Coral Bay, like Monkey Mia, is another of these overrated beach destinations whose original appeal has been assaulted by the number of people wanting to capture that mythical childhood holiday bliss that they think they remember from the 1970's. Is there anything more lacking in charm than contemporary Australian architecture? Brought to you by the same people who make Russian Public Housing Gulags, it's the typical featureless strip mall look. As usual, everyone is crammed into the smallest possible allotments in the midst of an enormous wilderness and it's all laid out to minimise any visual interaction with one's surroundings.
The bay is lovely and it is the perfect family beach; you can also take rather expensive tour boat trips to see manta rays and whales or go charter fishing. Under water, it's sad to see all the coral broken off by years of snorkellers and boats, but the fish are friendly. You can take your 4WD on the sand tracks to get to the less damaged beaches such as Five Fingers, which is beautiful. If you want to really experience this coast, go to Warroora or the Exmouth national parks areas. Like Lord Howe Island, food and accommodation are very expensive - bring your own supplies. It's a good place to stop for a snorkel and a swim on the way to Exmouth, unless you are a backpacker in a van in which case locals will set upon you with pitchforks and flaming torches as they summon the rottweilers.
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