Australia’s Coral Coast from Perth to Exmouth

When deciding to go on a road trip, you may as well go big or go home, but driving around Western Australia is more than capable of providing the big. From awe-inspiring to intense relaxation, the drive through the World Heritage Route does nothing by halves and leaves nothing to the imagination.

Like all things in Western Australia, it is best to start in Perth. Flying in and Renting a Car means that if you’re dying to get out to the Outback, you can immediately start the journey.

The best time to do a Road Trip along the Coral Coast is between April and October, as the weather is absolutely gorgeous during this time of the year. If you’re travelling the West Coast of Australia between July and October, you’ll see Western Australia in full colour, as the coastal landscapes are filled with the blooms of spring wildflowers.

You can keep on exploring the Coral Coast for years, but we share with you our top things to do at the Coral Coast route from Perth to Exmouth. 

Cervantes & Pinnacles 

Cervantes is a fishing town north of Perth where lobsters can be caught and cooked up to signify that your rustic tour through nature has begun. Enjoying a sunset from Thirsty Point Lookout, overseeing the Indian Ocean, will instantly make you forget all of the technology and convenience of modern life you are leaving behind. 

Sandboarding in the surroundings of Cervantes is also a popular activity and then there are of course the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park.

You can either walk through the moonscape scenery by foot or drive your car, either way, it’s a great experience. 

The tracks and trails at the Pinnacles lead you through many limestone spires which are formed over millions of years. 

Definitely a great start of your Coral Coast Roadtrip!

Hutt River Principality

If you have time for a little detour, this little independent sovereign state is worth a short visit. It’s located in the middle of nowhere but has it’s own Government Office, Post Office, Tea Rooms with Swimming Pool and a charming Non-Denominational Chapel.

The Hutt River Principality also has it’s own money, stamps and stamp for in your passport. Great for those who are collecting stamps from all over the world in an attempt to fill up their passport ( me 😉 ) 

Hutt Lagoon ( Pink Lake ) 

Definitely, an Instagram-worthy site 😉  Pink Lake is located within the Hutt Lagoon. While the area is a simple fishing village, the five kilometres of exposed coral reef takes it to the next level. 

Pink Lake itself is literally a pink body of water. Due to the presence of carotenoid-producing algae, the water has turned pink but will actually go through other pretty colours of the rainbow-like red to purple depending on the weather. Pink Lake can easily be accessed on your way to Kalbarri ( or from Kalbarri if you are travelling the Coral Coast from North to South. 

The best time to visit Hutt Lagoon is on a clear day, around mid-morning or sunset. 

Kalbarri

Kalbarri offers visitors a chance to marvel at seaside cliffs, relax at the beach, fishing, run with wild pelicans and walk down a boardwalk while observing the resident dolphins and seasonal humpback whales. This is the first introduction to wild sea animals becoming a normal part of the Western Australia Road Trip backdrop.  

Kalbarri National Park is also a definite must-do, or at least visit the lookout point if you are not up to one of many hikes available at the Kalbarri National Park.

Shell Beach

Formed from billions of tiny shells, this beautiful pearl white beach features not a single crumb of sand at all. Shell Beach is truly unique and one of only a few beaches in the world that only has shells instead of sand. 

The greens and blues of the ocean will surely invite you to have a swim in the very salty water ( which is full of hypersaline – which makes it easy to float ) 

Make sure you wear sunglasses as the reflection of the shells is very bright on a sunshiney day. 

Shark Bay 

Obviously, there are some animals you don’t want to meet when floating through the turquoise water of the Coral Coast. Sharks are often a really quick way of destroying a holiday. But, fear not, as Shark Bay is not exactly named after the scary creatures with the big teeth.

Shark Bay actually has a thriving population of dugongs and dolphins and, when discovered in 1699, the English explorer who first laid eyes on it gave the moniker of Shark Bay after mistaking the dolphins for their ocean nemeses.

That’s not to say that there are absolutely no sharks in Shark Bay ( we definitely saw a few little sharks close to shore – see right bottom picture below ) but you’re more likely to see the endangered sea mammals instead. 

Denham

This is the town adjacent to Shark Bay, where food and drinks can be purchased for the rest of your Coral Coast Roadtrip. With less than 1000 permanent residents, it remains a quiet escape from reality while offering beautiful and safe swimming beaches, a golf course and restaurants to enjoy some local seafood cooked by experts.  

