Turquoise Bay

Turquoise Bay is one of Western Australia’s most celebrated beaches, offering a self-guided drift snorkel over a shallow coral reef accessible directly from the sand.

Overview

Turquoise Bay sits within Cape Range National Park, where the Ningaloo Reef comes unusually close to shore. The site is primarily a snorkel destination: a natural current running along the bay’s southern end carries swimmers over a continuous shallow coral garden at depths of 3–6 metres, with sea turtles, reef sharks, and dense schools of parrotfish, wrasse, and butterflyfish regularly encountered in the drift.

The drift begins at the bay’s southern end (accessed via the Drift Loop car park) and runs northward, returning snorkelers back to the beach. The current can be strong, particularly around the northern sandbar, and the Parks WA advisory is that the drift is suitable for confident swimmers only. Visibility on calm days reaches 20 metres or more.

No scuba dive operator lists Turquoise Bay as a guided dive destination — the attraction here is the easy, current-assisted snorkel on the inner reef. Divers seeking deeper water access the outer reef by boat from Tantabiddi or Coral Bay.

Site Information

• Location: Cape Range National Park, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
• Entry Type: Shore entry
• Site Type: Reef
• Difficulty Level: Beginner
• Maximum Depth: 6 meters
• Tides/Currents: Natural longshore current — drift runs south to north; northern sandbar requires caution

Sources: Explore Parks WA — Turquoise Bay, Snorkel Spots — Turquoise Bay, The Dive Globe — Turquoise Bay, Drink Tea Travel Ningaloo Guide. Last updated 2026-06-18.