The story of this place
Monkey Mia in Shark Bay is one of the world's most famous wildlife encounter destinations, where wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins have been voluntarily coming to shore since the 1960s. The dolphins — part of a resident population of approximately 300 in Shark Bay — approach the beach most mornings between 7:30am and midday, allowing visitors to stand in knee-deep water just metres away. Shark Bay is itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed for its extraordinary marine biodiversity, including the world's largest seagrass meadows and the oldest living organisms on Earth — stromatolites at Hamelin Pool. The dolphin feeding is managed by rangers who regulate the number of feeds and fish given. Photography from the shoreline captures the dolphins in crystal-clear turquoise water against white sand.