This isn’t another tedious travel article with heaps of superfluous information and unwanted pictures. I have mentioned the details in a Q&A format that will help you to pick you need.

Where is the Shark Bay located?

It is positioned at the westernmost tip of Australia. It is around 850 kilometers north from the capital of Western Australia, Perth.

Why is it named ‘Shark Bay’?

An English voyager and pirate, William Dampier, was sailing through western coast of Australia in 1699. He watched numerous dolphins swimming besides his vessel and misinterpreted them as sharks. Hence, he named this bay as Shark Bay.

How and where can I touch the dolphins?

As mentioned above, the water is affluent in aquatic life and the lovely fishes swimming elegantly in the water are dolphins, not sharks. Although these adorable creatures can be found everywhere in Shark Bay, Monkey Mia is the place where you can actually  touch and feed them.

I heard about dugongs, what are they anyway?

Dugong is a marine herbivorous creature with forelimbs acclimatized as flippers and doesn’t have hind limbs. Highest population of dugongs in the world can be found is Shark Bay. There are over 10,000 dugongs here.

And what about Stromatolites?

A simple definition of stromatolites: A laminated piece of rock formed due to the growth of bluish green algae. This rock comprises of fossils of aquatic creatures that inhabited here 3500 million years ago.

I am quite fond of Whales. Is there any in Shark Bay?

Shark bay is a relaxing location of the migrating humpback whales. In 1960, there were around 800 whales in this region. Fortunately, the number increased to around 2500 in 2009.

Can I swim with the sharks?

It seems you are quite an adventurous traveler. However, don’t try to swim with the sharks found near Shark Bay because those are the ‘man-eating’ ones. Ningaloo Reef toward northern coast is a place where you can swim with the world’s largest shark: Whale Shark.

How can I reach the Shark Bay?

First, drive on the Brand Highway till you reach Geraldton, then take the North-West Coastal Highway and take a left turn from Overlander to reach Denham. A drive from Perth to Denham will take approximately 10 hours. If it suits your budget, fly to Monkey Mia or Denham, which will save many hours.

Okay. Catching a flight is a better option. But what is Denham?

It’s a pearling port and a chief population centre of Shark Bay. Visitors coming to watch the magnificence of Shark Bay halts at Denham. It’s wise to book your accommodation well in advance because the hotels here are quite crammed during vacations.

It’s decided. I am visiting Shark Bay next year.

What’s the best time to get here?

Summer months are tremendously hot. To have a pleasurable time, visit Shark Bay in winter months of June to October. During these days, the temperature here is around 22-26 C and gentler, lighter breeze gushes through the coast.

What other adventures can I try?

Diving is permitted here, so you can obviously try diving, snorkeling, and swimming. Or opt to hire a small boat and watch the spectacular marine life. Windsurfing is another famous adventure here.

What is the overall climate here?
Winters are mild and summers are hot. The average temperature of Shark Bay is 26.5 C and average rainfall is 228mm.

The Great Barrier Reef can explored in following five ways:

1. Select your location

Have a night revelry in Daydream or try water sports in the Hamilton. You can opt to spend some romantic time with your loved ones on wonderful South Molle or simply relax with a mild drink on the supple, pallid sand granules on the beaches of Whitsunday Island. It’s a perfect location for an overnight stay because it offers everything from a lavish resort to simple tents in the green pastures. The national parks of this island offer wide variety of wildlife and geology.

You can find the islands of Fitzroy and Green beyond Cairns, and when you move southward you will encounter islands of Orpheus, Hinchinbrook, Bedarra, and Dunk. To improve your diving and surfing skills reach the islands of Heron, Lizard, and Hayman.

2. Slip into your flippers

You can watch live marine life as never before from the tour boat with a translucent, glass floor that moves through the coasts of Townsville, Rockhampton, Proserpine, Mackay, Bundaberg, Cairns, Mission Beach, and Port Douglas. Visit a guided tour through the undersea passageways and caverns, bottomless drop offs, and downy seas of the reef. Wear you flippers and dip into the base of Agincourt Reef reachable from Cairns. You can discover the wreckage of the vessel SS Yongala near Townsville and vessel Llewellyn near Mackay. The reef of Capricorn, Fitzroy, and Bunker located near Gladstone is an ideal place to watch crab corals and sea stars.

3. Sail far away on your private vessel

Hire a ship from Port Douglas and set off for the rediscovery of isolated Low Islands that was originally explored by Captian Cook during mid 1700’s. Cruising through the coastline of Whitsunday is an awe-inspiring journey. You can halt at the pictorial quays of Butterfly bay, Cid Harbor, or Whitehaven Beach and saunter through the Langford, Black Reef or relax at Bird Island during your journey. You can kill your hunger by munching the scrumptious food offered at South Molle, Lizard, Hayman, and Lindeman Islands. These boat sailings offer a great opportunity to travel with certified staff and learn some real time techniques.

4. Inhaling the tropical aroma

Stretch your legs by trekking and camping at the elongated national park that extends from Cape York to blossoming island of Whitsunday. Watch the natural vistas offered by the gushing waves of Daintree River or trip down the dense Mossman Gorge positioned in the Daintree Rainforest. The Bloomfield Falls is known for its wildlife richness and incredible backdrop that coaxes you to rest a while gaping at the plunge. In the center of Mackay is the Eungella National Park where you can experience the pleasure of walking leisurely. This national park conserves some very rare species of birds and animals hardly found on any other islands of the world. If you are an art lover, visit the Hook Island where the Ngaro tribe residing near Nara Inlet exhibits breathtaking stone sculptures.

5. Watch the angles of the Great Barrier Reef

The landscapes of Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest seem simply remarkable while soaring high in a scenic aircraft that drops you at Green Island. Another landscape that can be enjoyed from an aircraft is Heart Reef that is place in the center of Hardy Reef. You can opt to snorkel from Cairns to Atherton Tablelands or travel the distance gliding in a hot balloon. There are some excellent inns at Airlie Beach and cozy lodges in Hamilton appropriate to spend your entire vacation on this island.

You can explore the Great Barrier Reef in a 3-day holiday or a 2-month vacation, it would just be inadequate.