If your dream is to swim with whale sharks in Ningaloo Reef in WA like it was mine, then read this review. I’m sharing everything I learnt on my two attempts to see whale sharks and the reality of what to expect. If you’re unsure whether a whale shark tour is worth it, contemplating if you’ll feel safe or whether you’ll actually see them, then this review is for you.
If you’re looking for more things to do in Coral Bay, be sure to check out our guide.
Where in Australia can you swim with whale sharks?
Did you know Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia has the highest density of whale sharks in the world? This means you’re more than likely to see the world’s biggest fish between March – June which is when the whale sharks migrate to the Ningaloo Reef between Coral Bay and Exmouth (pictured above).
Located 12 hour drive from Perth you could easily plan your bucket list experience with an iconic Perth to Coral Bay road trip and stop off at plenty of beautiful spots along the Coral Coast such as The Pinnacles, Kalbarri, Shark Bay and Carnarvon.
Exmouth vs Coral Bay
You can actually book a whale shark experience in either Coral Bay or Exmouth which are both part of the Ningaloo Reef, located an 1h30m drive between each other.
While Coral Bay has three whale shark tour providers, Exmouth has eight whale shark tours to choose from. You’d think with Exmouth having more tour operators that it would be the better place to book with.
We later met a tourist in Exmouth who told us she was so exhausted after swimming with eight whale sharks the day before.
I sat next to a local on our boat tour who has been living in Coral Bay for a few years and he told me that everyone he knows who lives in Coral Bay goes to Exmouth not Coral Bay to do a tour. I assumed the only reason he was joining our boat is because he got a locals discount and probably couldn’t be bothered to drive to Exmouth.
I met another tourist on our boat who told me she was told Coral Bay is the better place to do it. So, I’m not too sure, but when we did try to rebook in Exmouth, all the tours were booked up.
We booked with Coral Bay Eco Tours because it’s the longest running tour company in Coral Bay. I suppose when I hear the term ‘eco tour’, it certainly always pulls me in for wanting to do the right thing when swimming with wild animals.
We also decided to book in Coral Bay rather than in Exmouth simply because the town had a special place in my heart from my backpacker days. Is this enough reason to book? I’m not so sure. But, I didn’t think there would be that much of a difference when booking in Coral Bay or Exmouth.
Best time of year to swim with whale sharks
If you’re looking to go whale shark swimming, the best time of the year to do so is between March – June in the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.
At the time of visiting, I did this tour in May which is apparently the best month to visit as you could have the possibility of seeing the big three: whale sharks, manta rays and humpback whales. And yes, Coral Bay is famous for having manta rays where you can spot them all year round.
The whale shark swim dream
Having always dreamt of swimming with whale sharks, our dream came true as we’re driving a Star RV motorhome across Western Australia, Northern Territory and South Australia (get 10% off booking using the promo code LIS10). Considering many of the big bucket list activities on this trip are really expensive, we knew the whale shark tour would be worth dropping $500 on, or so we thought.
Why is the whale sharks tour so expensive?
I can only imagine booking a whale shark encounter is so expensive because it’s so rare to be able to swim with them in the world. With the Ningaloo Reef being home to the highest population of whale sharks, I can imagine this is why the tour is $500. All of the tours in Coral Bay and Exmouth all charge $500 with the exception of some luxury tours upselling at $750 pp. They also send a spotter plane up in the sky to find the whale sharks which is why it’s also so expensive.
We had never paid this much for a boat tour before, but it’s one of those bucket list experiences that you just need to do, especially if you’re on the Big Lap or travelling Western Australia.
We looked at other tours and swimming with manta rays was much cheaper, probably because you can do that in so many places around the world (FYI – Komodo islands in Indonesia and Lady Elliot Island in Queensland are especially good for this).
What the whale sharks tour looks like with Coral Bay Eco Tours
Now, we ended up doing TWO whale shark tours with Coral Bay Eco Tours which I’ll get into the reason why in a minute. Both of the tours have the same set up but the only difference was the boat crew were obviously on rotation. Here’s what the tour actually looks like.
7:10am – You arrive at Coral Bay Eco Tours to fill out a waiver form and get suited up for a wetsuit and fins (the town is so small you can walk the length of it in about 3 minutes)
7:30am – mini bus ride for 5 minutes to the jetty to jump on the boat for briefings
10:00am – first snorkel of the day is completed within the reef. This is so you can test out if your fins and snorkel gear are all working ok, but also the snorkel is exceptional. On both tours we went to different sites and saw everything from bommies, fantastic coral, turtles, octopus and stingrays.
10:00am – they serve up the most delicious apple cinnamon cake with tea
10:00am – the spotter plane is up in the air on the lookout for whale sharks. If any of the other two companies in Coral Bay have tours on the same day, the plane will stay out for longer to try and find them.
10:30am – whale shark briefing. We’re told we could find whale sharks in 10 minutes or 3 hours and to wait it out.
12:00pm – lunch is served which is a salad and meats to make a sandwich
2:30pm – generally the cut off time for finding whale sharks.
