Along The Coral Coast: Exmouth to Carnarvon
The Coral Coast is a sight to behold. Nestled into the heart of Western Australia’s coastline, you’ll be well placed travelling from Exmouth to Carnarvon, alongside the sparkling expanse of the Indian Ocean.
As you road trip along the Coral Coast in your Dollar rental car, with plenty of picture-perfect stops along the way, you’ll get the opportunity to experience a different side to Australia. The plethora of marine life and seaside activities, as well as incredible views of the ocean, will guide you the way as you travel along this spectacular region.
Begin the Journey of a Lifetime in Exmouth
Welcome to paradise—otherwise known as Exmouth. As the traditional lands of Yinigudura and Jinigudera people, Exmouth’s traditional name for both the area of land and the water that surrounds it is Ningaloo. You may recognise this name from the famous Ningaloo Reef that draws many visitors to this location. There’s no visiting the Coral Coast without exploring the vibrant and thriving reef - a reef which is famously the largest fringing reef in Australia. Exmouth is the best place to be based to reach the Ningaloo Reef from, with plenty of the reef encompassing the open ocean, lagoons, ocean shelves and coastal reserves—all of which is protected as part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Marine Park. If you’re after the easiest and most immersive way to experience the famous reef, there’s no going past a guided tour, where an expert will lead you the way and help you discover a range of marine life that you’ve never seen before. The reef is home to the famous whale sharks, so seeing these beasts up close is a must-do. Live Ningaloo Tour provides a tour that will get you swimming near these incredible creatures, as well as provide plenty of food and drink and transportation to and from Exmouth for the day, so all you need to do is sit back and enjoy the ride. You can even try your chance at swimming with humpback whales on this Kings Ningaloo Reef Tour, although the whales only visit seasonally, so make sure to check if they’re visiting before you head out.
Swim with the Fish in Coral Bay
As you leave Exmouth and head south toward Coral Bay, make sure to stop by the sensational Cape Range National Park, just outside of Exmouth. This rugged expanse of untouched landscape is a slice of Australia’s iconic outback, with red dirt colliding with the lush bush. You’ll see vibrant greenery as it crawls over red-rock canyons, making way for the ocean that stretches out beyond. The Coral Coast is a great place for visitors to experience not only some of the top-notch beauty that Western Australia has to offer, but also some of the most stunning places in the entire country. Just an hour and a half drive from Exmouth, Coral Bay may be a small town, but it’s brimming with bucket loads of beauty. This is where you’ll discover Western Australia’s largest population of manta rays—which you can even swim with—as well as coral gardens and porcelain white beaches. Another way to immerse yourself with this amazing marine life is on a glass-bottom boat tour. Not only will you be able to observe the fish and other creatures as they glide under the boat, you’ll also get to join them with a snorkel and a swim in the ocean during the tour.
Top it all off in Carnarvon
As you continue for another two and a half hours along the Coral Coast from Coral Bay, you’ll find yourself in the stunning town of Carnarvon Here, you’ll find the best of all worlds, as Carnarvon is nestled between the lush greenery, the red dirt and the turquoise ocean. Interestingly, Carnarvon is considered the ‘food bowl’ of the state as this region produces 80% of Western Australia’s total fruit and vegetables—as well as plenty of delicious seafood, of course. As you’re wrapping up your road trip along the Coral Coast, the most ideal place to end your journey is at Carnarvon’s The Fascine. This waterway and boardwalk area is the perfect place for a stroll around the bay as the sun sinks below the horizon of the ocean and glazes the town with a soft orange glow. There’s nowhere more gorgeous to finish off a road trip—this is a taste of the very best of what Western Australia has to offer.
From Exmouth to Carnarvon and Coral Bay in between, a road trip along the Coral Coast of Western Australia in your Dollar rental car is sure to leave you with memories that will last a lifetime.
