Do you want to swim with whale sharks in Western Australia? But, you have no idea when and where to go, where to stay, and which tour to choose…? Here is the perfect guide to help backpackers.
1. Next Stop, Exmouth - Ningaloo Reef 🐠
If you travel to Western Australia as a backpacker, swimming with whale sharks is a must-do. The best place to see them is in Exmouth – Ningaloo Reef. This place is a little paradise, with clear blue water, amazing beaches, great walk in the Cape Range National Park. But, the best part is still to come!
Firstly, you need to know that Exmouth is the last city before the National Park, so get everything you need there (food, water, gas, …). In the Park, there is no water, no grocery stores, nothing. Just your camping spot, toilets, nature, and you. Also, you have to book your whale shark tour directly in Exmouth.
2. When is the best time to see whale sharks? 🗓
Whale sharks arrive around mid-March (usually after the full moon) and stay in the area until July/August. In September, you can still have a chance to see them, but you won’t be guaranteed. If you want to avoid the crowd, don’t go there in April and July because it is holiday season in Australia (tours are fully booked weeks in advanced).
3. Where to stay? ⛺️ 🚐
There are not many accommodations around Exmouth. The best is to stay in the National Park, but a number of spots are limited. I highly recommend you visit the Park and Wildlife Services Website to check and book your spot in advance to avoid surprises!
4. What tour should I choose? 🙋♂️
The tour I took was one of the best Tour I’ve ever taken in Australia. Everything was well organized, there were only 15 people on board and the team was super kind and friendly. The food was perfect, and our instructors helped us find the turtles, the manta rays… It was thanks to them that I realized the presence of the humpback whale, 20 meters away from me. For more information: whalesharkdive.com
Important notice: this is an eco-tour, you must never touch the reef, or turtles, and stay at a reasonable distance from dolphins, whales, and whale sharks to protect nature. Never throw anything in the sea (food or trash). Thank you for protecting the environment. 🐋 🐢
The day of the tour: your day will start early morning (around 8 am) by embarking on the boat of Whale Shark Dive. Check on the side of the boat, some dolphins will probably join your ride to the deep sea. During that time, the instructor will start explaining the day (safety, snorkeling, diving, and what you will see). For our first stop, I had the chance to see several turtles, and beautiful fishes, but the most impressive was swimming 20 meters away from a humpback whale and her baby. For our second stop, we waited for the whale shark to come to the area, a flight spotted two of them swimming close to us. We jumped in the water and…
When I saw the whale shark coming closer, I felt like floating somewhere in space. My heart stopped beating, my body stopped moving, and my eyes were the only thing moving. The pictures and video below speak for themselves. I promise you will never forget this experience!
