Maybe you know what an amazing feeling it is to swim or dive with the biggest fish known to man, or perhaps spending an afternoon in the company of whale sharks is still on your to-do list. While there are many places you can encounter whale sharks worldwide, the animals are overly exploited in some places, and difficult to find in others. Some areas offer exceptional whale shark encounters, but they’re only reachable by liveaboard. So, where can you enjoy a great whale shark experience while ensuring the animals you’re viewing are not being adversely affected, especially when time and budget constraints call for easy access? One of the best places to see whale sharks and encounter manta rays is Australia’s Ningaloo. Let’s take a closer look at one fantastic eco-adventure you may just find impossible to resist.
Getting to Ningaloo
Ningaloo Reef is located just off Australia’s Cape Range National Park. It is the only large reef known to lie within 100 meters from a continental land mass, and it is home to a spectacular array of marine life ranging from tiny clownfish to massive plankton-eating manta rays and whale sharks.
Cape Range National Park features beautiful beaches backed by rugged cliffs; it is home to such creatures as emus, wallabies, red kangaroos, and others. Many visitors elect to camp here and snorkel to their hearts’ content, while others elect to stay in Exmouth and take charters out to Ningaloo Reef.
To get to Cape Range and Ningaloo, you must first travel to Exmouth, which is located about 1270 kilometers north of Perth, or about 13 hours by car. Buses and airplanes are available for those who prefer to nap or enjoy the scenery rather than drive. Once there, you’re likely to enjoy great weather, even during the winter season.
Why Visit Ningaloo’s Whale Sharks
A five-year study conducted by the Australian Institute of Marine Science has revealed that tourism has had no adverse effect on Ningaloo’s whale sharks, even though about 17,000 people come to the area to swim and dive with them annually.
This is partly due to a strict code of conduct which all tourism operators and visitors are required to adhere to when enjoying whale shark encounters in the area, which prevents the whale sharks from becoming at all dependent upon visitors for handouts, and encourages them to continue displaying their natural behavior. In contrast, some whale shark operations in other nations are run by people who feed the sharks or pursue them excessively, rather than simply working with them at their own pace. Whether you decide to come to Ningaloo or not, be sure to patronize tour operators and dive companies that act responsibly; whale sharks that display unnatural behaviors are often at risk for boat strikes and some are even targeted by poachers. By choosing a company that treats these animals with respect, you could actually be helping to save their lives.
The whale sharks you will see at Ningaloo Reef are usually between four and twelve meters long, though some individuals are much larger. Most whale shark tour operations use spotter planes to find the fish before taking groups out to see them; this serves to increase the chances you will enjoy an encounter on your first try. Many of Ningaloo’s tour operators offer free second trips to people who don’t get to encounter a whale shark during their initial tour. Most offer reduced rates for children up to age fourteen, so if you’re looking for an awesome family adventure, this is one everyone will appreciate.
The whale sharks aggregate at Ningaloo beginning in March or April each year; they are normally encountered until the end of July. To increase your chances of encountering multiple whale sharks, aim for the height of the season – just be sure you book travel and accommodations well in advance, since this is one of the few places on earth where whale sharks are seen in such large numbers, and where they are encountered with such predictability.