Straddling mainland Australia’s westernmost coastline, World Heritage-listed Shark Bay claims some of the richest biodiversity in the state.

Traditional home of the Malgana, Nhanda and Yingkarta people, the area’s most famous destination is Monkey Mia, where wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins swim to shore each morning for a friendly feed. The first feed occurs at around 7.45am, and only a handful of onlookers are allowed to enter the water and assist with feeding. The others look on from the water’s edge or from the pier. Second and third feedings usually occur before midday and are often less crowded.

Directly north of Monkey Mia and the town of Denham, Francois Peron National Park stuns with its contrasting hues of ochre, white and aquamarine. Its waters are home to dugongs, dolphins, manta rays and sea turtles, who feed on Shark Bay’s nutrient-rich seagrass beds (the world’s largest).