From the beach at Turquoise Bay, it's only a few doggy-paddle strokes before the coral appears underneath. Squadrons of damselfish zip around, colourful wrasse patrol and strangely hypnotic clams pulsate. This, in a single scene, is the major selling point of Australia's lesser-known great reef. The Ningaloo Reef is, in one sense of the word, staggeringly accessible. It runs along Western Australia's North West Cape for 300 kilometres, often just 100 metres from the shore. The lagoon this creates is calm, clear and teeming with life. Snorkellers can step off a white sand beach, duck their heads into the water, and immediately immerse themselves in a marine playground of magical...
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