Sun, sand and turtle vibes – Ningaloo Reef, Cape Range National Park, WA

 Days 78-87

Love it when a plan comes together.

When we travelled through WA in 2016, we spent a magical time in Cape Range National Park on Ningaloo Reef. We couldn’t believe how incredible the beaches and reef were - and we knew we wanted to come back.

But… ten years later, things have changed.

Back then, you could simply arrive, be directed to a campsite, pay cash, and stay as long as you liked. Not anymore. Cape Range is now very much on the radar. Bookings are done online and open six months in advance - not the easiest when you’re travelling without a fixed plan and aren’t sure where you will be tomorrow let alone months ahead.

At first, it looked like we might miss out entirely.

So… we checked the booking site daily, extended our possible dates, and gradually pieced together nine nights through a mix of cancellations and moving between sites. When we finally secured a continuous block (of sorts), it was earlier than we’d planned - hence the quick run north from Perth.

When the day finally came to head into the park, we started second‑guessing ourselves. Had we built it up too much? Were our memories a little too rosy? Would it be as fabulous as we remembered?

OMG - it sure was! Every bit as good as we remembered – possibly better.

The Ningaloo Shuffle

We stayed across three different campgrounds over our nine nights - affectionately known as the “Ningaloo Shuffle”. At busy times, it’s almost impossible to stay in one place, so you pack up and move every few days. Luckily, Izzy makes that relatively easy.

Neds Camp (4 nights across 2 sites)

Our first stop - and where we had stayed back in 2016. Small, intimate, and just as we remembered. A short wander over the dune brought us to a perfect beach for sunset watching.

We swam, attempted some fishing (unsuccessfully), befriended the local galahs, and I fitted in a few runs.

Note for next time: Sites 3, 8 and 9 are the pick.

North Mandu (1 night – Site #2)

Another small, quiet campground close to the beach. This shoreline was quite different - coral and small pebbles underfoot. Not ideal for walking, but visually striking and great for photos. We also had a little friend visit us here. 

Tulqi Beach (1 night – Site #6)

This one felt like winning the lottery.

Absolute beachfront, no neighbours, and even a small stingray cruising the shallows. Only one night, but a very special one.

Tulqi also delivered one of the more unexpected highlights of the trip… coffee.

That morning I’d finished my stash of Little Marionette beans from Sydney and was mentally preparing to switch to tea. Enter the camp hosts (people who stay for a few weeks and manage the campsite). One mentioned her husband worked in Exmouth and when he returned that afternoon, I spotted a sign on his truck for Morning Bean Coffee Co (a side hustle for them).

Long story short - he had one last 500g bag of beans, happily ground them for me, and disaster was averted. It’s also excellent coffee… which now creates a future problem.

Back to Neds (2 nights)

Our final stay at Neds brought a bit of campground drama.

We were meant to move sites for our last night, but the people in our allocated spot didn’t return all day. When the people moving into our site arrived, there was nowhere for us to go. The camp host let us set up in the car park while we waited.

The occupants of our new site eventually returned around 7pm, apologetic but… confused. Not really a mistake you can make given the way the bookings work, but anyway.

It was too late to move them, so we spent the night in the car park which, as it turned out, had a view of the water. Not the worst outcome, just slightly frustrating when you’ve done everything right.

Daily life at Ningaloo

Most days revolved around the reef and the magnificent beaches - we love the colour contrast of white sand, crystal clear turquoise water and red cliffs. The reef is doing remarkably well given recent bleaching episodes and of course, Cyclone Narelle just a few months ago. There is some evidence of damage, but it has bounced back and is a natural wonder. 

We explored multiple snorkelling spots (covered in a separate post), and every single time we put our heads underwater, we saw something amazing. Turtles were a constant presence - calm, curious, and completely unbothered by us. Swimming alongside them (without touching) was an incredibly peaceful experience.

Our inflatable kayak - BWNN (Boat With No Name) - got a proper workout. We did a kayak/snorkel trail (more about that in the snorkelling post) and also paddled along Yardie Creek, which was calm, beautiful and full of surprises. There were rock wallabies perched on the sheer gorge walls, and a magnificent Osprey swooped nearby before settling in a tree to watch us.

After nine days, we were salty, relaxed and very happy (with sand not just between our toes, but well and truly spread throughout Izzy).

Leaving was not easy.

We reluctantly made our way back towards Exmouth, stopping for a few final glimpses of the beaches and a visit to the lighthouse in the hope of spotting whales - no luck, just wind.

Back in town, we stumbled across the local markets (perfect timing for a wander and a few gifts), stocked up on groceries, and then turned inland toward Bullara Station.