Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 8 Nov 2026
Monkey Mia
Kalbarri & Shark Bay, Western Australia · near Monkey Mia / Denham
| Depth | 0–3 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Snorkel/Any |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Access | Shore |
| Entry | Beach entry (outside dolphin interaction zone) |
| Current | None |
| Visibility | 2-8 m |
| Water | summer 23-26 °C, winter 17-19 °C |
| Suit | Not usually needed in summer |
| Best season | April-October (milder weather) |
| Position | -25.79000, 113.72000 (approximate) |
| Permit | Shark Bay Marine Park (DBCA) – sanctuary zones are no-take; Shark Bay World Heritage Area. Monkey Mia Reserve entry fee; dolphin interaction rules. |
| Nearest chamber | Fiona Stanley Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Murdoch, Perth) – about 830 km; RFDS aeromedical evacuation from Denham/Carnarvon |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Monkey Mia
Also known as Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort, Monkey Mia Reserve
World-famous wild dolphin visits – a wildlife experience, not a dive.
Near Monkey Mia / Denham · Kalbarri & Shark Bay, Western Australia
- Depth
- 0–3 m
- Minimum level
- Snorkel/Any
- Access
- Shore
- Boat ride
- —
- Water
- 23-26 °C
- Visibility
- 2-8 m
Monkey Mia0–3 m · Snorkel/Any · Shore
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: April, May, June, July, August, September, October.
April-October (milder weather)
- Best months
- Now (November)
- Stinger suit Nov–May
Dive facts
- Depth
- 0–3 m
- Typical depth
- 1 m
- Certification
- Snorkel/Any
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Depth tier
- Easy (0–10 m)
- Access
- Shore
- Dive centre needed
- No – independently diveable
- Shore / independent
- No
- Current
- None
- Visibility
- 2-8 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 23-26 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 17-19 °C
- Water
- Subtropical
- Dive traffic
- Very popular (dived daily)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- No
Exposure suit
Not usually needed in summer
Location
Monkey Mia · Gascoyne – Shark Bay
-25.79000, 113.72000
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: sharkbay.orgMarine park & permits
Shark Bay Marine Park (DBCA) – sanctuary zones are no-take; Shark Bay World Heritage Area. Monkey Mia Reserve entry fee; dolphin interaction rules.
Nearest recompression chamber
Fiona Stanley Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Murdoch, Perth) – about 830 km; RFDS aeromedical evacuation from Denham/Carnarvon
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Monkey Mia →
A day-by-day plan for Kalbarri & Shark Bay with this site locked in.
This guide is a planning aid. Conditions change daily — confirm with a local dive centre and dive within your training. Data & safety notes.
Dive profile
How this site rates
Scores are computed from the recorded data, not opinions. How?
At a glance
Monkey Mia is a muck / sand dive in Kalbarri & Shark Bay, WA, 0–3 m, suitable for snorkellers and first-time divers.
Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day.
Why dive here
- World-famous wild dolphin visits – a wildlife experience, not a dive.
About Monkey Mia
Monkey Mia is world famous for the wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins that have visited its beach for decades, and for the ranger-supervised morning sessions where a few dolphins are fed small amounts of fish in the shallows. It lies within the Shark Bay World Heritage Area and Shark Bay Marine Park, on the eastern shore of the Peron Peninsula.
It is not a dive site. The water off the beach is shallow sand and seagrass with modest visibility, and swimming and interacting with dolphins outside the supervised sessions is discouraged and restricted to protect the animals. The eastern bay supports dugongs, turtles, rays, sharks and sea snakes, which can be seen on wildlife cruises from the jetty.
Divers visiting Shark Bay should look to the coral sites around Dirk Hartog Island, Francois Peron National Park and Eagle Bluff, which require self-sufficiency, as there is no dive operator in the region.
Getting there & entry
Famous dolphin-interaction beach on the eastern side of the Peron Peninsula, 25 km from Denham; shallow sand and seagrass – not a dive site, and swimming near the dolphin interaction area is restricted.
Monkey Mia is 25 km north-east of Denham via the Monkey Mia Road (sealed), about 850 km north of Perth; Denham has an airport with flights from Perth. The Monkey Mia Reserve charges an entry fee; parking and the resort are beside the beach. Dolphin feeding sessions take place in the morning at the designated interaction area supervised by DBCA rangers.
Entry: Beach entry (outside dolphin interaction zone)
Facilities: Monkey Mia resort, café, toilets, showers, parking and jetty; reserve entry fee.
Weather, swell & tides
Shark Bay is dominated by strong southerly winds, which blow most days from about October to March and often exceed 20 knots by late morning; the calmest conditions are in April-June and on early mornings. The inner bay is shallow and well protected from ocean swell, but the western shores of Dirk Hartog Island and Steep Point face the full Indian Ocean. Water is 17-19°C in winter and 23-26°C in summer.
Monkey Mia faces east into the sheltered eastern arm of Shark Bay; water is shallow and calm, but visibility over sand and seagrass is limited and the afternoon southerly brings chop.
Best season: April-October (milder weather)
How the dive is usually run
Not a dive site. Watch the dolphin sessions from the beach and follow ranger instructions; swim only outside the interaction area.
Marine life
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Shallow enough for snorkellers and for a first dive under supervision. Any certified diver can dive it.
Depth tiers: 0–10 m easy · to 18 m Open Water · 18–30 m Advanced (25 m+ is a deep dive) · 30–40 m Deep specialty · 40 m+ technical. All courses
Hazards & warnings
Do not touch or approach dolphins outside ranger sessions; stingrays in shallows; sharks; sea snakes; heat.
Dive centres that go here
No dive operator. Wildlife cruises and dolphin experiences run from the Monkey Mia jetty; DBCA rangers run the dolphin interaction sessions.
Other dive centres in Kalbarri & Shark Bay
All dive centres in Western Australia →
Operators mentioned: None local
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views
Monkey Mia: frequently asked questions
How deep is Monkey Mia?
Monkey Mia reaches a maximum depth of 3 m, with the shallowest part at about 0 m; most of the dive is spent around 1 m.
What certification do I need to dive Monkey Mia?
No certification is needed to snorkel it, and it suits introductory dives. Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day.
Can I shore dive Monkey Mia?
No, it is reached by boat.
When is the best time to dive Monkey Mia?
April-October (milder weather).
What marine life will I see at Monkey Mia?
Regularly recorded: Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, dugongs, turtles, rays, sharks, sea snakes, seagrass.
What wetsuit do I need at Monkey Mia?
Not usually needed in summer.
How cold is the water at Monkey Mia?
Typically 23-26 °C in summer and 17-19 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Monkey Mia?
Do not touch or approach dolphins outside ranger sessions; stingrays in shallows; sharks; sea snakes; heat. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Monkey Mia?
Fiona Stanley Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Murdoch, Perth) – about 830 km; RFDS aeromedical evacuation from Denham/Carnarvon. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Kalbarri & Shark Bay
Kalbarri's Blue Holes shore snorkel and the reefs off the river mouth, and Shark Bay's Steep Point and Dirk Hartog Island reefs and wrecks, are warm-water diving on the transition to the tropics, with dugongs in the bay and pelagics at the point.
Getting there: Six to nine hours north of Perth. Limited dive services; mostly private boats and shore entries.
All Kalbarri & Shark Bay dive sites and a suggested itinerary →
Sources
- sharkbay.org/advice/things-to-do-on-water/water-activities
- sharkbay.org/place/dirk-hartog-island-national-park
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: General knowledge on Monkey Mia dolphin program; no dive source (not a dive site). Description under 250 words.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
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