Swim with the Whale Sharks

Swimming with Whale Sharks at Ningaloo Reef is one of Australia’s must-do travel experiences.

Taking the plunge with the world’s biggest fish is an awesome and humbling experience.

Small groups of only 10 swimmers at a time are dropped close by these docile giants are they move through the water.

You’ll feel dwarfed by their massive size and even wider mouth which scoops up millions of tiny plankton – lucky for us whale sharks are vegetarians and their curiosity about people has nothing to do with feeding.

Incredibly, whale sharks can grow up to 16 metres in length with a mouth over a metre wide.

With a snorkel and mask you’ll also see their distinctive white spots and stripes.

Ningaloo Reef is one of the few places in the world where whale sharks regularly visit so close to shore.

They stay between April and June to feed before leaving for another year.

Whale shark swimming tours are operated from the towns of Coral Bay and Exmouth. You can fly to this region in about two hours from Perth or drive there in two days.