The Top 6 Snorkelling Spots in WA - Australian Traveller

WA is home to some of the most incredible marine life in the country and there’s no better way to experience it than by joining them underwater.

With over 12,000 kilometres of coastline, Western Australia is bursting with marine activity and snorkelling spots that are begging to be explored. It’s also believed to be home to more than 1600 shipwrecks.

Shipwreck Hunters Australia , the new six-part docuseries on Disney +, follows experienced divers and underwater filmmakers as they make world-first discoveries at long-lost shipwreck sites around Tryal Rocks, Ningaloo Reef, Houtman Abrolhos Islands and more.

The team behind Shipwreck Hunters, Ryan Chatfield and Nush Freedman have revealed their top six spots to snorkel and interact with marine life in Western Australia.

These snorkelling spots suit beginners and families all the way up to the more advanced and range from easily accessible to a little more remote and isolated. Here they are.

1. Fish Hook Bay, Rottnest Island

Best time to visit: December – May

Experience level: Intermediate to expert

Fish Hook Bay is one of the most protected bays on Rottnest Island. Nestled into the southern side of the West End, boats must carefully navigate between two huge chunks of the reef to reach the calm and tranquil waters of the bay.

Jellyfish floating in the water at Rottnest Island, Western Australia — See the marine life at Fish Hook Bay. (Image: Ryan Chatfield, Terra Australis)

With an average depth of around two to five metres, the bay is home to an abundance of sea creatures and an ever-changing sea floor.

It’s a great location to do some exploration snorkelling, with a beautiful cave on the eastern side that greets you with stunning shafts of light that dance and shimmer on the sand floor.

Coral and snorkeller at Rottnest Island, WA — Fish Hook Bay is a great location to do some exploration snorkelling. (Image: Ryan Chatfield, Terra Australis)

It’s common to spot large smooth, black, fiddler and eagle rays, buffalo bream, western blue devils, king wrasse, nudibranch, sea cucumbers and sea stars.

Chatfield rates this spot because it’s rough and rugged at the West End, and you never know what you are going to encounter down there. You can’t always access it due to the weather but when you score it, it’s as good as it gets!

Aerial shot of Fish Hook Bay on Rottnest Island in WA — The average depth is around two to five metres. (Image: Ryan Chatfield, Terra Australis)

2. Coral Bay

Best time to visit: June – October

Experience level: Beginner to expert

Coral Bay on Australia’s Coral Coast needs no introduction. Snorkelling from Bills Bay is a beautiful place for beginners to intermediates to be treated to an underwater experience they will never forget.

Drone shot of Coral Bay on the Coral Coast of Western Australia. — Coral Bay is iconic. (Image: Ryan Chatfield, Terra Australis)

Other great accessible locations are Five Fingers Reef and Oyster Bridge. As soon as you enter the warm waters of Coral Bay you can sense the pristine marine environment all around you. And when you leave the surface, you are immersed in another world.

Crystal clear waters teem with brightly coloured fish, too many to name and so many to see. They dart and dance between stunning hard and soft coral outcrops. Sea turtles cruise lazily through the waters, stopping every now and again to munch and crunch.

Fish and coral underwater at Coral Bay, a snorkelling spot in WA. — The crystal clear waters of Coral Bay make it a one-of-a-kind snorkelling experience. (Image: Ryan Chatfield, Terra Australis)

Chatfield has had beautiful encounters with manta rays, lemon sharks, leopard sharks, eagle rays, whale sharks, and you can even spot humpbacks.

“I always like to stop and stay still in Coral Bay when I’m in the water, just find a nice sandy patch and go to the bottom," he said.

“That’s when you really see the reef and all its creatures.

“Coral Bay is really an incredible location, but it is also very fragile. We encourage people to be conscious of body positioning when they’re snorkelling, to avoid damage to the coral and destruction of marine habitats."

Turtle swimming above coral at Coral Bay in WA — You might spot a turtle at Coral Bay. (Image: Ryan Chatfield, Terra Australis)

3. Gnaraloo

Best time to visit: June – October

Experience level: Beginner to expert

Gnaraloo is a little more off the beaten track. It’s off-grid with no reception, so take everything you need for your time away.

Drone shot of Gnaraloo, snorkelling spot in WA — Gnaraloo is off the beaten track. (Image: Ryan Chatfield, Terra Australis)

With the isolation comes the pristine marine ecosystems of the Coral Coast, though. Gnaraloo Bay is a beautiful shallow lagoon that lends itself to an easy-going drift dive.

If you walk 500 metres up the beach, put all your gear on and then swim 50 – 75 metres offshore you’ll find yourself gently pushed along on one of WA’s best snorkel spots.

