Western Australia’s Coral Coast Is the Road Trip Destination of Your Dreams

For the American traveler, Western Australia might seem a bit far out. Getting to Perth from New York requires at least a 24-hour, two-stop journey. It’s a long haul even for east coast Australians, who might prefer to spend the flight time jetting off to Bali. Once you’ve touched down in Australia’s largest state (more than three times the size of Texas), getting to know it will require driving for days on end—and, in some cases, calling in the help of a charter plane. The air begs for water and it’s so sparsely populated that your next town center is often few and far between. Some pretty gnarly creatures swarm these unforgiving environments, from reptiles with names like “Thorny Devil” and jellyfish the size of a penny, capable of doing serious damage.

But it’s all part of the allure. As some poet once said, the more difficult the journey, the sweeter the reward. In Western Australia’s case, it comes in the form of shockingly unspoilt, uncrowded pockets of natural splendor. And the best way to experience it is a road trip along the westernmost coastline, which runs from Perth all the way up to the seaside town of Exmouth. The Coral Coast, as it’s called, is named in honor of Ningaloo Reef, the world’s largest fringing reef and World Heritage Site that graces the floors of the Indian Ocean. The 800-mile drive along the Coral Coast Highway is a veritable feast for the eyes, brimming with ancient landscapes, otherworldly marine life, and rich, Aboriginal cultural heritage.

This road trip of WA’s greatest hits starts with the seaside town of Geraldton, to the west of which lies the Abrolhos Islands, an archipelago boasting biodiversity comparable to that of Galápagos. On your way to Kalbarri, where massive, red cliffs overlook the Murchison River, you’ll pass by the natural oddity that is the bubblegum-pink Hutt Lagoon. At Francois Peron National Park, the orange of the desert meets the blue of the ocean, a contrast so striking it can only be described as sublime. It all culminates on the Northwest Cape with a whale shark swim, an adrenaline-pumping experience that’ll have you questioning why you ever became preoccupied with the minutiae of life on land.

The best time to hit the Coral Coast is between the months of March to October, which generally bring milder weather, ranging from about 50 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Autumn in Western Australia (March to May) welcomes the start of whale shark season, while late winter to early spring (roughly the months of July to October) brings an abundance of wildflowers; we’re talking more than 12,000 species, half of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. It’s best to avoid the summer months of December, January, and February, as the weather will simply be too hot and dry to endure, averaging a high of 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

To do the Coral Coast one way, you should allot yourself 10-14 days, depending on the kind of excursions you choose to take. From the U.S., you’ll fly into Perth Airport, then rent a car with a company like Avis, which offers one-way car hire between Perth and Exmouth. You’ll need to present your driver’s license (which you must have held for at least 1 year) along with an International Driver’s Permit. Once in Exmouth, catch a flight home via Learmonth Airport.

Once you’ve sorted out the logistics, it’s time to map out the very best stops along the Coral Coast:

The place that brought us legends like Heath Ledger and Kevin Parker, Perth is so much more than a remote, touchdown city. For starters, it’s the sunniest capital in Australia, with an average of 8.8 hours of sunshine per day and clear skies 70% of the year. Walk along the banks of the Swan River by way of the ever-bustling Elizabeth Quay Waterfront, or the massive Kings Park, which boasts over 3,000 species of plants indigenous to WA. Grab a table overlooking the river at Cooee, where you can enjoy seafood sourced from Shark Bay and a glass of wine from Margaret River winery, Vasse Felix. Further down the coast, you can get your feet wet at the pristine Cottesloe Beach, stay for an epic sunset, then head over to the myriad of restaurants and bars lining the way.

If you’re planning to spend a few days in Perth, pop over to the neighboring port of Fremantle, or “Freo” as locals like to call it. There’s a lot of maritime history in Perth’s old town, and you can get a taste of it at the WA Shipwrecks Museum, which houses relics from the infamous 17th century Dutch Batavia shipwreck. Grab a beer at Gage Roads Brewing Company before taking a SeaLink ferry to Rottnest Island, or Wadjemup, as it is known by its traditional owners, the Whadjuk Noongar people. There’s lots to do on this immaculate patch of land, from biking to snorkeling, but you’re really here for one thing: quokkas. Rottnest contains the world’s largest quokka population, so there’s a good chance you’ll see the cartoon-like critters up close. Keep in mind, though, that they are nocturnal, so early mornings and late afternoons provide the best spotting opportunities.

From Perth, it’s about a four-hour drive to Geraldton. You’ve got endless options for stops along the Indian Ocean Drive, like the town of Lancelin, where you can go sandboarding on Western Australia’s largest dunes, or Cervantes, where you’ll want to grab a bite of local rock lobster. For a bit of geological history, head to Lake Thetis to take a look at the stromatolites and strombalites, some of the oldest living fossils on earth, or Nambung National Park where 30,000-year-old limestone spires called Pinnacles rise from the ground. Over in Jurien Bay, you’ll likely spot rare Australian sea lions lazing in the sun.

Once in Geraldton, dedicate a day to an excursion to the Abrolhos Islands, located about 40 miles west. The Houtman Abrolhos Islands, as they are properly called, were discovered by Fredrick de Houtman in 1619. The word “Abrolhos” is thought to be a contraction of the Portuguese expression “Abri Vossosolhos,” understood by sailors as “watch out for danger.” That’s because this archipelago of 122 islands is surrounded by treacherous reefs, which take the blame for the Batavia shipwreck of 1629. There’s some other dark, nautical history associated with these islands—mutiny, starvation, mass murder, etc.—but today it’s a peaceful paradise teeming with diverse wildlife rivaling that of Galápagos. More than 90 species of seabirds inhabit the islands, including noddies, ospreys, and white breasted sea eagles. You might also spot Tamar wallabies, pythons, and Burton’s legless lizards. Book a charter with Shine Aviation and marvel at the turquoise flyover before setting up camp for a day of snorkeling, fishing, or diving.

