'I stayed at Australia’s most luxurious glamping destination. This is what happened.'

It's early on a Friday morning, and in Sydney, it's raining. 

The sun hasn't quite risen, and it doesn't look like it particularly wants to. A day in Sydney today will be spent inside, with the heating on and foggy windows that make the city outside almost indistinguishable.

But in just a few hours, I won't be in Sydney. My partner Rory and I will be at Sal Salis resort in Ningaloo Reef, on Western Australia's remote north coast.

The reef is 1200km north of Perth, and is a World Heritage Site known for its clear, warm waters and being home to some of the world's most incredible marine creatures. Turquoise lagoons contrast with the red soils of the Cape Range, in a rare phenomenon where the outback meets one of the largest fringing coral reefs.

We fly from Sydney to Perth, and Perth to Exmouth, and it's as we come in to land in Exmouth that I first start to comprehend the magic of this part of the world. The colours – reds and oranges and browns and greens and blues and yellows. Reefs that are visible from the sky. Swirling sands and thick bushland behind narrow beaches. 

Landing in Exmouth. Image: Supplied.

At Learmonth Airport in Exmouth, a team member from Sal Salis is waiting to take us to the resort – an hour and 20-minute drive south to Ningaloo Reef. On the way, he tells us about the town of Exmouth, which earlier this year was one of the only towns on Earth to experience a total solar eclipse. It's the gateway to the Coral Coast, where travellers discover pristine islands, spectacular rock formations and tens of thousands of years of Indigenous history.

As soon as we arrive at Sal Salis, we see whales. From the beach, humpbacks can be seen breaching just beyond the reef. The Ningaloo Coast has the highest density of humpback whales in the Southern Hemisphere between March and August, while they're migrating from Antarctica to their breeding grounds off the Kimberley. It's also whale shark season, which means most of the guests at Sal Salis are booked to swim with the biggest fish in the world.

Our first day is spent discovering our eco-luxury safari tent, equipped with a sprawling bed that overlooks the reef, an ensuite bathroom, and a hammock on our deck. There are only 16 wilderness tents at Sal Salis, and the resort is all-inclusive – that means all meals, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, national park fees, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, snorkel gear, wetsuits and daily activities.

Our luxury safari tent. Image: Supplied. 

We walk the 50m to the beach and feel the urge to explore the reef immediately. Rory and I grab one of the kayaks and start paddling, stopping repeatedly to look over the side in awe at turtles, starfish and the absurdly beautiful colour of the water.

Heaven. Image: Supplied.

That afternoon, I lie on a sun lounge and finish a book I'd been meaning to finish for weeks back at home. At Sal Salis, there's no cell service and no wifi, so you're off-grid in a way that it's impossible to be in our day-to-day lives.

As the sun starts to set, we have canapés and cocktails at the resort's lodge, before sitting down to dinner with the other guests. We all sit at two long tables for a five-star dining experience and exchange stories about how we've filled our days. The couple beside us, from Melbourne, swam with whale sharks, and show us videos of them in the water as the giant fish swim slowly past them. It wasn't scary, they say. Mostly... peaceful. And as their boat made its way back, they spotted a pod of orcas behind them.

The next day begins with a cafe-style breakfast, and Rory and I play Scrabble as we decide what to do with our non-technology-filled day. We spend the morning on the beach with books, and just after lunch, we go on a snorkelling trip facilitated by the resort.

Hi sweetie! Image: Supplied. 

It's easily the best snorkelling I've ever done – better than Bali or Thailand or, dare I say, the Great Barrier Reef. We see stingrays, sea snakes, turtles (so many turtles) and bright coral, and the water is still and clear. The guides are intimately familiar with the reef and are passionate about being able to enjoy it while preserving it.

That afternoon, Rory and I go stand-up paddle boarding in front of the resort. We see a reef shark, as well as more turtles, and are quietly surprised by how much we can fit into a day that doesn't involve our phones.

View: excellent. Skills: lacking. Image: Supplied.

We get a cheeseboard and enjoy it on our hammock before canapés and dinner. Rory's reading the first book he's read in years and is halfway through, and I'm deep into my second. That night, we hear stories from a group who were on today's whale shark tour and were in the water as humpbacks swam in the distance. They could see and hear the whales under the water. The Sal Salis team give us a heads-up about the optional activities for the following day: a sunrise hike and a snorkelling trip. Rory and I are brand new people here, so we decide we'll do both.

By 5am the next morning, we're looking at the stars from a shuttle taking us to Yardie Creek Gorge. Once we start walking, the sun comes up over the rock formations and we spot black-footed rock wallabies and osprey nests. The colours of the rock change with the sunrise, shifting from brown and orange and pink, and it's striking against the green of the water inside it.

The changing colours of the gorge. Image: Supplied.

We're back at the resort for breakfast, and spend the morning reading and swimming and walking. By early afternoon it's time for our second snorkelling trip, and it's just as impressive as the first. We see schools of colourful fish and reef sharks and more turtles, often swimming so slowly you can't miss them.

It's our last afternoon and we lie in our hammock as the sun sets. It's one of the most beautiful sunsets either of us has ever seen, and we decide to sleep that night with just the fly net of our tent closed so we can see the stars. Our final dinner is bittersweet because we feel like we could spend weeks here. We haven't had to think about anything – no meals or cleaning or planning or shopping – and neither of us wants to go back to winter in Sydney. 

The most beautiful sunset we've ever seen. Image: Supplied.

The moment we get cell service for the first time on the way back to Exmouth, I get a pang. I notice myself plunged straight back into the abyss of my phone and miss the enforced disconnection at Sal Salis. It's so rare now to be truly off-grid. Without my phone, the days felt longer and slower. I allowed my mind to wander. I had conversations I simply don't have in my everyday life.

There's no doubt I'll be returning to Ningaloo Reef. Rory and I want to swim with whale sharks and go on a whale-watching tour and explore everything the Coral Coast has to offer.

Sal Salis is the ideal way to see such a unique part of the world. The resort takes the stress out of planning and allows for true relaxation while being able to see gorges and parts of the reef you wouldn't discover on your own. Whether you're a solo traveller, with a partner, or with your family (kids over 10 are welcome at Sal Salis), the accommodation is one-of-a-kind, and you'll have a truly unforgettable holiday.

Clare Stephens was gifted her stay at Sal Salis. You can find out more about Sal Salis here.