Using your fins and hands as rudders you can steer yourself as you go, much like a self-guided tour of the coral gardens, you can zoom in for closer views of the huge stag horn coral outcrops.

Aerial shot of Gnaraloo, snorkelling spot in WA — Gnaraloo Bay is a beautiful shallow lagoon. (Image: Ryan Chatfield, Terra Australis)

4. Lakeside, Exmouth

Best time to visit: March – October

Experience level: Beginner

Lakeside is located inside the Cape Range National Park in Exmouth on the Ningaloo Reef.

There are three sets of coral bommies surrounded by tropical fish over glistening white sand here and the depth ranges from two to five metres.

This spot is a little bit deeper than most of the other snorkelling sights in the Cape Range National Park so it’s perfect for those wanting to improve their snorkelling skills and get out into a bit deeper water.

Because of the extra depth, it’s a great place to find reef sharks and stingrays under the coral ledges or cruising on the sand between the coral bommies. And it’s also a popular spot to see turtles.

Turtle in crystal clear blue water at Lakeside in Exmouth WA — Have you ever swum with a turtle? (Image: Nush Freedman, Terra Australis)

5. Mettams Pool, North Beach

Best time to visit: November – May

Experience level: Beginner to advanced

This beautiful snorkelling site is perfect for both beginner and advanced snorkellers. You can expect to see cool water corals, sponges and lots of fish life as well as the occasional visits from port Jackson sharks, eagle rays, octopus, seals and stingrays.

If you are a beginner snorkeller you can stay inside the reef and snorkel in the shallows where it’s beautiful, calm and perfect for families with small kids.

If you are feeling more adventurous you can head out to the back of the reef and get lost in all the swim-throughs full of fish and little caves. There are incredible sea grasses moving in the swell and once you are out the back of the reef the water gets a bit deeper so it’s great for finding larger fish species such as buff bream which usually school in hundreds which is remarkable to swim through!

Mettams Pool has a special place in Freedman’s heart because it was a big part of her childhood growing up in the northern suburbs of Perth.

“I would recommend choosing a day with minimal swell as these conditions are better when venturing out to the back of the reef and usually the water is a lot clearer," she said.

Scuba diver a Mettams Pool — Mettams Pool has options for all experience levels. (Image: Nush Freedman, Terra Australis)

6. Osprey Bay, Exmouth

Best time to visit: March – October

Experience level: Intermediate

Osprey Bay has got to be one of the most beautiful snorkelling sights on Ningaloo Reef.

This spot is also located inside the Cape Range National Park and is an underwater paradise.

Accessible from the shore, you will need a kayak or paddle board to get out to the snorkelling site as it is about 700 metres from the shore, so it’s only suitable for confident snorkellers.

The paddle over is beautiful as you travel over the Ningaloo Lagoon where you can often see dolphins cruising by or turtles popping their heads up for a breath.

Osprey Bay ranges between two to eight metres in depth and is home to some spectacular corals and tropical fish. If you’re lucky you might also see reef sharks, stingrays, and turtles cruising by.

Leopard Shark in the sand on the ocean floor at Osprey Bay, Exmouth, WA. — Leopard sharks frequent Osprey Bay. (Image: Nush Freedman, Terra Australis)

Time your visit to Margaret River just right, and you can spend the ultimate weekend wining, dining and exploring the region with Pair’d Margaret River Region x Range Rover.

Wine, world-class produce, surf, sun and beaches: it’s an alluring combination. And the reason so many pin the Margaret River region high on their travel hit-lists. There’s drawcard after drawcard to the southwestern corner of Western Australia, and the Pair’d Margaret River Region x Range Rover food and wine festival showcases the best of it over the course of one weekend in November. It’s never been easier to sip, see and savour the Margaret River region.

In partnership with Pair’d Margaret River Region, Range Rover invites you on a seven-day itinerary of refined adventure, where luxury and exploration go hand in hand. It’s the perfect WA road trip, and there’s no better way to do it than in a Range Rover.

Day 1

the pool at Pullman Bunker Bay — Check into Pullman Bunker Bay.

There’s no more popular West Australian road trip route than that between Perth and the Margaret River Region. It’s an easily digestible, three-hour drive, with worthy pit stops along the way.

Make the first of them one hour and 15 minutes in, at Lake Clifton. Here, find a 2000-year-old living thrombolite reef. Drive for a further 40 minutes and chance meeting some of Bunbury’s dolphin population at Koombana Bay.

Pullman Bunker Bay is the final stop, just over three hours south of Perth. This beachfront, five-star resort is the ultimate base for exploring the Margaret River Wine region.

