"BETWEEN JUNE AND NOVEMBER, AROUND 30,000 HUMPBACK WHALES MIGRATE ALONG THE NINGALOO COAST."
SWIMMING WITH HUMPBACK WHALES AND WHALE SHARKS The Ningaloo Reef on West Australia’s mid-to-northern coast is a true ocean paradise with a kaleidoscope of marine life. It’s one of the most biologically diverse marine environments left on the planet, with more than 250 species of coral and 500 species of fish. The fringing reef here is one of the longest in the world, running close to the shoreline (unlike the Great Barrier Reef, which is located off the coast). In some locations, such as the Sal Salis safari camp, it’s mere footsteps from the beach. But the marine park is most famous for the gentle giants who pass through its crystal blue waters. From approximately March through August, it’s possible to swim with the massive and harmless whale sharks. Another highlight is swimming with humpback whales. Between June and November, around 30,000 humpback whales migrate along the Ningaloo Coast, breeching, lunging and slapping the water as they go.
Photo courtesy of Sal Salis
A family of humpback whales in the Ningaloo Reef
