A first-timer's guide to the Coral Coast, WA

The Coral Coast is home to some of Australia’s most iconic attractions.

The Coral Coast Highway is like the writhing body of a serpent as it makes its way from Cervantes, two hours north of Perth, along 1100 kilometres of coastline to World-Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef. While there is surf, sun and sea on tap on the Coral Coast, this incredible corner of the country is also home to some of Australia’s most iconic attractions. Swimming with Ningaloo’s Big Three – whale sharks, humpback whales and manta rays – is obviously on top of the to-do list. But it’s also considered compulsory to walk through fields blanketed with everlasting wildflowers, watch the light paint the Pinnacles in a buttery hue, hike through ancient gorges and simply tumble off white sandy beaches into those turquoise waters. Here, find the gems you need to have on your itinerary.

Unique stays

Wooramel River Retreat

Experience the wonders of Wooramel while bunkered down in a rustic eco-cabin tent at this low-impact riverfront campground located 120 kilometres south of Carnarvon. Activities here are based around bushwalking, birdwatching and basking in the naturally heated artesian bore baths.

Bullara Station Stay

Perched on the Ningaloo Coast between Coral Bay and Exmouth is where you will find Bullara Station Stay . Choose between the renovated Shearers Lodge or the Outcamp, private cottages and luxury safari huts that are dotted around the property, which offers an authentic station stay experience.

Bullara Station, Coral Coast, Western Australia — Bullara Station Stay looks out over the Exmouth Gulf. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Sail Ningaloo

Stay onboard the luxurious sailing catamaran, Shore Thing, during an overnight sailing adventure from Coral Bay that will enable you to experience world-class snorkelling and scuba diving by day and unwind onboard under a star-spangled ceiling by night.

Sal Salis

When thinking of Australia’s most beautiful stays, Sal Salis is often up the top of traveller’s lists. This luxury safari-style campsite holds prime position on the shores of Ningaloo Reef and allows guests to fully immerse in nature. Swim with whale sharks, kayak the turquoise waters, hike the unique landscape by day, and retreat to your eco-friendly tent by night.

Five top spots

Lake Thetis

Cervantes is the gateway to the Pinnacles Desert. In addition to that iconic landscape of limestone spires, Cervantes whispers ‘come hither’ for its lesser-known Lake Thetis, one of only five sites in WA that feature thrombolites, believed to be more than 3000 years old.

Hutt Lagoon

Kalbarri is known for its rugged landscapes and national parks. It’s where you will find flamingo-pink Hutt Lagoon, see wildflowers, experience Indigenous art, and explore inland and coastal gorges that have been chiselled by the elements over thousands of years.

Ningaloo, Coral Coast, Western Australia — Visit the remote reaches of Ningaloo. (Image: Sail Ningaloo)

Carnarvon

Visiting Ningaloo is a given, but you should also set aside a few days to stay in Carnarvon in between exploring the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area. Surf at Gnaraloo, snorkel at Quobba, go windsurfing at Red Bluff and hike into the hinterland to picnic at Rocky Pool.

Shothole Canyon

While visitors from around the world base themselves in Exmouth to swim with whale sharks at Ningaloo Marine Park, this top Aussie town to visit in 2021 (as voted by Wotif) is also a great jumping-off point for the lesser-known Shothole Canyon and Charles Knife Canyon in Cape Range National Park.

Geraldton

Geraldton, located about four and a half hours’ drive north of Perth, has reinvented itself in recent years as a contemporary coastal hub with quirky cafes, hip boutiques, street art and galleries. Factor in a visit to the Yamatji Art Gallery to learn about local Indigenous culture.

Where to eat

The Old Man & the Sea

Catch the lift to Level 3 of The Gerald Apartment Hotel to get your groove on while in Geraldton. This rooftop bar is where the cool kids hang to watch the sun sink over the horizon while enjoying chicken schnitties and schooeys of tap beer.

Finlay’s Kalbarri

This totally of-its-place space is an outdoor seafood restaurant and brewery in Kalbarri where you can enjoy fresh local West Australian fish and chips and beautifully crafted beer. The thing to do here is to sit around the communal campfire under gum trees flickering with fairy lights.

The Lobster Shack

Western rock lobster is the specialty at the Lobster Shack , a business run by the trailblazing Thompson family who have been fishing on the Coral Coast since the 1960s. Try this prized crustacean grilled with garlic butter or in the signature lobster roll.

Lobster Shack, Coral Coast, Western Australia — Enjoy Western rock lobster at the Lobster Shack. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Top things to do

Join a citizen science project

Obviously it’s swim with whale sharks, but instead of being just another camera-toting tourist, be a conscious traveller and volunteer to prevent whale shark extinction by taking part in a citizen science project that helps plug the gaps in marine biologist Brad Norman’s research.

The Kalbarri Skywalk

Embrace your vertigo on a stroll along two 100-metre-high lookouts that jut out like open drawers beyond the rim of Murchison Gorge. The cantilevered lookouts, located on the traditional lands of the Indigenous Nanda peoples, are anchored into 400-million-year-old sandstone.

Kalbarri Skywalk, Coral Coast, Western Australia — Kalbarri Skywalk is a top-shelf experience at Kalbarri National Park. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Gwoonwardu Mia

Old People Talking tells the stories of the Gascoyne’s Traditional Owners in their own words and language. A replica of a 33,000-year-old shell necklace, images and artefacts are highlights of the permanent exhibition at the Gwoonwardu Mia Aboriginal Heritage and Cultural Centre in Carnarvon.

Blend the addictive energy of dance, creative cinematic movies, captivating theatre, and energising music during Perth Festival.

