Turquoise Bay Exmouth(Turquoise Bay)

Located on the western coast of Cape Range National Park in the town of Exmouth, Turquoise Bay - also known as Turquoise Bay Exmouth - is a curving, 600-meter-long, immensely popular white-sand beach that is consistently ranked among the top three beaches in Australia.  This north-facing iconic beach is positioned near the Oyster Stacks Snorkeling Area and has a beautiful backdrop of rugged limestone ledges, dunes, bushlands, and a sandbar, which together provide incredible views of the vast ocean.  Turquoise Bay is considered one of the famous snorkeling spots in Cape Range National Park due to its close proximity to Exmouth Ningaloo Reef, which is part of the Ningaloo Marine Park, which is considered one of the world's largest fringing coral reefs.

Turquoise Bay does not have lifeguards but offers many other amenities, including restrooms, showers, a few picnic tables, and an observation deck.

Turquoise Bay offers many fun activities, including swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling, diving, bushwalking, and hiking.  If you are planning to go into the water, the beach has a safe swimming area, but we recommend being careful as the water is known to have unpredictable rip currents. 

Turquoise Bay offers incredible opportunities for snorkelers and divers to explore the large coral bombies that are home to an abundance of marine life, including Moorish Idol, Convict Surgeonfish, Parrotfish, Lined and Racoon Butterfly Fish, Angelfish, large rays, gropers, sharks, turtles, and a wide variety of fish species.  To enjoy the best Exmouth snorkeling experience at Turquoise Bay, you have to walk towards the southernmost section of the beach, also called Sandy Point.  It is located about 200 meters south of the Drift Loop parking area, where strong natural currents flow from south to north, carrying you over amazing coral formations, making it an excellent drift snorkeling experience for nature enthusiasts, but we recommend exiting the water before you reach the north point of the sandbar.  The northern side of the bay is conveniently accessible from the Bay Loop parking lot.  It is important to note that snorkeling in the bay is not advised for novice swimmers; they can access the nearby Lakeside Snorkeling Area, where the waves are comparatively calm.  The best time to visit Turquoise Bay is during the dry season (April to October); however, we advise nature enthusiasts to visit here during high tide, and the nearby Milyering Discovery Center and Ningaloo Centre can provide guidance regarding Turquoise Bay tide heights and times.  

There is a nearby campground, popularly known as Tulki Beach campground, where visitors may book a camp to enjoy an incredible camping experience.  Hikers can enjoy the nearby hiking trails, which offer unique insights into the local biodiversity.  If you enjoy photography, Turquoise Bay is a photographer's delight, as it is one of the most photographed beaches in Western Australia due to its natural beauty and Instagram-worthy views.  Dogs are not allowed on the beach, and the beach is open from sunrise until sunset.

Turquoise Bay offers an access path for people with disabilities.

Getting to Turquoise Bay is easy - the beach has two small parking lots, namely the Bay Loop parking lot and the Drift Loop parking area, both of which are located just off Yardie Creek Road.  Visitors must pay eight dollars per person as an admission fee to access Cape Range National Park.

The Baiyungu, Thalanyji, and Yinigurdira Aboriginal people were the traditional owners of the region and contributed greatly to preserving the flora and fauna of Cape Range National Park.

There are many attractions near Turquoise Bay.  Cape Range National Park is spread over 50581 hectares and is home to rugged limestone ranges, deep gorges, coastal cliffs, beaches, reefs, lagoons, mangroves, arid shrublands, and islands.  Visitors can enjoy many fun activities, including swimming, snorkeling, diving, fishing, bushwalking, camping, and wildlife viewing.  Ningaloo Marine Park is home to the famous Ningaloo Reef, which is considered one of the world's largest fringing coral reefs.  It attracts many nature enthusiasts who can enjoy snorkeling and diving by exploring the vibrant coral formations and diverse marine life.  Mandu Mandu Gorge is a three-kilometer-long hiking trail that meanders through a rocky creek bed that runs deep into a gorge that is known for its ancient Aboriginal rock art.  Vlamingh Head Lighthouse is a more than hundred-year-old lighthouse positioned on a cliff overlooking Lighthouse Bay, and it was the former site of a World War II radar station and anti-aircraft positions.  Visitors can spot humpback whales and enjoy incredible views of the North West Cape, especially during the sunsets.   If you are looking for another nearby attraction, Milyering Discovery Center provides unique insight into the nature, habitat, flora, and fauna of the Cape Range Peninsula through interesting exhibitions, information displays, nature trails, aquariums, touch pools, and guided tours.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants within a 47-minute drive of Turquoise Bay.  Whalers Restaurant is one of the popular restaurants in Exmouth that serves eggs, burritos, pancakes, salads, burgers, pasta, seafood, pork, meat, and poultry dishes.  Cadillacs Bar & Grill serves amazing burgers, pizzas, pasta, seafood, meat, and poultry dishes.  Exhale Exmouth serves delicious salads, eggs, pancakes, crepes, waffles, burgers, sandwiches, seafood, meat, and poultry dishes.  Mutts Cafe offers an outdoor seating area and serves amazing salads, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, ice creams, and smoothies.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby restaurant, The Shack Exmouth serves seafood, meat, and poultry dishes.

If you are looking for a hotel near Turquoise Bay, there are many great options nearby.   If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 4-Star Exmouth Escape Resort is 46 minutes away by car and offers many amenities including an outdoor pool, a wading pool, a boat-wash-down area, and a restaurant.  A more affordable hotel is the 4-Star Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort, Exmouth, which has many amenities, including an outdoor pool, a fitness room, a playground, and a seafood restaurant.  Another moderately priced option is the 4-Star RAC Exmouth Cape Holiday Park, which offers a few amenities, including an outdoor pool and a restaurant.  A more reasonably priced option is the 3-Star Ningaloo Lodge Exmouth, which offers a few amenities, including an outdoor pool, a game room, and a terrace with a barbecue grill facility.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby hotel, the Potshot Hotel Resort offers several amenities, including an outdoor pool, a barbecue grill facility, and a restaurant.