Simply getting to Exmouth, Western Australia is an accomplishment itself. You have to really want to go there. That’s because for most Americans, the trip involves: a 15 hour flight from Los Angeles to Sydney, a layover, then another 5 hours on to Perth, another layover, then another 2 hour connection to Exmouth’s Learmonth Airport. No matter how you slice it, the journey is dizzying. That said, once Qantas launches its direct London-Perth route early this year, Exmouth might become at least a couple hours and one connection closer to the eastern United States.
You might find yourself wondering what brought humans to this part of the world in the first place. It certainly wasn’t the weather. There’s hardly any rainfall here during the summer months, and 120 degree days are outnumbered only tumbleweeds and venomous snakes. The reason there is human habitation in Exmouth at all, in fact, is because the United States built a base there during WWII to field submarine communications in the Pacific Arena with a non-obvious location. Flying into Exmouth’s airport, you see just how non-obvious the location really is: the town of Exmouth is hardly a blip on the small Cape Range Peninsula, which juts out of Australia’s most wild and undeveloped desert coastline. But all things considered, Exmouth is pretty impressive from the sky: rusty, Mars-like bushland stretches out in one direction, and the electric turquoise of the Indian Ocean stretches out in the other, both going as far as the eye can see.
It should come as no surprise, then, that Exmouth’s greatest assets are its remoteness and pristine nature. Furthermore, one of the continent’s greatest treasures lies just offshore—the Ningaloo Reef. While only a fraction the size of the Great Barrier Reef (with a fraction of the tourists), Ningaloo is unique in its proximity to the shoreline. It stretches 160 miles up and down the Cape Range Peninsula, close enough in most places for casual snorkelers to walk on from their campsites. And since there is so much less development in this part of the world, there is noticeably less of a “bleaching effect” than on the Great Barrier Reef.
Best of all, Ningaloo Reef is one of the only places on the planet where you can swim with whale sharks, humpbacks, and giant manta rays, and it is perhaps the best place on the planet to do so in terms of sustainability. The Australian government is strict with issuing operator licenses, and stringently regulates all marine swims in terms of time spent with the animals, distances kept, and so forth. While you might be able to do whale shark swims in more convenient locations than Ningaloo, nowhere else regulates these outings like they do in Australia—tour operators in the Philippines, for instance, are known to do such disruptive things as bait the waters to attract whale sharks, or even allow groups of tourists to touch the wildlife. So you can swim with confidence that neither you nor your tourism dollars are hurting these sea creatures.
Once you visit Ningaloo and experience just how clear its waters are and brilliant its reef is, you’ll see why the Australian government takes its protection so seriously. It’s true, perhaps it would be easier to do a whale shark swim in Cancun, or somewhere closer than Exmouth. But trust us—the moment you see that whale shark’s electric polka dots swimming towards you, you won’t even mind having made the long journey to world’s end.
When To Go
Whale shark season goes from March to September, and humpback season goes from August to November. Giant manta rays can be found pretty much year round. Most accommodations tend to shut down completely during the scorching summer months from November to March. That means your best shot at seeing both whale sharks and humpbacks in comfortable weather is going to be in August or September, and sometimes early October. If you contact a tour operator on Visit Ningaloo’s website, they can provide more detailed information about the best time to set up your swim.
Where To Stay
Accommodation in Exmouth is limited. Budget travelers tend to stay in the caravan park near Vlaming Head Light House, and there are a few options in town like Mantarays or Exmouth Escape Resort. But if you can swing a couple nights at Sal Salis, you should. Part of the Luxury Lodges of Australia group, this luxury camping oasis is conveniently located directly inside Cape Range National Park. Yes, it offers the best hospitality and service you’ll find in the region, but the biggest selling point of staying here is its location within the park—not only will you fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves, but you’ll most likely wake up to a kangaroo nuzzling the front of your tent.
How To Get There
Qantas operates two flights to Exmouth’s Learmonth Airport from Perth every day—fewer during the off-season. From the airport, contact your accommodations to help organize a transfer. The drive from the airport to Cape Range National Park is about ninety minutes up one side of the peninsula and down the other (there are no roads directly over the mountains), but don’t worry, because this airport transfer might be the most magical you may ever take. From the road, you will easily spot at least a dozen humpbacks jumping out of the water, as if to welcome you to this magical corner of the world.
