Varanus Beach

Located on the western coast of Cape Range National Park in the town of Exmouth, Varanus Beach is a long and wide beige sand beach with many rocky portions.  The beach is tucked between Lakeside Beach and Tulki Beach Campground and has a beautiful backdrop of dunes and coastal vegetation, which together provide incredible views of the vast Indian Ocean.  Varanus Beach is part of the Lakeside Sanctuary Zone of Ningaloo Marine Park, which is considered one of the world's largest fringing coral reefs.

Varanus Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities, so plan your trip accordingly.

Varanus Beach offers many fun activities, including swimming, sunbathing, bushwalking, hiking, snorkeling, and fishing.  If you are planning to go into the water, the beach has a safe swimming area.  The water near the beach is shallow, which is ideal for canoes, kayaks, and small boats.  Anglers may catch a wide variety of fish, including coral trout, mackerel, and emperor fish.  The beach offers amazing opportunities for snorkelers and divers to explore the underwater world.  Hikers can enjoy the nearby hiking trails, which offer unique insights into the local biodiversity.  Depending on the time of the year, visitors may spot humpback whales, sea turtles, and dolphins in the water near the beach.  It is perfect for visitors looking for a quiet experience, as this beach sees fewer visitors than other nearby beaches.  Dogs are not allowed on the beach, and the beach is open from sunrise until sunset.

Varanus Beach does not offer an access path for people with disabilities.

Getting to Varanus Beach is easy - the beach has a small parking lot located near Yardie Creek Road.  It is important to note that the access road to Varanus Beach can flood after heavy rains.  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 made a great contribution to preserving the flora and fauna of Cape Range National Park.

There are many attractions near Varanus Beach.    Jurabi Turtle Centre is home to four species of sea turtles found along the North West Cape and provides unique insight into the nesting habits, their lifecycle, and threats they face through interesting information displays and guided tours.  Cape Range National Park is spread over 50,581 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.  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, 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.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants within a 44-minute drive of Varanus Beach.  Whalers Restaurant is an upscale restaurant that serves eggs, burritos, pancakes, salads, burgers, pasta, seafood, pork, meat, and poultry dishes.  Exhale Exmouth serves delicious salads, eggs, pancakes, crepes, waffles, burgers, sandwiches, seafood, meat, and poultry dishes.  Adrift Cafe offers an outdoor seating area and serves amazing salads, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, seafood, meat, pork, and poultry dishes.  The BBQ Father & Deli serves amazing Italian food, including pizzas, pasta, sandwiches, seafood, meat, and poultry dishes.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby restaurant, Planet Burgers Exmouth serves burgers, falafel, nachos, tacos, tortillas, seafood, meat, and poultry dishes.

If you are looking for a hotel near Varanus Beach, 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.