Denham has resorts and hotels, as well as tourist parks to keep the natural element of the holiday at the forefront. This tiny town is a nice, relaxing break before seeing the breathtaking sights of the Coral Coast that are still to come. 

Denham is also a beautiful base to explore the Francois Peron National Park, which is known for its contrasting red cliffs, white beaches and blue water lagoon. 

Monkey Mia

You can visit Monkey Mia from Denham, or you can stay at the Monkey Mia Resort/Camping. 

After seeing the dolphins at Shark Bay, Monkey Mia is all about bonding with them. For more than fifty years, bottlenose dolphins at Monkey Mia have been coming right up to the shore. Park rangers provide supervision but otherwise, visitors are welcome to pet and frolic with the fun mammals in knee-deep water. 

What we really liked is that the dolphins are not in any way locked up or caged and are free to come and go when they please. 

Carnarvon

Carnarvon is a tropical fruit oasis where 80% of Western Australia’s fresh produce is produced, which can be enjoyed while learning about the Indigenous and colonial heritage of the area as well as a trip to Space and Technology Centre. 

Did you know that Carnarvon was actually involved with getting the first man on the moon in the 1960s? Working together with Parkes Observatory in New South Wales, this tiny town was responsible for relaying the footage to television stations throughout Australia.  

Point Quobba 

Back to the beautiful Coral Coastline. 75 kilometres north of Carnarvon you will find Point Quobba where Blowholes feature powerful ocean swells forcing water through sea caves. They then erupt into jets of water. The natural water park effect can often reach 20 meters high.

Further down the beach is a calm coral lagoon that is perfect for snorkelling. Families can also enjoy picnics on the shore and a camping area means waking up at the water’s edge every morning. 

Coral Bay 

While most reefs are far out from shore and take either a jetty or swimming to get to, Coral Bay begins the moment you hit the water’s edge. This means that it is a completely accessible reef for both small children and snorkelling novices.  

The beach at Coral Bay is stunning and the water is quite shallow in the beginning, so perfect for travelling with kids. 

Coral Bay itself is a really tiny town with a relaxed vibe. You will find a few shops and tour operators who provide Whale Shark Tours ( season from June – October ) 

Make sure you won’t leave Coral Bay without witnessing one of many amazing sunsets. 

Exmouth 

After getting acquainted with lobsters, fish, dolphins and maybe even whale sharks along the Coral Coast, it’s now time for turtles. Exmouth’s Jurabi rock pools are the nesting grounds for marine turtles. Come at the right time of the year and you will catch the migration of turtles into the ocean. Other times, you will get to swim with these shy creatures.

The Ningaloo Marine Reef Park is heaven on earth and makes you sometimes feel you are the only ones in the world. As a complete contrast from the blues and whites of the ocean and the beach, there is the Cape Range National Park with kangaroos, sheer cliffs and rocky gorges. 

Ningaloo Marine Reef Park

Ningaloo Marine Reef Park is officially a World Heritage-listed site. It features a 260-kilometre long coral reef were swimming with turtles and even the elusive whale shark is almost guaranteed. Nowhere else on earth do they congregate in the numbers that they do here in Ningaloo Marine Reef Park.

The gentle giants are safe to swim alongside. The natural wildlife park also features tropical fish, manta rays and, when the season is right, humpback whales.  

We were not in the right season to see the whales, but we did see Turtles, Stingrays and dozens of tropical fish.

Cape Range National Park 

Finally, the last stop on the World Heritage Route and of our Coral Coast Roadtrip. Cape Range National Park is a collection of gorges and ancient rivers that adjoin the pristine coastline and sheer cliffs. There are hundreds of kangaroos around here, so be careful when you drive to and from Cape Range National Park. 

As we said before, you can keep on travelling Australia’s Coral Coast up and down for years, there is so much to see and do. Hopefully, we made your Perth – Exmouth Roadtrip Itinerary a bit easier for you with this post 😉  

We drove up and down Australia’s West Coast twice with our own car and stayed in Motels, Airbnb’s and ( free ) camps along the way. 

Here are some handy links to prepare you for your Coral Coast Roadtrip Adventure:

Best rental car deals → Check them out here

Find ( Free ) Campings in South West Australia → Get the WikiCamps app here

Not so Camping savvy? Find the best deals on accommodation in Western Australia Australia here ↓

For the most unique and local accommodation experiences, we always use Airbnb. Check it out and get a massive $55 discount on your first Airbnb stay with our Special link right here

Let us know if you have any questions about travelling to Western Australia’s Coral Coast. 

Happy Travels!