Five Fingers Reef, Coral Bay: Snorkelling, access & tours

Five Fingers Reef in Coral Bay, Western Australia, is about 4.5km south of town. You need a 4WD or a quad bike tour to get there, but it offers arguably the best snorkelling in Coral Bay.

What is Five Fingers Reef?

Five Fingers Reef is a fantastic snorkelling spot just off the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. It’s popular with divers, too, but because it’s relatively hard to get to, Five Fingers Reef is rarely anything like crowded.

The name comes from the five sections of reef that line up next to each other, with plenty of aquatic life surrounding them.

5 Coral Bay experiences to book before you arrive

Swim with whale sharks – with a dedicated spotter plane for more time in the water with them.
Go on a glass bottom boat cruise – perfect for non-swimmers.
Snorkel with turtles – on a boat tour that visits two top snorkelling sites.
Swim with humpback whales – they visit between June and October.
Swim with manta rays – available most of the year, with lunch & snorkelling gear included.

Where is Five Fingers Reef?

Five Fingers Reef is just off the shore near Coral Bay in Western Australia. It is approximately 4.5km south of the town, past Paradise Beach and the Coral Bay Wind Farm. Don’t even think about trying to get there unless you have a 4WD vehicle and know how to use it – the tracks towards Five Fingers Reef are notoriously rough.

Is Five Fingers Reef on the Ningaloo Reef?

Five Fingers Reef isn’t quite on the main Ningaloo Reef, although the Ningaloo isn’t far off shore and very strong, experienced swimmers could swim there across the channel.

However, you don’t need to get to the main reef for fantastic snorkelling. Five Fingers Reef is one of the best places in Coral Bay for snorkelling.

The reefs add a handy degree of protection, keeping the water calm and the visibility good. There’s also a wide variety of marine life down there, from giant clams to rays.

Five Fingers Reef tours

Another way of getting to Five Fingers Reef is on a quad bike tour. Coastal Adventure Tours runs a two to 2.5 hour turtle adventure and snorkel trek that heads down to Five Fingers Reef on quad bike, and builds in time for snorkelling while there.

At the time of writing, prices for this tour start at $170.

Other things to do in Coral Bay include hitting the beach at Mauds Landing, swimming with whale sharks, taking a glass bottom boat tour and snorkelling with humpback whales.