Guide to Monkey Mia Western Australia Australia

Monkey Mia is a beach on the eastern side of the Peron Peninsula in Shark Bay, about 26 km from Denham, and one of the most famous wildlife experiences in Australia. For more than half a century, wild bottlenose dolphins have come into the shallows here, and visitors gather each morning to watch them with rangers from Parks and Wildlife.

This is Malgana country, and Monkey Mia is managed jointly with the Malgana Aboriginal Corporation. Beyond the dolphins, the calm waters of Shark Bay hold dugongs, turtles, rays and, in winter, passing humpback whales, and the beachfront resort is the only place to stay.

Known For

• Wild dolphins visiting the beach each morning
• Dugongs, turtles and rays in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area
• A beachfront resort at the end of the World Heritage Drive

Things To Do in Monkey Mia

Dolphin experience

Most mornings, from about 7:45am until noon, dolphins swim into the shallows at the beach, and rangers explain their lives while visitors stand in the water. Only two dolphins are currently fed, the sisters Piccolo and Kiya, and feeding is limited so they keep hunting naturally. The ranger chooses a few visitors to help. Never touch the dolphins or feed them elsewhere.

Conservation Centre

The Conservation Centre has films and displays about the dolphins and Shark Bay, and is the place to book tours.

Wildlife cruises

Cruises from the jetty look for dugongs, turtles, dolphins and, from about June to October, humpback whales.

Walking trail

The Wulyibidi Yaninyina Trail is a set of three short loops, about 2.5 km in total, through the dunes and along the coast.

Kayaking

Experienced paddlers can take on the five-day Shark Bay Kayak Trail, while others can hire a kayak for a gentle paddle.

Francois Peron National Park

4WD tours from Monkey Mia head into Francois Peron National Park, with its red cliffs and white beaches.

Where To Stay

RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort is the only accommodation at Monkey Mia, with beachfront villas, rooms, backpacker dorms and powered sites, including powered beachfront and ensuite sites. Unpowered sites are for tents and campervans only. Dogs are allowed on a lead in some areas. Camping in the car park is not allowed. Fuel is available in Denham, 26 km away, and the road is sealed.

A reserve entry fee applies at Monkey Mia, paid at the entry station or online, and it is not covered by a national park pass.

Eat & Drink

The Boughshed Restaurant at the resort serves waterfront meals, and the Monkey Bar has pub meals and drinks. For more choice, Denham is a short drive away.

History

Fishermen began hand-feeding dolphins at Monkey Mia in the 1960s, and as word spread, the beach became world famous. The program is now carefully managed by rangers to protect the dolphins. Puck, one of the best-known dolphins, died in 2019, and her daughters Piccolo and Kiya are the dolphins fed today. The resort was rebuilt by RAC in recent years.

Getting to Monkey Mia

Monkey Mia is 26 km north-east of Denham on a sealed road, at the end of the World Heritage Drive, about 850 km north of Perth, around 10 hours’ drive. Shark Bay (Monkey Mia) Airport, between Denham and Monkey Mia, has flights from Perth.

Dolphins visit all year. The mildest weather is from April to October, and humpbacks pass from about June to October.