Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort

You come here for the coast first: a beachfront resort overlooking Sunrise Beach, with ocean or marina views from private balconies and enough room to make the return from the water feel civilised. Mantarays Ningaloo Resort suits divers who want a proper base rather than a place that closes down around them, with a restaurant, bar, resort-style pool and a tour desk that can arrange diving, fishing charters and scenic flights.

Couples can keep things simple with a one-bedroom room, bungalow or apartment, while families and small groups have two-bedroom accommodation with separate living space. The setting also works when not everyone in your party is diving: there is a beach outside, a fitness centre, golf nearby and a long list of water-based outings. In other words, you can spend the day underwater without asking the non-diver to admire your logbook over dinner.

The resort sits on Madafarri Drive in Exmouth, Western Australia, directly beside a white-sand beach. Exmouth Beach is about 0.1 mile away, and the accommodation faces the coast and marina rather than sitting inland behind a row of car parks. Sun loungers and parasols are available by the beach.

Learmonth Airport is about 17 miles away, roughly a 21-minute drive. Exmouth Golf Club is five minutes by car, while Cape Range National Park is about 45 minutes away. That makes this a useful base for mixing reef days with a land day, without pretending that the national park is just around the corner.

For a change of scene, the Exmouth Yacht Club is about 0.5 mile away and Whalers Restaurant about 0.9 mile. The Social Society Exmouth and Truscott Memorial Club RSL are each around 1.8 miles away, so a car is handy if you plan to eat beyond the resort.

The choice is less about collecting room names than deciding how much space you want around you. A standard or superior double or twin room keeps things straightforward for two, while a one-bedroom bungalow or apartment gives you a separate living area and more breathing room for a longer stay. For four people, the two-bedroom apartments and bungalows are the sensible step up, particularly when everybody has bags, wet-weather layers and the usual collection of things that somehow follow a diver indoors.

Private balconies bring either ocean or marina views, depending on the accommodation, and the apartments and villas add a two-person spa bath. High ceilings and contemporary furnishings keep the rooms from feeling cramped, while air conditioning matters when the day has involved heat, salt and rather too much sun. Every accommodation type has a private en suite bathroom with a shower and hairdryer.

A refrigerator and electric kettle cover the basics when you need cold water or an early cup of tea, and selected apartments give you a sofa, seating area and desk rather than just a bed and a chair. Daily housekeeping, digital television, cable channels and a clothing drying rack keep the practical side in order. Family rooms and interconnecting rooms are available, and the larger two-bedroom options are the ones to look at when sharing a holiday without sharing every square inch.

Mantarays Dining & Bar handles breakfast, lunch and dinner on the resort terrace, with views across the Exmouth Gulf. Breakfast is a buffet, with fruit, pastries, bacon and eggs to build a plate around; useful when the morning starts earlier than any sensible person would choose. Lunch and dinner follow a contemporary Australian menu with a European influence.

Fresh local seafood, steak and desserts form the main line-up, so the evening meal has more substance than a packet of crisps rescued from a drawer. The same venue combines the restaurant and bar, giving you somewhere to sit with a drink without turning the evening into a second expedition.

The published service hours are 6.30am to 9.00am for breakfast, 12.00pm to 2.00pm for lunch and 5.30pm to 9.00pm for dinner. Room service runs in the evening from 5.30pm to 9.00pm, which is useful when the only ambition left is shower, food and horizontal.

The white-sand beach is the obvious place to start, with loungers, parasols and a resort-style pool for the hours when you want water without a tank, a mask or a boat timetable. The fitness centre is there for anyone who still has energy to spend, although a walk along the shore may be the more honest choice after a full day outside.

On the water, the resort offers snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, fishing and boat excursions. The tour desk also books scenic flights, fishing charters and diving, while excursions can include islands, waterfalls, markets, boat trips and snorkelling. The list is broad enough for a couple to split the day without splitting the holiday.

Golf is available within about 2 miles, and hiking, cycling, wildlife observation and cultural excursions take you away from the immediate beachfront. The resort also provides outdoor dining areas and garden space, so the non-diving part of the day does not have to be organised like a military operation.

Learmonth Airport is around 17 miles from the resort, with the drive taking roughly 21 minutes. Check-in starts from 2.00pm. The booking policy gives check-out until 10.00am, while the hotel's own published policy gives 12.00pm, so check the departure time attached to your chosen accommodation before relying on a leisurely final morning.

Free on-site public parking is available, and luggage storage makes an early arrival or late departure easier to manage. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel, with wired internet in public areas. Daily housekeeping is included, while laundry and ironing services are available for an additional charge. Packed lunches can be arranged for days spent away from the resort.

Children of any age are welcome, with extra beds and cots available for younger guests according to the accommodation selected. Guests aged 18 and over are treated as adults, and the minimum age for check-in is 18. Bank cards and cash are accepted, and credit card surcharges apply.