Ningaloo Season Explorer | Sail Ningaloo
Interactive season explorer

Every month on Ningaloo Reef

Whale sharks, humpbacks, mantas and turtles all keep their own calendar. Tap through the year, filter by what you want to do, and see exactly when your trip should be.

260km fringing reef
700+reef fish species
300+coral species
2011World Heritage listed
Step one

Pick a month, meet the reef

Tap any month or press play and let the year run. Cards brighten as each species moves into season. Filter by the kind of experience you’re after.
Every month
Whale sharks
March to August, peak April to August, with shoulder sightings into October
Licensed swim-with · partner operators
Humpback whales
Migrating June to October; licensed swims July to October, peak July to September
Licensed swim-with · partner operators
Manta rays
Resident at Coral Bay every month of the year; numbers follow the food and moon cycles
Snorkel tour · Coral Bay
Inner reef snorkelling
Corals, reef fish, turtles and reef sharks, every month, straight off the beach
Free from the beach
Turtles nesting
November to March, peak December to February
Guided beach viewing
Turtle hatchlings
January to April
Beach viewing, keep distance
Coral spawning
March to April, seven to ten nights after the full moon
Natural event · after full moon
Crew note: tap a month above for what our crew see on the water that month, and which departures line up with it. Our sailing season runs March to October with shoulder dates in November and December.
Water (typical)18–28°Clight wetsuit in winter
Step two

The whole year at a glance

Hover any square for the detail. Tap an animal to spotlight its row, tap a square to jump the explorer to that month.
JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC
Whale sharks
≈★★★★★≈≈
Humpback whales
≈★★★≈
Manta rays
★★★★★★★★★★★★
Inner reef snorkelling
★★★★★★★★★★★★
Turtles nesting
★★≈≈★
Turtle hatchlings
★★★≈
Coral spawning
★★
Peak: best time to seeActive season: high chanceShoulder: possible, less consistent

Animals

Whale sharks
Humpback whales
Manta rays
Inner reef snorkelling
Turtles nesting
Turtle hatchlings
Coral spawning

Activity type

Licensed swim-with tour
Boat & snorkel tour
Free from the beach
Natural event
Liveaboard sailing (us)
Step three

What you can actually do

Swipe the rail. Tap a card and the explorer jumps to its best month.
Swim with whale sharks
March to August, peak April to August, sightings into October
JanDec
Licensed swim-with (partner operators)
Swim with humpback whales
July to October, peak July to September; the only WA location
JanDec
Licensed swim-with (partner operators)
Snorkel with manta rays
At peak every month of the year
JanDec
Boat & snorkel tour · Coral Bay
Snorkel straight off the beach
Year-round · corals, reef fish, turtles, reef sharks
JanDec
Free from the beach
Turtle nesting & hatchlings
Nesting Nov to Mar (peak Dec to Feb), hatchlings Jan to Apr
JanDec
Guided beach viewing
Liveaboard sailing
March to October, shoulder dates November and December
JanDec
With us, from Coral Bay
Step four

Ningaloo or the Great Barrier Reef?

Tick what matters on your trip. The gauge swings live, and every choice shows which reef it pulls towards.
✓I want to swim with whale sharksNingaloo
✓I want coral right off the beachNingaloo
✓I want fewer people in the waterNingaloo
✓I want a big choice of resorts and day toursGreat Barrier Reef
✓I want islands, scale and infrastructureGreat Barrier Reef
✓I want the shortest boat time to the reefNingaloo
NingalooBarrier Reef
0Ningaloo points
0Barrier points
Tick a few statements and we’ll read the balance for you.
Head to head

The facts, side by side

Different reefs, different trips. Plenty of travellers do both.
Ningaloo ReefGreat Barrier Reef
Reef type
Fringing: coral starts at the beachBarrier: reef sits offshore
Getting on the reef
Wade in, or a short sail from shoreTypically 60–90 min by boat
Whale sharks
Reliable season, March to AugustNo comparable annual aggregation
Swimming with humpbacks
July to October, licensed operatorsNot available
Length
260 km2,300 km
Crowds
Quiet on and in the water: max 20 guests per vesselBig boats, often 100+ passengers