Perth Festival has extraordinary roots. Born as a summer community experiment back in 1953, the brainchild of Professor Fred Alexander, it’s now Australia’s longest-running international art-based festival. From its first event at University of Western Australia, it now spans across Noongar Boodjar country (Perth City) bringing worldclass performances into the hearts of ardent festivalgoers. Hundreds of curtain calls, including numerous free events, are set to linger and leave a lasting impression on those who seek thrills that fill life’s in-between spaces. Featuring unmissable highlights from 6^th February to 1^st March, we’ve done the legwork for you – here’s what’s on, and where:

1. East Perth Power Station

East Perth Power Station during Perth Festival — See East Perth Power Station come alive. (Image: Jessica Wyld Photography)

Abandoned, run-down and shutdown in 1981, East Perth Power Station , located on the banks of the stunning Swan River, was reinvented in 2025 as an entertainment venue for the Perth Festival. Pack a picnic, bring the family and kick back under paperbark trees at Casa Musica – a free event featuring a melting pot of world-class musicians from Australian shores and around the globe. The diversity will have you bopping until the final encore.

A decade after David Bowie’s passing, his powerful music lives on in the electrifying show, Rebel Rebel . Powerhouse vocalists join Perth Symphony Orchestra for one incredible night showcasing the singer-songwriter’s iconic hits. Illuminate your world through the eyes of First Nation Noongar artist, Lance Chadd Tjyllyungoo in a free event. His distinctive paintings and Dreamtime stories decorate the Power Station’s walls depicting spiritual beliefs. Or settle in to watch British indie pop singer-songwriter, Nilüfer Yanya .

2. St Mary’s Cathedral

Take in Award-winning vocal group, Roomful of Teeth. (Image: Anja Schutz)

Step into the lofty ceilings of Perth’s grandest cathedral, St Mary’s, and soak up choral harmonies. Dating back to 1865, the stained-glass reproductions of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper are a talking point, add talented maestros, and the stage is set to enthral.

The international line-up is impressive. Master Irish fiddler, Martin Hayes takes to the stage with exquisite lyrical compositions from his native land. Åkervinda , an award winning Swedish quartet, weave stories of love, loss, and resilience into harmonious Nordic folk songs. The USA Grammy Award-winning vocal group, Roomful of Teeth , break all the rules. Hear their voices echo through the arched vaulted ceilings.

3. Lotterywest Films

guests at Lotterywest Films as part of Perth Festival — Discover the Lotterywest Films program. (Credit: Jessia Wyld Photograpghy)

One of the festivals longest-running favourites, Lotterywest Films run a rich tapestry of cinematic features showing until 29th of March. Pack a picnic, cushions, popcorn and pop a cork under a Somerville Pine Tree as the sun sets and screenings begin. Cinema lovers, choose your poison from thrillers, deep-dive documentaries, tearjerkers, raunchy rom-coms and side-splitting comedies. The program is fantastically full, the filmmakers the best in the business, and the outdoor setting, unequalled.

4. The Embassy

guests at The EMbassy as part of Perth Festival — Step into the old world glitz of The Embassy. (Image: Franz Bato)

Modelled on Perth’s historic Embassy Ballroom, a devilish dance venue that operated in the 1900s, The Embassy in Perth Town Hall , serves sophistication in its A-list shows. Set your sequins a’sparkle at the, What’s TINA Got to Do With It extravaganza where guest artists play tribute as they belt out the glitzy star’s hits. The returning act, Ali Bodycoat & The Embassy Big Band, will have you jiving as you take to the dance floor reimagining a bygone era. Who doesn’t like chocolate? Black-bearded drag sensation, La Gateau Chocolat puts the raw in cacao. World-renowned for his feisty range of storied songs, he reveals the inner-man come artist through his deliciously sweet and intimate act.

5. Unusual locations

still from The Trial theatre — Watch a star-studded cast in The Trial. (Image: Cole Baxter)

We’ve all heard of the hit show, The Office, but a spinetingling operatic thriller acted out in disused office space? Philip Glass’ nail-biter, The Trial , has a star-studded line-up. Together they deliver a dramatic ordeal showcasing Oscar-winner Christopher Hampton’s libretto; the suspense lingers after the final bow.

Sit back under starry skies and soak up dynamic dance at Ballet at the Quarry: Incandescence . Four exclusive classical and contemporary acts illuminate the amphitheatre’s stage as Perth City twinkles at nightfall. Mystery excites the mind. West Australian Opera returns again with another ‘secret opera’. Be led from an undisclosed meeting point and let the music lead to the secret.

6. A View From A Bridge

A View From A Bridge special event at Perth Festival — Share your innermost thoughts at A View From A Bridge.

Free, connecting strangers, and inclusive to everyone, artist, Joe Bloom’s collaborative project, A View From A Bridge has one prop – an old red telephone. Talk into the receiver , share thoughts, innermost feelings, memories, hopes and dreams as Bloom captures you from afar. The freedom to speak through the telephone movement has a worldwide following. A range of clips will be shown online.

What else to do in Perth

Shadow Wine Bar in perth — Taste the best of Perth at eateries like Shadow Wine Bar.

Endless blue skies crown Perth during February, making it the perfect time to explore Australia’s most western capital city. The city might be compact, but it packs a punch when it comes to what’s on. Perth Cultural Centre houses the city’s art-scene venues: Western Australian Art Gallery, WA Museum Boola Bardip and Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA).

After exploring the city’s alleyways, hidden corners, and main hub, savour worldclass food in Perth’s vibrant eateries. Award-winning restaurants, rooftop bars, and cafes can be found throughout; the leisurely eat-and-drink scene is literally mouthwatering, so book extra nights.

Start planing your 2026 trip to Perth Festival at perthfestival.com.au .

A first-timer’s guide to the Coral Coast, WA