The 1,250km (800 miles) Coral Coast Highway from Perth to Exmouth is one of Australia's Great Scenic Drives, and has been referred to as one of the greatest road trips on earth.
Take a morning flight from Perth to Exmouth's Learmonth Airport with Qantas. Collect your Avis hire car and drive the short distance north to Exmouth.Once you have entered Exmouth town, stop at the Ningaloo Aquarium and Discovery Centre to earn about the area. You can also hire snorkel gear or book tours. Explore the town’s breweries and eateries,…
Take a morning flight from Perth to Exmouth's Learmonth Airport with Qantas. Collect your Avis hire car and drive the short distance north to Exmouth.
Once you have entered Exmouth town, stop at the Ningaloo Aquarium and Discovery Centre to earn about the area. You can also hire snorkel gear or book tours. Explore the town’s breweries and eateries, hire a jet ski at the Town Beach or hike at Shothole Canyon. Make sure you’ve booked your mega-fauna (whale shark, humpback whale or manta ray) tour, along with any other tours you're interested in doing during your time here.
Get up before the sun at Sunrise Beach - Exmouth is one of the few places where you can see the sun rise and set over the ocean on the same day. Spend the day in Cape Range National Park on an organised tour or self-drive.Drift snorkel at Turquoise Bay, spot turtles at Sandy Bay, learn about the coastline and landscapes at Milyering Discovery…
Get up before the sun at Sunrise Beach - Exmouth is one of the few places where you can see the sun rise and set over the ocean on the same day. Spend the day in Cape Range National Park on an organised tour or self-drive.
Drift snorkel at Turquoise Bay, spot turtles at Sandy Bay, learn about the coastline and landscapes at Milyering Discovery Centre, have a picnic lunch at Osprey Bay or go boating (or hiking) along Yardie Creek. Watch the sunset at Vlamingh Head Lighthouse.
Not your thing? Why not learn to dive! Visit the nearby Muiron Islands to dive or choose a double dive on Ningaloo Reef.
An extra day (and night!) is recommended in Exmouth or Coral Bay to enjoy a mega- fauna experience. Try a whale shark swim (March to August), humpback whale interaction (July to October), turtle tour (September to March) or manta ray swim (year-round).
On your way to Coral Bay, consider visiting Bullara Station for homemade scones and barista coffee in an outback setting. Leaving Exmouth early, you can enjoy what Coral Bay has to offer - everything water! Swimming with manta rays (year-round), learning to dive, sailing away on a Ningaloo Reef charter, or joining a glass bottom boat tour to see…
On your way to Coral Bay, consider visiting Bullara Station for homemade scones and barista coffee in an outback setting.
Leaving Exmouth early, you can enjoy what Coral Bay has to offer - everything water! Swimming with manta rays (year-round), learning to dive, sailing away on a Ningaloo Reef charter, or joining a glass bottom boat tour to see the reef without getting wet.
After a lazy breakfast, snorkel in the calm waters of Bill’s Bay or Paradise Beach. Leave Coral Bay for Carnarvon and inspect the OTC Dish and the Space and Technology Museum. Self-drive the Fruit Loop Drive Trail, visiting working plantations, and visit Gwoonwardu Mia - Gascoyne Aboriginal Heritage & Cultural Centre. Enjoy a BBQ or picnic…
After a lazy breakfast, snorkel in the calm waters of Bill’s Bay or Paradise Beach.
Leave Coral Bay for Carnarvon and inspect the OTC Dish and the Space and Technology Museum. Self-drive the Fruit Loop Drive Trail, visiting working plantations, and visit Gwoonwardu Mia - Gascoyne Aboriginal Heritage & Cultural Centre. Enjoy a BBQ or picnic dinner by Carnarvon’s Fascine waterway.
In the morning, see Carnarvon from the air on a helicopter joy-ride or (allowing more time) heli-snorkel the Stromatolites of Hamelin Bay. Before leaving town, pick up lunch supplies and a treat for yourself – a Carnarvon chocolate-coated frozen banana! On arriving in Shark Bay, stop at Eagle Bluff for views over the Indian Ocean. Consider…
In the morning, see Carnarvon from the air on a helicopter joy-ride or (allowing more time) heli-snorkel the Stromatolites of Hamelin Bay. Before leaving town, pick up lunch supplies and a treat for yourself – a Carnarvon chocolate-coated frozen banana!