Next up: the red rocks of Kalbarri National Park, about a 2-hour drive from Geraldton. Along the Brand Highway, you’ll see an abundance of charmingly bizarre, horizontally leaning trees, bent as such by the sandy winds that blow off the coast of the Indian Ocean, before passing by Hutt Lagoon, otherwise known as Pink Lake. The lake gets its Pepto Bismol-pink hue from the fusion of salt and a carotenoid-producing algae. Depending on the season, time of day, and amount of cloud cover, the colors can range from red, pale pink, and lilac. There are a number of great lookout points along Port Gregory Road, and if you time it for sunset, you’ll experience a pretty magical fluctuation of roseate light.

Upon arriving in Kalbarri, fuel up at Finlay’s, an open-air restaurant decked out in kitschy road signs and plastic dolphins. Order the expertly-battered fish and chips, then wash it all down with an in-house beer. When you’re ready to explore Kalbarri National Park, park your car at The Loop and make a beeline for Nature’s Window, a rock formation with a natural viewing hole that overlooks the upstream view of the Murchison River. If you fancy a more challenging hike, head to the Z Bend and embark on the Z Bend River Trail, which will lead you deep down into the red-and-white striped gorge.

Beyond the hikes, there are a number of activities to choose from at Kalbarri—kayaking, canyoning, abseiling, etc.—but the new Skywalk is a must-see. Ascended about 300 feet from the gorge, the suspended trail will make you feel as though you’re floating on air. Kalbarri is part of the traditional lands of the Nanda people, and you’ll find local Indigenous artworks scattered throughout the structure. Pro tip: Visiting Kalbarri in the Spring will promise blankets of over 1,200 different wildflowers.

Follow the Northwest Coastal Highway for two and a half hours to get to Shark Bay, a World Heritage Site in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. The most westerly point of the Australian continent, the area is famous for its large population of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, as well as one of the largest and most diverse seagrass beds in the world, which sustains around 12.5% of the world’s population of those gentle sea cows we call dugongs. Check in at RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort, where you can get a room right on the shores of the glistening, pristine waters of Shark Bay. Emus, pelicans, and echidnas roam freely around the resort, but the main attraction is the dolphins that swim close to shore, who have been studied by researchers for decades. Early in the morning, you can watch park rangers feed up to four dolphins a daily fish snack (less than 10% of their daily intake, to sustain natural hunting behaviors).

Remember learning about complementary colors in your middle school art class? At Francois Peron National Park, traditionally owned by the Malgana and Nhanda people, you will see the breathtaking juxtaposition of rust-red cliffs and turquoise waters. Try your luck spotting dugongs at the Skipjack Point Lookout or set up camp right on the beach at Bottle Bay. Keep in mind, though, that you will need a four-wheel drive vehicle to drive to the northern reaches. Consider booking a tour with Darren “Capes” Capewell of Wula Gura Nyinda to see the area’s floral and fauna through the eyes of one of its original custodians. Capes will encourage you to feel, rather than see, all the beauty that exists in the park, from the acacia and eucalyptus trees, to the local mullet that he grills for dinner. It’s so remote out here, that you can come pretty close to having an entire national park to yourself—pretty unheard of in the States.

The beauty that awaits at the final stretch is worth the six-hour drive. On your way from Shark Bay to Exmouth, the northern gateway to Ningaloo Reef and Cape Range National Park, consider stopping over midway through to snorkel in Coral Bay, home to Ningaloo Reef Marine Park, which boasts over 500 species of fish and 300 varieties of coral. It’s a “fringing” reef, meaning you can take just a few steps from the beach and see an octopus or sea turtle gliding underneath your mask. For a truly unplugged experience, treat yourself to a chic, safari-style tent at Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, nestled in the dunes of Cape Range National Park. There’s no Wi-Fi at this resort that’s thoughtfully built around the environment, so all you’re left to do is swing from your hammock, spend your mornings snorkeling, and completely unwind. With only 16 tents and shared dinners across a long table, you’re also bound to make a few friends.

When you’re ready to stretch your legs, make for the many hiking trails of Cape Range National Park, whose arid, limestone ranges are peppered with spinifex bushes and Red Kangaroos. Notable sights include Mandu Mandu Gorge, which you can access from a scenic walking trail; Yardie Creek, where water from the ocean provides a habitat for mangroves and rock wallabies; and Shothole Canyon, colored by three, vibrant rock layers—Trealla, Tulki, and Mandu limestone. The park is also chiseled with over 700 caves, many of which are said to be undiscovered. Over in the distance, you’ll see the blue horizon of Ningaloo Marine Park.

The best is saved for last in Exmouth, where you’ll chase the spotted backs of the largest fish in the sea. Book a tour with Exmouth Dive & Whalesharks Ningaloo, whose experienced guides will brief you on information about whale sharks, as well as how to best respect their boundaries. A spotter plane alerts the boat when a whale shark is in sight, after which you quickly slide off the boat in your flippers, plunge into the deep blue, and get up close. You’ll be astounded by how little you’ll feel next to these massive beauties—tears are not uncommon. When your session of aquatic therapy is over, and life continues ashore, grab a meal at Whalebone Brewing Co, a laid-back brewery with live music, kid-friendly areas, and top-notch pizzas—the perfect venue for sharing whale tales. Your journey ends here, at what feels like the edge of Australia, because it is.

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