30 minutes before returning to the shore – a glass of champagne is served up
4:00pm – you’ll be back to the office by now
What happened on our first whale shark tour
On our first whale shark swim tour, we did our first snorkel which was brilliant. I loved the big bommies and quickly remembered how amazing the Ningaloo Reef is, especially when compared to the Great Barrier Reef.
We then had our whale shark briefing and everyone was getting excited as we were told that we’d be put into two groups, how only 10 people can interact with the whale sharks at one time, how we should be at least three metres from the whale shark and not to swim in front or above the whale sharks. And mostly, not to ride the whale sharks (I know!).
The search and rescue mission
Within about 30 minutes of our exciting briefing, Steve and I were sat up the top of the boat in front of the skipper. We over heard on the radio that there was a search and rescue call and we were the nearest boat to the vessel in distress. Before I knew it we were told that we were on our way out into the ocean 1h30m away to help the boat in need.
We didn’t know how serious it was and while we were nervous about what was ahead of us, we then spent the next 1h30m waiting to get there. And so, we realised that our whale shark swimming experience had probably gone out the window by now. We were obviously OK with that because we didn’t know what we were going to be faced with.
When we turned up to the boat 21 miles out into the ocean, it was a couple of people in their little fishing boat, just sitting there.
A helicopter was above us and a rescue boat pulled up at the same time. As soon as we arrived, we quickly turned around and we were heading straight back from where we just came from because the rescue boat was now there to help them.
It turns out the electrics had failed and they simply needed a screwdriver to fix it. I asked the crew if this had happened before and they said “a month ago”.
I realised in this moment that our whale shark experience was over.
And so, an hour later the crew announced that we wouldn’t be attempting to swim with whale sharks and our tour was over. We returned back to the office by 2pm. Luckily we were all offered a refund or to rebook two days later. We later heard that they rarely ever give out refunds or a chance to see the whale sharks again because if you don’t see them, you won’t get your money back on a normal tour.
We got back to our campsite, called all of the tours in Exmouth to learn that they were all booked up and decided to go ahead and stay another day than we had planned to in Coral Bay.
Did we see whale sharks on our second tour?
When we turned up to the office two days later to try again to tick off the bucket list whale shark swim in the Ningaloo Reef, we quickly realised no one from our previous tour had decided to rebook. We wondered whether they had made the right move or did we?
This time, our first snorkel was actually better than the last. It really was amazing seeing turtles and an octopus. Then the day continued as it did on the last tour with us having morning tea before we were given the whale shark briefing. Both Steve and I had a really good feeling that we would see the big spotted fish this time around as the water was pretty flat and the weather was perfect.
This time I brought a book with me as I knew there could be a lot of waiting around. That’s the thing with booking an experience like this; there is no time frame and you could be waiting for three hours before a whale shark is found. So if you are thinking of booking, bring something with you (you won’t get phone reception).
We then had lunch and after a few intense moments where we thought we had seen whale sharks but it turns out they were dolphins in the water, and the crew announced we would be going on another snorkel. It was here that it dawned on me that our dream of whale shark swims could be over. We weren’t told about going snorkelling again, so I wondered if this was it.
The second snorkel was incredible as we saw huge coral caves and swim throughs that would be spectacular if we were diving.
Afterwards I asked the team if the search was over and they told me the plane was still in the sky looking for whale sharks around 1pm. A little longer went by and the crew announced a third snorkel of the day. This is when I opted out and by this time I took my wetsuit off, realising that our chances were now looking incredibly slim. When everyone got out of the water, we were told that we weren’t going to see any whale sharks today.
Being told we wouldn’t be seeing any whale sharks
It was heartbreaking seeing the looks on all of the tourists faces as they realised their dream was over once again. We spoke to people on both tours who all had specifically planned their travels around this tour. Some people came from Sydney and hired a van up to Coral Bay to do the tour, others had booked weekends away from Perth and flew up to do it too.
I overheard someone at the office in front of me say “Oh well, we’ll try coming back next year”. Then I thought about the crew and how hard it must be for them to constantly try and make the tour exciting when essentially there’s no guarantee that you will see a whale shark.
Luckily at the end of the tour, the crew flew a drone up after the spotter plane finished up and found some manta rays for us to swim with. Even though I’ve seen mantas a lot before, it was a cool experience. Then I wondered, was three snorkels and a last minute dash to see manta rays for five minutes worth $500? I’m not so sure.
The icing on the cake was heading back to our caravan park to see an advertisement for a snorkel tour to see manta rays for $200.
If you are considering booking a whale shark tour, be aware that it’s certainly not guaranteed to actually go whale shark swimming and you won’t get a refund or be able to book another tour if you don’t see them.
More Western Australia Travel Guides to read
If you’re looking for more Western Australia travel inspiration, check out our popular detailed and honest guides below to help you prepare for your trip.
- 20 Best Things to do in Coral Bay
- 5 Things to Know Before Visiting Monkey Mia Dolphins in Shark Bay
- Why you Need to do the Pink Lake Esperance Scenic Flight in WA
- Jaw-dropping Bungle Bungles Scenic Flight from Kununurra, Western Australia
- 10 Tips for Visiting Lucky Bay in Esperance, Western Australia
