Coral Bay Manta Ray Snorkel
LOCATION Coral Bay Western Australia
DEPTH 5+ Meters
WATER TEMP 22-28 Degrees
DIFFICULTY Medium
This is almost an easy snorkel. The only small thing is you might need to kick to keep up with the manta rays if they are on the move.
FEATURE
Google Map data © 2023 Imagery © Airbus, CNES / Airbus, Maxar Technologies
Coral Bay Manta Ray Snorkel
LOCATION Coral Bay, Western Australia
DEPTH 5+ Meters
WATER TEMP 22-28 Degrees
DIFFICULTY Medium
This is almost an easy snorkel. The only small thing is you might have to kick to keep up with the manta rays if they are on the move.
FEATURE
Coral Bay Manta Rays
Swimming with manta rays is a fantastic family friendly activity you can do on Ningaloo Reef and it is an amazing experience. You will be amazed by their size and grace. Seeing them is every bit as thrilling as swimming with whale sharks. Coral Bay has a resident population of Manta Rays that you can see year round. Swimming with reef sharks and turtle spotting is also included in most manta ray tours.
What Can I See?
- Manta Rays
- Reef Sharks
- Reef Fish
- Turtles
Getting There
The bus departs from Bills Bay in Coral Bay to take you to the boat ramp. Coral Bay is 1100km north of Perth on the Coral Coast which is part of Ningaloo Reef.
Where & How do you get in?
To snorkel with the manta rays you need to be happy getting in and out of the water off the back of a boat. Guides help you get back onto the platform.
Best Season
There are manta rays in the water at Coral Bay year round. For the best weather, head to Coral Bay from April to October. Outside of these months it can be very hot and humid – not a problem in the water but it’s pretty awful when you are on land.
Recommended Gear
Snorkelling gear will be provided as part of the tour.
More Information
When we went to Coral Bay we intended going on a Whale Shark cruise. But, if like us, you are in the area a bit early and don’t want to risk not seeing a whale shark or if your budget does stretch that far, snorkelling with the manta rays is a great option. We can’t wait to do it again.
Cost
While you might be lucky and spot a manta ray while you are snorkelling, the best chance to see them and other amazing parts of the reef is on a guided tour.
Prices depend on whether you do a half or full day tour. Prices range from approximately AUD$180-250 for adults.
The information for each snorkel spot is provided by people who have snorkelled there. However, snorkelling conditions change daily. Please be aware that wind, swell, tides and cloud cover can all affect visibility and your experience in the water.
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Coral Bay Tours
Best Conditions
Conditions on the inside of the reef are typically calmer and more sheltered than the outer reef. Some Manta Ray Tours stay inside the reef and is usually relatively calm. Other tours go outside the reef to open ocean where conditions can vary. Some days are flat whereas other days there can be swell up to a couple meters. Tours will be cancelled if it is deemed unsafe.
Windy Map Instructions – Click on the wind icon in the top right to see other conditions such as swell, temperature, rain. To clear the four day forecast click and close the wind icon.
Facilities at Coral Bay
Toilets
Picnic Table
Food & Drinks
Gear Hire
BBQ
About the Snorkel
You need to go on a tour to see the manta rays in Coral Bay and there are several operators in the town to choose from. We went with the team from Coral Bay Eco Tours who are based just outside the People’s Park. There are half and full day tours depending on how long you want to be on the water. We did the manta ray snorkel with our 8 and 10 year old kids and we all had a great time so we recommend this snorkel as a good family activity. One of the best things about the tour was you don’t just look for manta rays.
Our first stop was a coral bommie where reef sharks come to get a clean from the smaller fish that live there. Parasites and dead skin get removed as the sharks swam past. There were sharks everywhere which was a bit disconcerting at first, especially for the kids, but they soon relaxed, and we all enjoyed the watching the sharks cruising around. But the manta rays were the stars of the day.
After a couple of false starts, our guide led us to one that was feeding. In about 5m of water it barrel-rolled below us filtering the plankton rich water. As if that wasn’t enough, another 2 manta rays soon joined it, so we had 3 of them rolling below us. After 10 or 15 minutes they cruised off in single file. It was one of the most amazing and unforgettable things we have seen on any snorkelling trip. The last part of our half day tour was through a turtle sanctuary where we spotted several green turtles swimming in the clear water. Swimming with manta rays was every bit as exciting as swimming with the whale sharks which you can also do on Ningaloo – but much less expensive!
Snorkel Spots Nearby
More Things To Do
- Swimming with Turtles in Australia - October 29, 2023
