Monkey Mia is one of the famous places in Australia and renowned for the friendly dolphins. You will be able to walk into the warm Indian Ocean water and hand feed the dolphins as well as play with them. To me, these beautiful creatures are one of the Ocean's greatest sweethearts. The tiny town of Monkey Mia lies 800kms North of Perth, the Capital City of Western Australia. Population? 130 of the friendliest people on the planet! There is resort accommodation, a caravan park and camping facilities. The whole area is fascinating and Shark Bay is a World Heritage area. To get there? A light plane, a daily coach service or drive along the beautiful Western Australian Coastline. Approximately 100kms before you reach Monkey Mia, you will come to view the shallow waters of Shark Bay which are alive with marine life. The vast seagrass floor of the bay is home to countless species of fish. Manta Rays, turtles and whales can all be seen. At the Hamelin Pool in the south of Shark bay, the 'Stromatolites of Hamelin Pool', are among the oldest fossils of life on earth. These microscopic organisms concentrate and recycle nutrients which combine with sedimentary grains to form mushroom shaped towers. The area was named Shark Bay by William Dampier in his explorations of 1699, and the first contact with the coast, at Cape Inscription on Dirk Hartog Island by the Dutch Captain of that name, occurred in 1616, 152 years before Captain Cook claimed the eastern coast. The area contains 10 species of mammals, 98 species of reptiles and over 100 of birds. The Shark Bay area has the longest wildflower season of any part of Western Australia and has over 700 species of flowering plants. Shark Bay is a very special place, as its World Heritage listing attests. Shark Bay is accessible from Perth by road or daily flights from Perth. Make this vacation the best you have ever had! Enjoy your trip! -Yvonne Bornstein, Author, Eleven Days Of Hell - My True Story Of Kidnapping, Terror, Torture and Historic FBI and KGB Rescue |
