Whales
Book a tourSwim with humpback whales
📍 Bill’s BayOne of the only places in WA you can legally swim with humpback whales — and Coral Bay opens first.
Wildlife encountersBetween winter and spring tens of thousands of humpback whales pass Ningaloo on migration, and its State waters are currently one of the only places in WA where licensed operators can run swim-with-humpback tours. Coral Bay tours tend to open around the start of July — a month before Exmouth’s — and run into late October.
These are full-day boat trips: spotter planes find relaxed whales and small guided groups enter the water for the chance of an encounter. Expect a wild experience, not a guaranteed one — guides only allow swims with calm, curious whales — but even without a swim the day usually delivers surface watching, whale song and bonus dolphins, mantas and turtles.
How it works
- Licensed full-day boat tour; whale-watching cruises run too, if you’d rather stay dry.
Book a tour
- coralbayCoral Bay EcotoursIn-water humpback interactions late Jun–mid Oct — a reef snorkel first, then the whales.Tour operator
- Ningaloo Marine InteractionsNingaloo Marine InteractionsWatch or swim — regulated humpback encounters with spotter-plane help (Jul–Sep).Tour operator
- ningalooreefwhalesharks.auNingaloo Reef WhalesharksHumpback swim-and-watch, mid Jul–Aug, as tens of thousands of whales stream past.Tour operator
Independent listings.
More info
Part of
Humpback whale swimsMarine wildlifeMore to do at Bill’s Bay
- Bill’s Bay reef snorkelWade off the town beach and you’re over coral and fish within a few fin-kicks.
- Bill’s Bay swimA calm, shallow town lagoon — safe and easy for a family dip.
- Coral Bay kayak trailPaddle to numbered moorings on the reef, then drop in and snorkel.
- Bill’s Bay SUPGlassy, protected lagoon water for an easy stand-up paddle.
- Swim with manta raysHover above the reef as resident manta rays bank and barrel-roll below you — Coral Bay’s signature.
- Whale shark swimSnorkel alongside the world’s biggest fish on the outer reef — from a quieter base than Exmouth.
- Glass-bottom boat tourSee the coral gardens and turtles without getting wet — a Coral Bay staple since 1973.
- Outer-reef snorkel cruiseA relaxed boat snorkel over coral the boats reach that you can’t from shore.
- Scuba divingDive grey-reef-shark cleaning stations and coral bommies off the southern reef.
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