Day 2

After a leisurely morning breakfast with an ocean view, start your Range Rover and head towards the Dunsborough town centre. Browsing the decidedly coastal-themed goods of the town’s many independent boutiques is a great way to while away the hours, breaking up the sartorial with an artisan gelato snack stop, or some good old-fashioned Australian bakery fare.

Leave room; you’ll need it for the Good Natured Gathering dinner at Wayfinder. Indulge in a four-course feast by chef Felipe Montiel, which uses produce from the winery’s market garden to enhance a selection of sustainably sourced seafood and meat. But food is just the support act. It’s organic wine that’s the star of the show, generously poured and expertly paired to each dish.

Day 3

Settle in for cabernet at Cape Mentelle Winery.

With a grand total of 20 wines from vintage 2022 to try, it’s a good thing Cape Mentelle’s International Cabernet Tasting kicks off early. Make your way to the estate for a 10:00 AM start, where a global selection of wines will be poured blind, before a long lunch by Tiller Dining is served.

Given that the Margaret River is responsible for more than 20 per cent of Australia’s fine wine production, it’s only right to delve into it while in the area.

Continue exploring the region via taste and terroir aboard Alison Maree, a whale-watching catamaran, as you cruise Geographe Bay . Admire the rolling green hills and crisp white beaches of Quindalup in sunset’s golden light, all the while sipping through the Clairault Streicker catalogue and dining on canapes.

For a more substantial dinner, venture into Busselton for a seven-course British x Australian mash-up , courtesy of Brendan Pratt (Busselton Pavilion) and Oliver Kent (Updown Farmhouse, UK). They’ll be putting their rustic yet refined spin on the likes of local marron, wagyu and abalone – championing the simple beauty of the world-class ingredients.

Day 4

Wrap your fingers around a wine glass and wiggle your toes into the sand at Pair’d Beach Club x Range Rover on Meelup Beach. Sit down to an intimate wine session with sommelier Cyndal Petty – or a four-course feast by Aaron Carr of Yarri – and revel in the open-air beach club, bar and restaurant’s laidback coastal vibe. It’s a whole new way to experience one of the region’s most renowned beaches.

Follow up a day in the sun with a casual Italian party at Mr Barvel Wines . Purchase wines –including the elusive, sold-out Nebbia – by the glass and enjoy canapes with the towering Karri forest as a backdrop.

If you’d prefer to keep it local, head to Skigh Wines for the New Wave Gathering , where the region’s independent wine makers and their boundary-pushing wines will be on show. Street-style eats, a DJ and complimentary wine masterclasses complete the experience.

Day 5

pair'd Grand Tasting — Taste your way through Howard Park Wines. (Image: C J Maddock)

Spend the morning at your leisure, driving the winding roads through the Boranup Karri forest in your Range Rover. Soak in the views at Contos Beach, and call into the small cheese, chocolate and preserve producers along the way.

Make your next stop Howard Park Wines for The Grand Tasting presented by Singapore Airlines . Numerous wine labels will be pouring their catalogues over four hours, accompanied by food from chefs Matt Moran and Silvia Colloca, with live opera providing the soundtrack.

Cap off a big weekend with one last hurrah at Busselton Pavilion. Six ‘local legends’ – chefs Brendan Pratt (Busselton Pavilion), Mal Chow (Chow’s Table), Aaron Carr (Yarri), Ben Jacob (Lagoon Yallingup), Corey Rozario (Dahl Daddies) and Laura Koentjoro (Banksia Tavern) – will be preparing a dish each. Dance the night away as vinyl spins and the sun sets on another day.

Day 6

Ngilgi Cave western australia — Head underground. (Image: Tourism WA)

After a busy few days of wining and dining, it’s wise to observe a rest day. There’s no easier task than unwinding in the Margaret River Region, also famous for its high concentration of world-class beaches.

Relax on the grassy knoll as you watch the region’s most experienced surfers braving the World Surf League break at Surfer’s Point, or don your own wetsuit and try out one of Gracetown’s more beginner-friendly waves. Swimmers will find their Eden at Meelup Beach, Eagle Bay, or Point Piquet, where the sand is brilliantly white and the water as still as a backyard swimming pool.

Not into sun, sand, and surf? Head underground at Mammoth Cave, just one of the region’s many stalactite-filled caves.

Day 7

Burnt Ends event at Pair'd — Farewell the Margaret River.

Pack up your Range Rover with new favourite wines and newfound memories, ready for the three-hour journey back to Perth.

Prebook your discovery journey through the south-west corner of Western Australia with Pair’d Margaret River Region x Range Rover.

The top 6 snorkelling spots to interact with marine life in WA