ABOUT US
Swim with whale sharks, humpback whales, manta rays, turtles & much more on the World Heritage Ningaloo Reef
You're comfort & safety is our priority
Our charter vessels are designed for the Ningaloo Reef
Experienced crew offering professional service
Wildlife experiences that you won't forget
CORAL BAY ECOTOURS
Coral Bay Ecotours is a marine tour company specialising in marine interactions on the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Ningaloo Marine Park of Western Australia.
Located in Coral Bay with a backdrop of red desert, there is over 500 species of fish, 200 species of coral and an abundance of Australia’s most prized megafauna.
With daily encounters with Manta rays, Sea Turtles, Reef Sharks, Dolphins and seasonal encounters with Whale Sharks, Humpback Whales and Dugongs,
there's no wonder this place is
Australia’s best kept secret!
OUR MISSION
To provide high quality marine wildlife tours in the most professional, educational & sustainable way possible.
 Aerial shot of Coral Bay &NingalooCoral Bay, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia |  Lilly checking a green sea turtleSwimming with turtles on tour with Coral Bay Ecotours |  Green sea turtle at Coral BayTurtle Eco Tour - Coral Bay | Ningaloo Reef |
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 Coral Bay EcotoursBait Ball |  Coral Bay EcotoursStingrays |  swim with Whale sharks in Coral BayWhale Shark Safari, Swim with Whale Sharks, Coral Bay Ecotours, Ningaloo Reef, Coral Bay, Western Australia |
 Girls enjoying freedivingCoral bay ecotours , Ningaloo Reef |  swim with green sea turtlesSwim with turtles on tour with Coral Bay Ecotours |  Humpback Whale SwimSwim with Humpback Whales, Coral Bay Ecotours, Coral Bay, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia |
 OrcarsOrcars, Coral Bay Ecotours, Coral Bay, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia |  Whale Shark SwimSwim with Whale Sharks, Coral Bay Ecotours, Coral Bay, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia |  shades of blue in Ningaloo |
 Manta Boat of Coral Bay EcotoursKurni Khu in blue waters of ningaloo while customers swim with Manta Rays |  Aerial shot of Ninagalooaerial shot taken from our spotter plan used to find Manta rays, Humpback whales and Whale Sharks of Ningaloo |  |
 Swim with Whale SharksWhale Shark Safari, Swim with Whale Sharks, Coral Bay Ecotours, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia |  Enjoying snorkeling |  |
 Whale shark approaching the boatWhale Shark Swim, Whale Shark Safari, Coral Bay Ecotours, Coral Bay, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia |  Mobula Ray in Ningaloo Reef |  Whale watching tourcoral bay ecotours, coral bay, Ningaloo Reef |
 Guest swimming with spango fish1 hour coral viewing |  Swim with Humpback WhalesHumpback Whale Swim, Swim with Humpback Whales, Coral Bay Ecotours, Coral Bay, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia |  Humpback Whale SwimSwim with Humpback whales, Coral Bay Ecotours, Coral Bay, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia |
FAMILY BUSINESS EST. 1994
Coral Bay Ecotours is a family business founded in 1994 by the Bailye’s.
When Ken Bailye and his wife first arrived in 1993, Coral Bay was a very different place to what it is now. An undeveloped community situated on a reef that was so remote very few people knew of it. All boats were launched from Bill’s Bay and the town had an off-grid kind of feeling to it. It was a popular holiday place for farmers and other adventurous souls escaping the winter months. But for Ken and his family, Coral Bay was a back-to-nature lifestyle change. Ken was a passionate environmentalist and began running tours in 1994 through “Glass Bottom Boat Ecology Cruises”. With concerns about the future of Coral Bay, Ken formed close connections with the Baiyungu people, the traditional owners of the Coral Bay area and surrounds. These connections remain strong to this day through Ken’s three sons John, Roger & Gavin.
Roger is the second eldest and has lived in Coral Bay for 17 years managing the family business. Roger (BSc Sustainable Management) continues to share his family's passion for the Ningaloo Reef with his guests and staff members.
Traditional Owners
Coral Bay Ecotours respectfully acknowledges the traditional occupants of the region, Baiyungu people of the Yamatji language group, and thank them for their continued cooperation with us, allowing us all to appreciate and enjoy the Ningaloo Reef area.
The Ningaloo Coast is part of the Baiyungu, Yinikurtira & Thalanyji peoples’ traditional land and sea country. They have inhabited the area for over 35,000 years. The region is extremely significant containing aboriginal sites such as burial grounds, middens and fish traps, and provide the earliest record of marine resource use in Australia. The word Ningaloo means “deepwater” from the local Yinigudura tribe. Reference - Ocean Wise
NINGALOO MARINE PARK
Western Australia’s Ningaloo Reef is a world-renown marine wonderland and is the world's largest and most accessible fringing reef. It hosts an incredible diversity of tropical & temperate marine flora & fauna.
The abundance of marine life and the contrasting white sandy beaches against the red desert lands, makes this little piece of paradise Australia’s best kept secret!
UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Ningaloo Coast was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011 due to it’s outstanding natural assets and cultural significance. The 604,500 hectare marine & terrestrial property of Ningaloo Coast, is one of the largest nearshore reef systems in the world.
The land features an extensive network of underground cave & water courses, holding high species endemism (unique to this area). An estimated 300 to 500 whale sharks aggregate annually coinciding with the mass coral spawning and upwelling currents. The marine environment contains a high diversity of habitats including lagoon, reef, open ocean, the continental slope & the continental shelf. Intertidal systems such as rocky shores, sandy beaches, estuaries and mangroves are all found locally as well. Reference - UNESCO
CORAL BAY WILDLIFE CALENDAR
March - June
All year round
Humpback
Whales
Humpback season between
July 1st - Oct 31st
Dolphins
All year round
All year round (watching only)
Dugongs
Although rare, dugongs can be seen May - Sept.
(watching only)
OUR VESSELS
Our 3 charter vessels are designed for cruising the Ningaloo Reef. They each have specific features that make them ideal for different wildlife encounters.
Your comfort & safety is our priority!
MEET THE TEAM
We believe our experienced & passionate crew members are what sets us aside from just a regular tour company.
Each of our crew members holds a current First Aid Certification and have undertaken Whale Shark Interaction Training & Humpback in-water Interaction Training with the Parks and Wildlife Service.
Among our team we have 5 qualified skippers who drive our 3 boats; Thunder, Kurni Ku & Nhanya Ku. Our crew also attain a wealth of knowledge about marine ecosystems & the Ningaloo Reef to add an educational spin to our tours.
In the team we also have Marine Biologists, Snorkel Instructors, Underwater Photographers, Tourism Experts, Sailors and Free-diving & Scuba-diving Instructors.
Check out our crew profiles below to see who will be taking you out to explore the Ningaloo Reef!
