Exmouth

"A 1248 kilometer drive or two-hour Quantas flight from Perth, Exmouth is the gateway to the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Marine Park, the world’s largest fringing reef. Brimming with adventure, the welcoming coastal town of Exmouth is your base to discover some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet. Jump into the ocean and swim with beautiful aquatic creatures. Swap shimmering turquoise waters for the rust-red terrain of Cape Range National Park, just a short drive south of Exmouth. Lace up your hiking boots and explore ancient cliffs and canyons, keeping an eye out for local wildlife. Are you ready ? 1. One of my highlights was swimming with Humpback whales. Although these tours don't come cheap, they are worth EVERY single penny !! I have to admit this was insane. You get a breakie with some guidelines and then it is time to jump into the open waters. We had 4 snorkels sessions ( per group of 6 people ) with those amazing creatures and believe me that I was exhausted. A spotter planes gives direction so you have a 99% chance to see them. Even when you don't see them, they offer you a voucher to come back. So don't be the tourist who only stays in Exmouth for one day because if they fail to get an In-water Interaction with either of the big 3 ( Whale shark, or Humpback Whale or Manta), you will receive a come again at 1/2 price voucher as stated in Booking Terms & Conditions. Even without seeing this beauties the tour is top notch. You get two snorkels in different reefs. a great breakfast and a delicious lunch and snacks. The staff knows everything you need to know and most important: all you want to know ! They take your safety serious as this is still an encounter with a 60 ton mammal. They provide you gear and even sunscreen (what I obviously forgot) and you get all the footage on a usb ( bring your own or buy one. You can also give an sd card but make sure that they are not configured with mac ). So believe me if I say this is worth your last pennies. . 2. The same company offers also tours to swim or observe whale sharks. This is still on my list but what I've heard is that it's incredible. The group are a bit bigger but again worth every dime. NOTE: I linked every tour below so you have the direct link to this outstanding company and you don't have to search. They are also cheaper if you book them via the tripadvisor link then on their regular site. You can drink 1 cocktail or two beers with 25$. Just so you know. They offer dive- and snorkeling tours to the Ningaloo reef or Muiron Islands or a sunset cruise. So what is your preference ? . 3. Another thing to tick off your list is Charles Knife canyon. I can tell you that this is my favorite spot in the whole wide world to see the sunrise. Don't ask my why. it just is. It's the place where the reef meets the range. As you need a 4WD to explore the canyon you don't need one for going to the lookout. It's a winding and a bit steep road but it can easily be done by car or even by campervan. Let me know what you think of this beauty ! On top of my bucket list you find the Charles Knife hike in the Cape Range national park. Unfortunately this hike is closed indefinite due to extreme cliff and landslide risk. I will try this next time for sure myself knowing. Luckily there are a lot of other stunning hikes to do in Cape Range np. We did the Mandu Mandu gorge walk ( 3 kilometers return ) & the Yadie gorge trail. ( 2 kilometers return ). I always check all trails to preview a hike and reed some reviews. Don't take it too serious because most of the people will exaggerate. Don't ask me why but if you reed the reviews half of the people dies and every hike is a grade 5. NEWSFLASH: This is not true. Just walk your own pace and you will be fine. Enjoy the views, take a picnic and start walking. Thats's it ! Watch some youtube movies If you are still not sure, they can give you a glimpse on how the trail and the terrain looks. SPOILER ALERT: I haven't found any hike in Australia that is a grade 5 and I am not the fittest person. If I can do it. You can do it so don't believe everything they say. . 4. Go snorkeling at turquoise bay It’s also unique in that you can drift snorkel, jump in at one end of the beach and let the prevailing currents float you along the reef. To do this, simply jump in at the southern end, let the current take you along the reef, and then jump out at the sand bar. Make sure you are a comfortable swimmer. . 5. Grab a beer and enjoy the sunset at Vlamingh lighthouse. It's a busy place so make sure you'll be there on time to reserve the best spot. . 6. Last but not least go to Whalebone brewery to eat a delicious pizza while tasting some beer and listening to some live music. TIP: Buy a hoodie. I loved these so much that I ordered an extra one which they shipped to Belgium for an extra 32$ so make sure to buy two if you are a hoodie lover like I am or three if you want to send me one. ☺️ have fun ! "

"Love this town! After not much food choices on the way up the coast this town has cafe's and great craft brewery's and a lot of holiday vibe"

"Potentially one of my favourite places in Australia. A cute country beach town with amazing National Parks not too far away. "