To put it plainly, when you are weighing up Ningaloo Reef against other diving in Western Australia there is no grand pub-debate over which is “best”. The straightforward answer is that for the majority of travellers Ningaloo is the all-round pick; it has the big-animal draw and caters to the novice as well as the seasoned diver with little trouble getting to the reef. Other parts of the state are a more specialised or demanding proposition, often more seasonal and remote.
A proper comparison is called for. Simon Bradshaw will be the first to say that if you book a trip on the strength of what is written in a brochure you can put some money down to find out that “remote” is code for two flights, a boat transfer and no Plan B come bad weather. Whether you have your sights set on a South West wreck run, Rowley Shoals or Ningaloo, the decision comes down to your budget, what kind of wildlife you want to see and how much inconvenience you will put up with before you get feral.
Quick Regional Snapshot
We will get into the details in a moment but here is the short of it: on balance Ningaloo is the winner, Rowley Shoals for its pristine isolation, the Abrolhos for an uncommon blend of history and reef, and in the South West one will find the wrecks and colder water to suit temperate species fans. For those interested in exploring Ningaloo Reef, it offers unique marine experiences. They are not all the same just because they are in the same state. Western Australia is a vast place and the conditions you will find from Exmouth to Albany are like cousins who do not meet except at Christmas.
| Region | Best For | Typical Access | Water Feel | Skill Fit | Reality Check |
| Ningaloo Reef / Exmouth / Coral Bay | Megafauna, coral gardens, shore access | Day boats, shore dives; fly or drive to Exmouth | Warm (tropical/sub-tropical) | Beginner to advanced | WA’s most versatile |
| Exmouth Navy Pier | An iconic structure and dense marine life | Guided only | Calm for the most part, currents can be an issue | Certified divers | High demand, strict on access |
| Rowley Shoals | Drift and atolls, unspoilt walls | Liveaboard from Broome | Offshore and warm | Intermediate/advanced | Pricey and at the mercy of the weather |
| Abrolhos Islands | The Batavia story, fish and island views | From Geraldton by boat or liveaboard | Milder, Leeuwin Current at play | Intermediate | More of a logistical exercise than Ningaloo |
| Dunsborough / HMAS Swan | Macro life and shipwrecks | Boat-based | Cool and temperate | Intermediate to advanced | Visibility is variable |
| Albany / Esperance | Southern marine life and temperate reefs | Some shore options, local charter | Temperate, cool to cold | Intermediate to advanced | Leave the thick wetsuit aversion at home |
The Case for Ningaloo
What separates Ningaloo from most of the well known reef systems is a fringing reef you can actually get to from the shore. People do not give enough weight to that. It means you can be in the coral gardens without having to surrender your holiday to a liveaboard timetable and a boat horn. Families and newer divers will appreciate the option.
Then there is the matter of wildlife credibility without the hard sell. There are whale sharks and manta rays and turtles and humpbacks in season and reef sharks to boot, all without making you do an advanced drift dive or an offshore crossing of the rough as guts variety.
Fringing Reef Advantage
Proximity is where Ningaloo differs from many of Australia’s other reef systems. Near Exmouth and Coral Bay the reef is not far off the land for a long way, so any conversation about shore diving in Western Australia will inevitably turn to this spot. If you have a day to spare and the wind has put paid to the boat departures, you can still make of it what you will. One cannot rely on offshore boats and expect to be so forgiving of a poor forecast.
Wildlife Without the Fuss
You will hear a lot about the megafauna at Ningaloo and it is not some 2017 lucky break that is being regaled. The seasonal tours are put together around aggregation and migration patterns. Do not be taken in by an operator who says otherwise. At the same time do not go in expecting a nature documentary on every outing, the reality is less theatrical. You will have your days of coral gardens and water so clear you can see for miles. Then there are the days when the highlight is a turtle paying you no mind as you make a right fool of yourself with your mask, much like a mullet that has been put to rights. A good day all the same.
Ningaloo’s Signature Dives
Ningaloo may be first choice but one should not assume every local dive is created equal. Exmouth and Coral Bay have different rhythms about them; it is a matter of deciding if you prefer the variety and infrastructure or a more modest base from which to get at the manta action.
In Simon Bradshaw’s view, Exmouth is where you go for flexibility and options, whereas the diving in Coral Bay is for those content with a simpler holiday and a smaller town. There is no right or wrong, only that the former has a few more contingencies in place should the weather or family arrangements put in an appearance.
Exmouth Navy Pier Dive
Then there is the Exmouth Navy Pier, arguably the most talked of dive in Australia and once in a while the hype is justified. The combination of built structure and marine life means you are likely to come across batfish, cod, macro critters and now and then something of size, all in the same spot.
