What are the best things to do in Exmouth, Western Australia?

The best things to do in Exmouth, Western Australia include the Ningaloo Centre aquarium and Bundegi Coastal Park. But the town is really the gateway to the Ningaloo Reef, with its whale sharks, humpback whales, kayaking tours and Turquoise Bay beach.

Sorry, Exmouth. Nobody has driven 13 hours from Perth to visit you. Exmouth is one of those Western Australian hub towns that is indisputably a gateway to somewhere else. Many second time visitors to Australia will stop there at the end of the Carnarvon to Exmouth leg of drive from Perth to Broome, but the town itself is somewhere to shop and sleep.

8 amazing Exmouth experiences to book in advance.

Swim with whale sharks – using a spotter plane for maximum shark snorkelling time. This is an experience you’ll genuinely remember forever.
Ningaloo wildlife adventure – see much more than just the whale sharks.
Full day kayaking tour – stopping to snorkel at parts of the reef the boats can’t reach.
Sunset cruise – with dolphin-spotting, snacks and drinks.
Cape Range trekking adventure.
Dive on the Ningaloo Reef.
Swim with humpback whales – they come after whale shark season is over.
Kayak and snorkel with turtles.

Things to do in Exmouth, WA: Ningaloo Reef

Exmouth is, however, the gateway to the Ningaloo Reef. The reef runs down the North West Cape in Western Australia, running alongside a series of gorgeous beaches inside the Cape Range National Park. These include Turquoise Bay, frequently dubbed one of the best beaches in Australia, and swimmer-friendly Osprey Bay.

The Ningaloo Reef runs just 100 metres offshore in some places. There are also basic campgrounds just behind the beaches. It’s possible to wake up in your tent, amble over to the beach, then swim amongst the coral, fish, turtles and rays. Turn in the other direction, and there are several excellent walks available in the Cape Range National Park. The 3km return walk through Mandu Mandu Gorge is arguably the best taster. On the other side of the range, the top spot is Charles Knife Canyon near Learmonth Airport.

The Ningaloo Reef, however, is most famous for its whale sharks. Whale shark swimming tours from Exmouth operate between March and August. The boat trips with operators such as Ningaloo Whalesharks and Ocean Eco Adventures are undeniably expensive, but they’re one of the greatest wildlife encounters in Australia.

It’s also possible to swim with humpback whales on the Ningaloo Reef. The whale season here is between July and October.

Things to do in Exmouth, WA: Other tours and attractions

There’s more to the Ningaloo Reef than just swimming with big things, however. Other experiences departing from Exmouth include scenic flights in a microlight. These microlight flights can be used in combination with a whale shark tour – you get to spot the whale sharks from the sky before swimming with them.

Ningaloo Reef scenic flight in a microlight, Western Australia — Scenic microlight flights over the Ningaloo Reef are an unusual way to spot whale sharks in Western Australia.

It’s also well worth taking a Ningaloo Reef kayaking tour. This allows you to explore multiple beaches and snorkelling sites under your own steam. It’s a beautifully peaceful way to explore.

In Exmouth itself, there’s not an awful lot to do. Town Beach is a reasonable place to lay a towel for an hour or two, but doesn’t have the same magic as the likes of Turquoise Bay. The Bundegi Coastal Park has a half-decent garden to stroll through, too.

There are a few attractions at the top of North West Cape, too. Bundegi Beach offers calm swimming, the Vlamingh Head Lighthouse is a good sunset spot, and neighbouring Mauritius Beach is home to the Jurabi Turtle Centre.

What to do in Exmouth, WA: Ningaloo Centre

Easily the best thing to do in Exmouth itself, however, is the Ningaloo Centre. This attraction is part aquarium, part visitor centre explaining the nature and ecology of the Ningaloo Reef system. It’s a good idea to visit before you go snorkelling on the reef – that way you’ve got a better idea of what you’re looking at.

If you don’t want to drive, Perth to Exmouth flights take two hours, while the Melbourne to Exmouth flight time is just under five hours. Exmouth accommodation options include the Exmouth Escape Resort and Mantarays Ningaloo Reef Resort.

The drive from Coral Bay to Exmouth takes around one hour and 38 minutes.

Best Exmouth accommodation choices

For infinity pool resort luxury: Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort.
For central location: Ningaloo Lodge.
For apartments with pool and landscaped gardens: Exmouth Escape Resort.
For families: RACV Exmouth Cape Holiday Park.

More towns and cities in Western Australia

Ningaloo Reef things to do Western Australia