Ningaloo Reef - swimming with whale sharks

[VirginiaF]

Have been thinking about a local vacation, and the subject topic has come up. I have done a little research, and there don't seem to be many options. Novatel Nigaloo in Exmouth has rooms starting at AUD530 a night and you have to organise snorkelling/whale swim yourself. Cable Beach and Cape Leveque don't have very good Trip Advisor reviews (maybe I have been concentrating on the bad ones), and Sal Salis (no air con - OK call me a princess) is not quite what I am after (good food, good accommodation and good service). I am prepared to pay good money, but there seems to be an air of low value for the prices charged. Should I be deferring this until something of better quality is established? For AUD530 a night, you can stay in a pretty good hotel in Paris, London or Tokyo (thinking about opportunity cost).

 

[Travel Guru]

Swimming with the Whale Sharks is right up top of my bucket list, so am familiar with the problem.

Personally I wouldn't be putting it off, there's been talk for quite some time now of limiting or banning people from getting too close to the Whale Sharks, and given our over governed nation nothing would surprise me...I'd hate to think you put it off and then found later you couldn't fulfil your dream.

TG

 

[drron]

Again definitely on my bucket list and I have put it off for same reason.May bite the bullet and go anyway.
Puzzled why you mentioned Cable beach and Cape Leveque-guess considering them as well if going to the west.I disregard TA reviews on any more expensive property.must be a lot of cheapskates.personal feedback is not as negative though not glowing.plenty of reasonable accommodation in Broome though.
Cape Leveque-well it is out of the way and remote.Appeals more to the driving round Australia types.

 

[VirginiaF]

Thanks for the advice guys. Will do a bit more research. Maybe it's a good thing that this activity is not easily accessible. And drron - I mentioned Cape Leveque because someone on TA had said that this was a much better option than the others. I guess you do have to take things on TA with a grain of salt, but without any other info, it's kinda shot in the dark - hence my original post.

 

[drron]

Thanks for the advice guys. Will do a bit more research. Maybe it's a good thing that this activity is not easily accessible. And drron - I mentioned Cape Leveque because someone on TA had said that this was a much better option than the others. I guess you do have to take things on TA with a grain of salt, but without any other info, it's kinda shot in the dark - hence my original post.

We stopped at Cape Leveque on our Kimberley cruise because we were told that it was the only safe swimming beach in the Kimberley.Well i am an admitted cynic.So sharks or crocs will get you on the beaches to the south or north but not at Cape Leveque?Had a long chat with a couple of Queenslanders there who were doing the round australia thing and the 2 reasons they had for liking the Cape was fishing and the mud crabs.Run by an Indigenous group so interesting cultural tours but nothing that would compare to Ningaloo or the trips you can do out of Broome.Of course in those places you do have to spend money.

 

[Richarde]

Accor Advantage Plus web site is quoting $207 members rate for a room with marina views. If staying for four or five days the savings may stack up well against the annual membership rate of $299, particularly if meal discounts are included.

 

[VirginiaF]

Accor Advantage Plus web site is quoting $207 members rate for a room with marina views. If staying for four or five days the savings may stack up well against the annual membership rate of $299, particularly if meal discounts are included.

Thanks for the tip, Richarde. I am a member, but don't find much use for it. It's an old hang over from when my employer used to put me up at a few Novotels. And the dining discount makes it a little more tempting (I must say, I have not found too many good eating spots in the Accor chain, but then again, I may not have looked very hard). The rates for late April 2011 are still around the AUD500+ mark.

 

[Justinf]

I have been fortunate to dive with the whale sharks at Ningaloo and it was paid for by work, and I can say that it is absolutely amazing.
You will feel like you have done something truly amazing for weeks afterwards. I still felt that adrenaline rush high for days after.

 

[Boris spatsky]

I normally stay at the Potshot Inn in Exmouth. Nice place, and cheap too! Highly recommend it.