Back Beach is Karratha's go-to shore entry snorkel spot, featuring a wide sandy beach with a public boat ramp. The snorkel terrain runs roughly 50m offshore over a sandy, weedy bottom dotted with small coral patches. Sheltered inside King Bay on the Burrup Peninsula, the site offers calm conditions perfect for beginners exploring tropical marine life. Trailer and car parking is available right by the beach, and the boat ramp also provides easy water access. Snorkeling is best at low tide when the coral gardens are just beneath the surface, revealing tropical fish, rays, and occasional turtles in warm Pilbara waters.
Back Beach (Karratha)
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Showing last known conditions
Wave Height 0.1 mSwell Period 2.5 sWind Speed 1.9 knPrecipitation 0.0 mmTidal Phase flood
Last evaluated
© Jim BendonThe spot
Community-maintained
Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
Know before you go
Logged by the community, confirmed by mods
Low risk: Boat traffic
The boat ramp and adjacent waters see boating, fishing and swimming activity, especially on weekends. A dive flag is recommended for snorkelers.
Low risk: Low visibility in warmer months
Visibility can drop below 5m during summer (Dec–Feb) due to warmer conditions and plankton blooms.
Wildlife Guide
No wildlife notes for this spot yet.
Gallery
3 photos from the community
Getting in
Shore entry
Entry
From central Karratha, head north-west on Dampier Highway towards Burrup Road. Turn off onto the road leading to Back Beach — the beach and boat ramp are well signposted near the Karratha town centre foreshore area.
Parking & facilities
Moderate-sized car park with space for approximately 20+ trailers and 20+ standard vehicles. Free parking available.
parkingboat_ramp
Free
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Gallery ┬╖ 3 photos
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About this data
- Conditions last evaluated
- Spot data last updated
- Data sources
- Open-Meteo (marine & weather conditions), tide predictions via UTide, community contributors (descriptions, hazards, marine life).
- License
- Spot content licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. How's the Spot is open source.
Weather & swell ┬╖ Open-Meteo marine & weather APIs Tides ┬╖ UTide harmonic analysis Sea & safety ┬╖ community reports