On arriving in Shark Bay, stop at Eagle Bluff for views over the Indian Ocean. Consider stopping at the Shark Bay Discovery Centre, complete with interactive exhibits detailing the area’s history (European and Indigenous) and heritage. Kids will love the Pirate Playground opposite the Centre and the nearby Thong Shack.
Stay: Denham or Monkey Mia.
Meet the Monkey Mia bottlenose dolphins who visit the shores daily from 7.45am. Join one of Shark Bay’s many ocean cruises or 4WD tours to Francois Peron National Park, explore Dirk Hartog Island for the day, or take an Aboriginal guided tour.
Stay: Denham or Monkey Mia
Leave Shark Bay and head east towards Kalbarri. Stop at Shell Beach and see the Hamelin Pool Stromatolites.
Travelling on the Highway, take the Ajana-Kalbarri Road into Kalbarri, which will be lined with wildflowers from July to October.
Get up early to spend a day exploring Kalbarri and its National Park. Be sure to pack lots of water and food before entering the Park. Take a photo at the iconic Nature’s Window, traverse the Loop, Z-Bend or Four Ways hiking trails along the Murchison River Gorges, and picnic at Ross Graham Lookout, Hawks Head or along the River Trail. Don’t fancy…
Get up early to spend a day exploring Kalbarri and its National Park. Be sure to pack lots of water and food before entering the Park.
Take a photo at the iconic Nature’s Window, traverse the Loop, Z-Bend or Four Ways hiking trails along the Murchison River Gorges, and picnic at Ross Graham Lookout, Hawks Head or along the River Trail.
Don’t fancy walking? See the area from above on a scenic flight. Later, enjoy fresh seafood served up at Finlay’s.
Wake up early, pack the car and drive south along Kalbarri’s Coastal Cliffs.
Don’t leave without going on a quad bike at Wagoe Beach (just south of Kalbarri). Whilst driving to Geraldton, be sure to stop in for a photo at the Pink Lake.
Depending on the time of year, some of Geraldton’s most extraordinary experiences are found close by. Offered year- round, enjoy a Fly and Flipper tour of the Abrolhos Islands. If visiting between June and September, spend the day in Wildflower Country visiting WA’s wildflower mecca - Coalseam Conservation Park.Stay: Geraldton or Dongara- Port…
Depending on the time of year, some of Geraldton’s most extraordinary experiences are found close by. Offered year- round, enjoy a Fly and Flipper tour of the Abrolhos Islands.
If visiting between June and September, spend the day in Wildflower Country visiting WA’s wildflower mecca - Coalseam Conservation Park.
Stay: Geraldton or Dongara- Port DenisonBetween Geraldton and Dongara-Port Denison, be sure to stop for a photo of Greenough’s leaning trees, visit Greenough Wildlife Park and enjoy a picnic lunch at Ellendale Pool. Continue travelling south to Dongara and stop at Illegal Tender Rum Co for a rum tasting. Visit the ANZAC soldier sculptures art piece in Port Denison; best viewed at…
Between Geraldton and Dongara-Port Denison, be sure to stop for a photo of Greenough’s leaning trees, visit Greenough Wildlife Park and enjoy a picnic lunch at Ellendale Pool.
Continue travelling south to Dongara and stop at Illegal Tender Rum Co for a rum tasting. Visit the ANZAC soldier sculptures art piece in Port Denison; best viewed at sunset. Pick up fresh seafood for a BBQ dinner at the Port Denison Marina or catch a movie under the stars at the Dongara-Denison Drive-In Cinema (seasonal).
Stay: Dongara-Port Denison
Wake up early for breakfast at Seaspray Café before continuing south to Jurien Bay. A few must-do experiences in Jurien include meeting endangered Australian sea lions, a tandem skydive or a full day of fishing - catch your own dinner! Need a beach day instead? Try Sandy Cape, for turquoise waters and sand boarding. Nearby, Green Head offers the…
Wake up early for breakfast at Seaspray Café before continuing south to Jurien Bay.
A few must-do experiences in Jurien include meeting endangered Australian sea lions, a tandem skydive or a full day of fishing - catch your own dinner!
Need a beach day instead? Try Sandy Cape, for turquoise waters and sand boarding. Nearby, Green Head offers the stunning Three Bays Walkway, connecting three swimming beaches on a picturesque coastal walk.
Your last day on the Coral Coast!
Make sure to take in the best of Cervantes with a visit to the Lobster Shack, the Pinnacles Desert in Nambung National Park and the Lake Thetis Thrombolites before making your way back to Perth and returning your hire car to Avis.