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)

The East Kimberley should be on every bucket list, and here’s why.

Livistona palms soar out of chasms the colour of Valencia oranges. Shady waterholes beckon travellers daring to venture off the bitumen. From the air, fruit farms give way to vast plains that meet rolling hills and fascinating geological formations centuries in the making. The East Kimberley is one of Australia’s most treasured wilderness areas, but don’t be fooled by its rust-coloured roads. This north-eastern corner of Western Australia is home to some of Australia’s most iconic stays by Discovery Resorts that should be on everyone’s bucket list.

A group of people enjoy an intimate dining experience at El Questro Homestead. — Dine in the heart of nature.

Your guide to Lake Argyle

The backstory

With rolling hills that glow amber at sunrise and glassy water that reflects the Kimberley’s bright blue sky, a visit to Lake Argyle is nothing short of awe-inspiring. As Australia’s second-largest man-made freshwater lake, travellers flock here to soak in the views from boats, helicopters and Discovery Resorts – Lake Argyle .

The latter is a lakeside oasis, a resort where travellers crossing from Western Australia into the Northern Territory (or vice versa) converge. Fifty minutes’ drive south of Kununurra, the property is perched atop a cliff overlooking the sprawling Lake Argyle.

Discovery Resorts – Lake Argyle was originally built in the late 1960s to provide accommodation for builders of the Ord River dam, which formed Lake Argyle. In the decades that followed it had several owners, until a Kununurra local took the reins in 2004 and reinvented the property with luxury villas and its now world-famous infinity pool. The iconic property was added to the Discovery Resorts portfolio in 2021, undergoing a major upgrade that took the resort from a beloved campground to an all-encompassing resort with premium waterfront villas.

A boat glides across the expansive waters of Lake Argyle, surrounded by the breathtaking landscapes of the Kimberley. As part of the Discovery Holiday Parks experience, this unforgettable journey offers adventure and relaxation. — Glide across the vast, shimmering waters of Lake Argyle.

The rooms

A lakeside resort like no other, Discovery Resorts – Lake Argyle offers something for everyone, from campsites to villas and cabins . The Deluxe Lakeview Cabins have views of the opposing cliff and are surrounded by bush, ensuring plenty of privacy, while both the Deluxe and Standard Cabins are ideal for families, with contemporary furnishings and one, two or four bedrooms. The campsites also come in a variety of sizes.

The facilities

There’s no doubt the biggest drawcard to Discovery Resorts – Lake Argyle is the lake, 20 times the size of Sydney Harbour. One of the best ways to experience it is on the Kimberley Durack Sunset Explorer Cruise , during which you’ll see freshwater crocodiles nesting along the banks (it’s home to 30,000 freshies) and even get the chance to swim in their waters. The cruise also takes in Mt Misery, towering above the original and now submerged Argyle Downs Homestead.

If you have young children who need to get to bed early, a great alternative is the three-hour Lunch Explorer Cruise . You’ll tour around the lake’s bays as you learn about the local wildlife before stopping at a remote island for a swim.

Refuel between adventures at the onsite pub-style eatery, The Lake Argyle Cafe. The cafe is the heart of the resort, bringing together friends new and old over a steak, cold beer and live music. Hours vary with the seasons, but rest assured you’ll be able to enjoy a good feed year-round, with a well-stocked general store also open during the day.

Cool off from a day of exploring in the striking infinity pool with some of the best views in the country (you’ll find sweeping views of the lake below). Or enjoy a flight with HeliSpirit, or clear your mind during a yoga class on the lawn.

Two people unwind in an infinity pool, overlooking stunning Lake Argyle at Discovery Holiday Parks. — Take a dip in the infinity pool and soak in breathtaking Lake Argyle views.

Your guide to El Questro

The backstory

One of the most famous stays in Australia is El Questro . A former cattle station, it’s evolved into one of the country’s most recognisable tourism destinations over the past 30 years, and is now embarking on a new chapter to elevate the region’s rich First Nations culture.

The property draws travellers seeking to reconnect with nature and the beauty of this country. Wild in spirit but immaculate in style, El Questro is a 283,000-hectare property like no other; surrounded by dramatic gorges, impressive mountain ranges, thermal springs, secluded waterfalls and even rainforest, it’s the perfect base for adventurous souls.

A person floats leisurely in the river at Discovery Holiday Parks, immersed in nature’s tranquillity. — Float along Zebedee Springs and immerse in nature.

The rooms

Across the sprawling El Questro are three properties catering to the wide variety of travellers who journey this way. The most impressive is the luxurious Homestead , where 10 suites perch at the edge of a burnt-orange cliff, with cantilevered bedrooms over the peaceful Chamberlain River. The adults-only, all-inclusive Homestead is a member of the prestigious Luxury Lodges of Australia collection and offers a backdrop of thick bushland; riverside, you’ll find an immaculate lawn and a shaded pool that lures guests out of their rooms.

At Emma Gorge , travellers will be immersed in the beauty of the Cockburn Ranges, falling asleep to the sounds of wildlife in safari-style tented cabins. This is where you come if you want to completely connect with your environment while retaining a few creature comforts. The Emma Gorge Tented Cabins sleep three or four people and feature private ensuites and ceiling fans.

Families also love The Station , home to simple yet comfortable air-conditioned rooms, as well as a large, leafy campground. Sitting by the Pentecost River, The Station is open from April to October and has a range of accommodation, from unpowered and powered campsites to air-conditioned tents for two people and a Gardenview Family Room for five.

Two people stand beside a suite perched on the edge of a striking burnt-orange cliff, gazing out over the serene Chamberlain River below. — Take a breather with stunning views of nature all around.

The facilities

Located in the heart of the Kimberley, El Questro retains its strong connection with its Traditional Owners, the Ngarinyin people. A highlight of a stay here is the Injiid Marlabu Calls Us experience ; over two hours, guests are immersed in the soul of Country by witnessing ancient healing rituals, listening to generational stories and learning about the land’s ancestral heritage.

Other experiences include bird watching, cruising through Chamberlain Gorge, hiking through Emma Gorge, horse riding, four-wheel-driving and soaking in Zebedee Springs. At the properties, you can also cool off in the pools, and relax in the restaurants or at private dining locations. A bonus of staying at The Homestead is the exclusive service of El Questro’s dedicated reservations team, who will craft a bespoke itinerary tailored to your travel tastes.

A group of people stand beside a tree, with a car parked nearby, taking in the surrounding natural beauty. — Experience thrilling nature activities.

Book your East Kimberley adventure today with Discovery Resorts.

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

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.

1. Fish Hook Bay, Rottnest Island

2. Coral Bay

3. Gnaraloo

4. Lakeside, Exmouth

5. Mettams Pool, North Beach

6. Osprey Bay, Exmouth

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Inspire your senses with these iconic East Kimberley stays

The East Kimberley should be on every bucket list, and here’s why.

Your guide to Lake Argyle

The backstory

The rooms

The facilities

Your guide to El Questro

The backstory

The rooms

The facilities