There are strings attached though. You will need the proper certification and bookings do not wait, access is what it is. It is no place for a casual paddle. A beginner would be wise to put in a less demanding Ningaloo dive before making the pier a box to tick on the bucket list without being ready for it.
Coral Bay Diving And Mantas
For the gentler side of the reef, people tend to head to Coral Bay. What you get is easy enough: healthy coral, reef fish and a way into the manta ray country of Ningaloo. Should you want to encounter some big animals in a civilised manner rather than test your technical mettle, it is hard to beat. One does have to make do with fewer services in town and not much option when the weather turns. When it is on, it is lovely. Otherwise a touch of an irritation.
Best Time To Dive Ningaloo
That is dictated by what you are after. Whale sharks are the seasonal attraction, following the ecology of the reef in the warmer months; mantas and humpbacks add to the calendar.
Mind the cyclonic tendencies of northern WA in the November to April window. A word of advice is to consult the Bureau Of Meteorology Western Australia for the latest on the elements before you commit to flights or long drives. Not over-planning, just saves you having a fit on the boat ramp.
South Coast And South West Choices
Those with a taste for wrecks and temperate waters over the kind of tropical one puts on the resume will find their niche in South West WA. The conditions are not as lenient, the gear is heavier and the marine life is of a different order, but an excellent part of the state for the diver who is suited to it.
It is also a case of reality checking your expectations. Any notion of flat-as-a-pancake conditions and bathtub warm water will be dispensed with. But dramatic terrain and cooler ecosystems with none of the crowds are to be had here.
Dunsborough Wreck Diving
WA has two distinct wreck experiences in the HMAS Swan at Dunsborough and the HMAS Perth off Albany. The Swan is well known and purpose-sunk, drawing in the sort of certified diver who wants a bit of atmosphere and fish life without the trek to the far north. Off Albany the Perth has its own draw for those wanting a larger profile and southern conditions. Both are for divers at ease with a cold descent and variable visibility.
Albany And Esperance Waters
Underwater you will find a beauty of another kind in Albany and Esperance, with seascapes and temperate reefs and species of the south instead of the usual postcard type. Some will have a leafy seadragon on the wish list in these parts but do not count on it. What is reliably on offer is a style of diving in cooler water that is governed by the weather and the need for adequate thermal protection. This is not where you want to learn you have a dislike of the cold.
Remote Offshore Alternatives
Rowley Shoals and the Abrolhos are the specialists’ option if Ningaloo is the all-rounder. They will put a dent in your schedule and budget but the reward is a site not everyone has been to and a feeling of expedition.
You will hear people put in for years about certain trips, sometimes on account of how fine they were, at other times because an expensive booking and a long haul came to nothing with a cancellation. It is as well to have some emotional margin in your plans; when it comes to remote marine travel, your annual leave spreadsheet is of no consequence.
Rowley Shoals Diving
There is a near-religious tone to the way seasoned divers speak of Rowley Shoals diving and one can see why. With the right conditions you can have offshore clarity of an almost indecent tidiness and the atolls, drift dives and unspoilt coral walls are every bit as exceptional as they are made out to be.
Not everyone is suited to it however. A liveaboard charter entails more days and less leeway once you are out there, not to mention the cost. For a multi-day excursion to Broome and beyond you are looking at several thousand AUD per head, which makes it something “worth it if this is your thing” as opposed to a casual add-on.
Abrolhos Islands Diving
In WA it is difficult to find the likes of what the Abrolhos has to offer: the pull of Batavia’s maritime past, island views and reef life put there by the Leeuwin Current. Most make their way from Geraldton where you may encounter anything from glorious to mildly character-building conditions.
It is a good choice for a diver after something with more layers than a run of the mill coral trip, all the while being part of a shipwreck story that is hard to beat in Australia. Do not expect the same ease of logistics as Ningaloo though; day-trip possibilities are at the mercy of the weather and the operator’s timetable.
Seasonal Timing That Matters
One does not dive in WA for comfort alone, seasonality will dictate your sea state, access, visibility and the likelihood of seeing marine life or having to turn an expensive plan into a scenic coffee in some coastal town.
The mistake many travellers make is to look only at water temperature. It is useful but hardly sufficient. Give as much thought to the wind, the swell, regional wet seasons and how often charters run.
| Region | Seasonal Strength | What Usually Works Best | What Catches People Out |
| Ningaloo / Exmouth | Broad season, wildlife at its peak | Whale shark and manta planning; boat and shore access | Cyclone-season and wind |
| Coral Bay | Wildlife centric | Manta visits and a relaxed day on the reef | No option but to stay put if boats are called off |
| Rowley Shoals | Prime time is narrower | Liveaboards in stable offshore waters | Sea state and the odd cancellation |
| Abrolhos Islands | Weather and operator will tell | Crossings are manageable in milder spells | Getting to and from Geraldton in wind and swell |
| South West / South Coast | Depends on local systems | Some calmer time between rougher fronts | Visibility, surge and the cold |
Getting There Without Regret
This is where the fantasy of the destination has to be reconciled with the numbers. Exmouth and Coral Bay are road or flight accessible so you can do a day’s diving without being tied to a liveaboard, and for that reason Ningaloo tends to come out on top.
