The Western Australian coastline can be harsh and unforgiving, desolate and barren. Yet there are certain spots where the beauty and extravagance seem to leap out of nowhere and surprise even the coast itself. The kind of areas that restore your faith in the wonders of our earth. Of these spots, Shark Bay is surely the most magnificent.

Picture 1500 kilometres of meandering shoreline enclose the azure blue waters of the bay, dotted with numerous islands and playing host to an incredible array of marine and bird life.

The main town in Shark Bay is Denham, located on the Peron Peninsula, and this can be a useful base from which to explore other attractions in the Bay. Just thirty minutes north of Denham is Monkey Mia, the famous dolphin resort that most visitors are attracted to Shark Bay for. The reason for this is the incredible habits of a particular pod of dolphins, who daily make their way to the shores near the resort and interact and play with the people waiting there for them. There are seven dolphins that do this daily, and a group of about twenty that join them on different occasions.

This remarkable occurence has been going on since the 1960's, and has encompassed three generations of dolphins. Thousands of tourists have been thrilled by these special creatures. A visit to Shark Bay would not be complete without a frolic with the dolphins of Monkey Mia.

However, there is much more to Shark Bay than the dolphins, as one would expect from a World Heritage listed site. Get out the goggles and flippers and enjoy the brilliant colours of the marine life that inhabits the bays and inlets of the region, where you are bound to have thrilling encounters with manta rays, sea turtles and large numbers of tropical fish.

Stretching for 1000 square kilometres are the Wooramel Seagrass Banks, the largest of their kind in the world. These limestone sands are formed from calcium deposits and form the perfect habitat for the graceful and quaint dugong, or 'sea cow', up to 14000 of these creatures call Shark Bay home, one of the most stable populations in the world. Tours are available to guarantee a sighting of these unique animals.

Another geographical attraction of the Bay are the stromatolites of Hamelin Pool. These are hard, dome shaped deposits formed by colonies of algae. Resembling mounds of hard rock, these are actually the world’s oldest known living organisms and they are formed by the activities of micro organisms. A 200 metre walkway extends out amongst the stromatolites, so you can view them without causing any damage.

 The rich diversity of the marine life in Shark Bay extends to species that are popular amongst fishermen. There are lots of fishing tours available where you can try your hand at pulling in snapper, cod, coral trout, spanish mackerel and other kinds of fish. On your trip you will probably bump into the bottlenose dolphins, dugongs, or if the season is right, a pod of humpback whales.

There are a number of camping facilities around the Bay. And in Denham there is a range of accommodation to suit all budgets and all groups. The famous Monkey Mia lodge also caters to those on a budget, with backpacker rooms and camping available as well as larger beachfront villas suitable for families.

Gavin Wyatt is a journalist with a passion for travel. Originally from Zambia he has traveled around the world to end up on the sunny shores of Australia. For more of his articles visit Discovery Car Hire - Perth