Ningaloo Reef

　　   The Ningaloo Reef system is located on the western coast of Australia, approximately 1,200 kilometers north of Perth. Stretching 260 kilometers in length, it is one of Australia’s largest fringing coral reefs and the only major reef system located close to the mainland.

　　   The Ningaloo Reef system is one of the world’s largest living coral reef systems and among the few marine areas where people can swim alongside whales and sharks. In 1987, the reef and its surrounding waters were designated as the Ningaloo Marine Park, and in 2011, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

　　   The waters of the Ningaloo Reef are world-renowned for shark feeding from March to June each year. These reefs play a vital role in supporting the area’s coral and other marine life. During winter, the reefs serve as migration routes for dolphins, dugongs, manta rays, and humpback whales; the reef flats also function as important nesting and egg-laying sites for sea turtles such as the hawksbill and green turtle. The Ningaloo Reef system plays a crucial ecological role in the region’s marine environment, making the impact of tourism on its ecosystem a constant concern and topic of debate.

　　   Ningaloo Reef    Must-visit reason: One of the world’s largest living coral reef systems    Continent: Oceania    Country/Region: Australia    State/Province: Western Australia