How Coral Bay tours differ
Tours here fall into four groups: swims with manta rays, whale sharks or humpback whales, glass bottom boat trips, and guided quad treks. The animal tours are long days with a spotter plane and a lunch. The boat trips take one to three hours. Check three things for each tour: the season, what the price covers and what the operator says if the animal does not show up.
The examples below come from single operators. They show what one product costs, not a market range. A published price is not the final checkout price for every date, and a page with a booking link does not show free seats on your day. Prices are adult prices in Australian dollars, as listed in 2026.
Tour examples compared
Each row is one operator's product. The source and date of each price stay with the row.
| Tour | Length | Season | Adult price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manta Marine Adventure (Ningaloo Marine Interactions) | About 7 hours | Mantas described as present all year | From A$315 (listed October 2026, no tariff year) |
| Whale Shark Odyssey (Ningaloo Marine Interactions) | About 9 hours | April to June | A$600 or A$650, both on the same page |
| Humpback whales (Ningaloo Marine Interactions) | About 7 hours | July to September | Watch from A$220, swim from A$600 |
| Coral viewing, Miss Coral Bay III | 1 hour | Check the timetable | A$75 (2026/27 tariff) |
| Coral viewing and snorkelling, Miss Coral Bay III | 2 hours | Check the timetable | A$105 (2026/27 tariff) |
| Quad trek (Coastal Adventure Tours) | About 1.5 to 2.5 hours | Daily departures listed | – |
The whale shark price is shown twice because the operator page lists A$600 at the top and A$650 in the details. Do not treat either as final until you confirm it at booking. The glass bottom boat tariff runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. The quad base price is not listed here. The Ecotours whale shark safari for 2026 lists no public price on its product page, so ask the operator.
Our picks: tours compared
Manta days, a turtle eco tour and a short boat trip over the reef.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in Australian dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Full-day Ningaloo Reef trip with manta search
A spotter plane searches for mantas, with two reef snorkels, an option to snorkel with mantas and a buffet lunch. Hotel pickup is not included, and diving costs extra.
Check availability →
Three-hour turtle eco tour on Ningaloo Reef
Snorkelling gear, hot drinks and biscuits are included. A wetsuit is not included.
Check availability →
One-hour glass-bottom boat trip
A professional guide on a one-hour trip over the reef. You board from the beach by wading through shallow water.
Check availability →Coral Bay tours and day trips
Manta ray and whale shark swims, reef trips, glass bottom boats and quad treks, with live prices and availability.
The tour types in detail
What each one involves.
Manta ray tours
The listed day lasts about 7 hours and includes lunch, snorkel gear, a wetsuit, drinks, photos and a spotter plane. Booking ahead is offered. The operator describes mantas in the area all year, which is not the same as a tour every day or a guaranteed sighting.
Manta ray guide →Whale shark tours
The park authority gives March to August for the whole Ningaloo, but each operator sets its own calendar. The Ningaloo Marine Interactions offer runs April to June, takes about 9 hours, and includes a spotter plane, lunch and photos. The Ecotours safari for 2026 meets at 07:30 at its Coral Bay office, then goes by bus to the boat. Guests swim in alternating groups of 10, with at most 1 hour of swim time with the animal, and experienced swimmers are recommended. No repeat trip or refund is promised if no whale shark is found.
Whale shark guide →Humpback whales
The park authority names June to November for the migration, while the operator sells its Coral Bay trip from July to September. The watch option starts at A$220 and the swim option at A$600, about 7 hours with lunch. The operator does not force an interaction, and you may only watch from the boat.
Glass bottom boat and turtle trips
The Miss Coral Bay III runs a 1-hour coral viewing trip and a 2-hour trip with snorkelling. The 2-hour fare includes equipment and a refundable A$50 deposit. A separate 3-hour turtle eco tour by Ecotours uses a glass bottom boat to watch turtles feeding, with coral viewing and snorkel stops. Snorkel gear is included there, wetsuits are not.
Glass bottom boat →Quad treks
Coastal Adventure Tours lists a Turtle Adventure of 1.5 to 2 hours, a Turtle Adventure and Snorkel of 2 to 2.5 hours, and sunset variants. The offer names daily departures at 09:00 and 12:30, plus a sunset slot that changes with the season. Check availability and the exact time at booking.
Quad bike tours →Licences and rules
Commercial snorkel and dive tours on park land and waters need a Commercial Operations Licence. Whale shark and whale swims have a limited number of licences, and swimming with them needs separate legal authorisation. Do not book a private "approach" trip as a substitute.
What to check before you book
Points that change the final price or the day.
Booking fees
Under its terms, Coastal Adventure Tours adds 1.5 percent for online bookings (not refundable), 1.2 percent for a credit card in the shop and A$0.30 for EFTPOS, and its prices include GST. These fees come from that one operator and may not apply to others.
What is included
Compare lunch, wetsuit, photos and a spotter plane line by line. The manta day lists all of them. The turtle eco tour leaves out wetsuits. The glass bottom boat includes equipment on the 2-hour fare against a deposit.
Quad age and licence rules
The product page says passengers must be older than 5 and at least 110 cm tall. The terms list children as 5 to 17 and adults from 17, so settle the border cases at booking. Drivers need a valid P-plate or full licence, closed shoes and English instructions, and the total weight per vehicle is at most 200 kg.
Quad details →Whale sharks near Exmouth
This page covers trips that start in Coral Bay. Whale shark trips that start in Exmouth belong to the northern part of the reef, which has its own guide.
Coral Bay tours: frequently asked questions
Which tour is best?
That depends on the season and what you want to see. Whale sharks fit March to August on the reef and April to June with the local operator. Humpbacks fit July to September. Mantas are described as present all year. If you do not want to swim, the glass bottom boat is the simplest choice.
How much do Coral Bay tours cost?
The examples above range from A$75 for a one-hour glass bottom boat trip to A$600 or A$650 for a whale shark day. They are single products for adults in 2026, not a market range, and extras can change the final price.
Do I have to book ahead?
The manta operator offers advance booking, and no general reservation rule applies to visitors. A page with a booking link does not show free seats, so check availability for your date before you plan around a tour.
What if I do not see the animal?
No operator on this page guarantees a sighting. The Ecotours whale shark safari does not promise a repeat trip or a refund if no whale shark is found. Read the terms for any tour before you pay.
Can I swim with whale sharks on my own?
No. Swimming with whale sharks and whales needs separate legal authorisation, and the number of tour licences is limited. Book with a licensed operator. See the whale shark page.