Ningaloo is one of the world's most reliable places to swim with whale sharks, and it was here that the licensed whale shark tour model was developed in the 1990s. Numbers of participants have grown from about 1,000 in 1993 to more than 36,000 in 2022. The sharks — the largest fish in the sea, commonly 4–12 m — aggregate along the outer reef each autumn, feeding on plankton associated with the coral spawn and seasonal productivity. DBCA describes them as most reliably seen from March to July, with sightings in some years into August to October.

Tours are run only by DBCA-licensed operators from Exmouth and Coral Bay. A spotter aircraft locates the sharks and guides the boat in; the crew then drop groups of up to 10 snorkellers ahead of the animal. Rules require vessels to stay at least 30 m away, allow only one boat in a shark's 250 m approach zone at a time for a maximum of 90 minutes, and require swimmers to stay 3 m from the head and body and 4 m from the tail. Flash photography, touching and scuba are prohibited.

The encounter is a snorkel in open ocean, often over deep water, and swimmers need to be reasonably fit and comfortable in swell. Tours usually include a reef snorkel and often chance encounters with manta rays, dolphins, dugong and, from July, humpback whales. It is a bucket-list experience that suits anyone who can swim confidently.

The interaction is not a fixed site; boats search along the reef each day. Coral Bay tours cover the southern Ningaloo aggregation and Exmouth tours the northern part of the reef.

Book a licensed tour in Exmouth or Coral Bay. Exmouth operators collect guests from accommodation and drive to Tantabiddi boat ramp (35 km); Coral Bay tours leave from the Coral Bay boat ramp just south of town. Boats run a practice snorkel inside the lagoon, then head through the reef passage while a spotter plane searches for whale sharks, typically within a few kilometres of the reef edge.

When a shark is found, groups of up to 10 snorkellers are dropped ahead of it and swim alongside. Tours last most of the day.

Tours operate in open ocean outside the reef, so strong south-westerly winds and swell cancel trips; the spotter plane also needs reasonable weather. Swimmers must be comfortable in open water with swell, often in deep blue water with no bottom in sight. Visibility is high but plankton blooms that attract the sharks can reduce it.

Seasickness is common on rough days. Cyclone season (November–April) overlaps the early part of the season.

Snorkel only – scuba is not permitted with whale sharks. Enter quickly and quietly when the crew signal, form a line to one side of the shark's path, and swim alongside keeping at least 3 m from the head and body and 4 m from the tail. Do not touch, block or dive down in front of the shark.

Return to the boat when called; each group gets several swims.

Snorkel only – scuba prohibited during interactions.

Around 15 DBCA-licensed tour operators from Exmouth (Tantabiddi) and Coral Bay, including Exmouth Dive & Whalesharks Ningaloo, Ningaloo Whaleshark Swim, Ningaloo Whaleshark-N-Dive, Kings Ningaloo Reef Tours, Ningaloo Discovery, Ningaloo Reef Whalesharks and Coral Bay Eco Tours; daily full-day tours in season with spotter aircraft.