Swimming with Whale Sharks

Further information

Ready to follow the whale sharks into the deep? Here are the details of Fleur's snorkelling trip and all the information you need to do it yourself.

Skywest Airlines has daily flights to Learmonth Airport, 36km south of Exmouth. There are transfers to Exmouth, or you can arrange tour operators to collect you and take you the 155km to Coral Bay. Greyhound Australia has a daily bus that runs the 1100km trek from Perth to Coral Bay and Exmouth.

Some good places to stay include Ningaloo Club Hostel and the Bayview Coral Bay Caravan Park, which also has lodge-style accommodation. If you're camping head to Peoples Park.

The best time to see whale sharks is from March to June. A full day's Swimming with the Sharks tour costs approximately AU$350 for adults, AU$220 for children and AU$1100 for a family. Most operators offer dive trips and courses, although conservation laws prevent you from scuba diving with the whale sharks.

Recommended operators include:
Coral Bay Adventures
Ningaloo Experience
Ningaloo Reef Dive

Want more on the whale sharks? Check out Tony Wheeler's blog post (Whale Sharks at Exmouth) or plunge right in with this video.