Then you have Rowley Shoals and the Abrolhos which are more demanding. The South West is not hard to get to from Perth by road but you will pay for it in colder climes and a lack of certainty on the water. Convenience and comfort do not tend to go hand in hand.
Realistic Logistics And Costs
Put 1,200 kilometres on the clock to drive from Perth to Exmouth and you are in for a serious haul, best done with an overnight stop or two unless poor decisions are your idea of fun. A flight is quicker but will put the price up, particularly with a family in tow. Add in gear hire, park fees, food and a room and any notion of a cheap coastal trip is soon dispensed with.
By and large Ningaloo is where the traveller will get better value for his logistics; a few boat days, some shore snorkelling and activities for the family make for a proper trip. Rowley Shoals is more of an all-in affair. From Perth you can hit the South West cheaper by car but with the wetsuits and charter costs and the absence of tropical guarantees the value is different.
Who Each Region Suits
- Ningaloo Reef: the place to be for families, mixed-skill groups and first-timers to WA who want some flexibility and a focus on wildlife.
- Exmouth Navy Pier: for the certified diver in search of a guided experience with plenty of marine density.
- Rowley Shoals: an experienced diver’s province, where open water and a healthy budget are a given.
- Abrolhos Islands: the place to go for a trip that is not so mainstream and where divers can have their reef fix along with some maritime history.
- Albany, Esperance and Dunsborough: ideal for those who like wrecks or temperate water and have no objections to a decent wetsuit.
Making The Choice
Book Ningaloo Reef first if you are in any doubt as to which destination to put down. I will be straight with you, it has the widest appeal and the least of any bother, a rarity these days. One can recommend it in WA without the need for a footnote as long as a motel bill. Go there for the coral gardens and shore access and the likelihood of running into some megafauna. If warm water is not what you are after and you would rather be in temperate ecosystems and around wrecks, make for South West WA diving. And should you want remoteness to be an attraction and not something you realise is an inconvenience once your deposit is paid, head to the Abrolhos or Rowley Shoals.
One Day In WA
For a dive decision you will not look back on with regret, put Ningaloo in and around Exmouth or Coral Bay at the top of the list. With the marine life on offer and the options as a back up, it is by far the best proposition for a single day.
A word of warning to beginners: Rowley Shoals is about as clear a case as there is. Some of the southern coast and South West wreck dives call for your respect too, particularly when you have depth, surge and cold to contend with. A good photograph does not make a wise idea of a dive you are not up to.
Answers To The Usual Questions
Travellers will ask these when they are sizing up the dive regions of WA and why not. They may be straightforward questions but the answer of any use will hinge on the sort of holiday you are putting together and the type of diver you are.
So where is Western Australia’s finest diving?
Ningaloo Reef for the most part, on account of the flexibility, wildlife and quality of coral one finds there. An enthusiast for wrecks will have HMAS Swan and Perth at the top of his list; for the experienced diver a specialist trip to Rowley Shoals is hard to beat.
Does Ningaloo trump the Great Barrier Reef?
Not in every way, but if you prefer to get to the reef without trouble and eschew the crowds in places, then yes. You will also find a whale shark or two. The Great Barrier Reef is more varied and of course bigger, yet Ningaloo is simpler and more personal in a way.
What would be the top 10 in Australia?
You will not find an official top 10, it is all down to the conditions and the diver. In WA you are likely to hear Exmouth Navy Pier, the outer reef at Ningaloo, the HMAS sites, Rowley Shoals and some of the Abrolhos put forward as the strongest.
And the world’s most beautiful spot?
There is no such thing as a verifiable winner. It is a matter of what you value, be it pelagics, visibility or the density of life, and the season. But put Ningaloo in the running for a healthy reef and big animals with none of the fuss of getting in the water.
Non-divers will still find Ningaloo worth while?
Indeed, and that is its edge on some of the more specialised areas. There are beaches, snorkelling, family time and wildlife tours to be had, so it is much more of an inclusive affair for mixed company than a place where everything is geared to charters and the advanced diver.
In Conclusion
To be blunt, Ningaloo is the first port of call for most in Western Australia, though other regions have their merits for the odd remote atoll or a bit of wreck hunting. It is the most rewarding option overall, if not the only one.
Which is what gets Simon Bradshaw to plan in a practical way and leave the postcard stuff behind. Have your balance at Ningaloo, your wrecks in the South West, your reef and history at the Abrolhos and a proper commitment at Rowley Shoals. Your plan will be sound even if the ocean has its own way of doing things.
