
- Whale sharksroughly March to July. The largest fish in the sea, and Ningaloo is one of the few reliable places on earth to swim with them.
- Humpback whalesAugust to October, on the migration south.
- Manta rays year roundon half-day boat trips.
- It is empty.The Great Barrier Reef carries two million visitors a year. Ningaloo does not.
Ningaloo or the Great Barrier Reef?
- Ningaloo for accessibility and wildlife.Beach snorkelling, whale sharks, and far fewer people.
- The Great Barrier Reef for scale and coral structure.It is vastly bigger and the outer reef sites are spectacular.
- Getting there is the difference.Cairns has an international airport; Ningaloo is six days of driving from Perth, and the drive is part of the trip.
- If you are already in Western Australia, Ningaloo. If you are doing the east coast, the Great Barrier Reef.Few people do both on one trip.
What it costs
| Trip | Length | Route | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Day Perth to Exmouth | 6 days, 5 nights | Perth / Exmouth | $1449 |
| 6 Day Perth to Exmouth | 6 days, 5 nights | Perth / Exmouth | $1549 |
| 7 Day Perth to Exmouth & Return | 7 days, 6 nights | Perth / Perth | $1699 |
| 8 Day Perth to Exmouth & Return | 8 days, 7 nights | Perth / Perth | $1699 |
| 8 Day Perth to Exmouth in Comfort | 8 days, 7 nights | Perth / Exmouth | $4099 |
The trips
6 Day Perth to Exmouthfrom $14496 days, 5 nightsHostels / HotelsView trip
7 Day Perth to Exmouth & Returnfrom $16997 days, 6 nightsHostel / Dorm ShareView trip
8 Day Perth to Exmouth in Comfortfrom $40998 days, 7 nightsBoutique EnsuiteView trip
4 Day Perth to Monkey Miafrom $12994 days, 3 nightsResort/MotelView tripPeople also ask
- Ningaloo Reef and Monkey Mia — what can you do there?
- When is the best time to visit Ningaloo and Exmouth?
- How do I get from Perth to Exmouth or Broome?
- Is the Great Barrier Reef still worth visiting?
Not sure which one fits?
Tell us your dates and where you are starting from, and we will point you at the right trip.
Where this comes from. Each trip's own itinerary and inclusions sheet, as held on its page here. Prices are the current from price and update on their own.