Where and when to see whale sharks

The world's largest fish is a filter feeder that gathers where plankton, fish spawn or krill blooms are seasonal, so sightings are strongly tied to the calendar. Many encounters are on snorkel, with diving possible at some sites.

This guide documents sightings in 23 Good Dives regions. The most regions are in peak season in November.

Colored-pencil illustration of whale sharks.

Whale sharks sighting calendar

Calendar months, every year

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Deep South MaldivesMaldivesPeakPeakPeakPeakPeak●●●●●●Peak
Ari AtollMaldives●●●●●●●PeakPeakPeakPeak●
Cenderawasih BayIndonesia●●●●●PeakPeakPeakPeak●●●
Triton BayIndonesiaPeakPeakPeakPeak●●PeakPeak
TofoMozambiquePeakPeakPeak●●PeakPeak
Ningaloo ReefAustralia●PeakPeakPeakPeak●●●
GalápagosEcuador●PeakPeakPeakPeak●
Mafia IslandTanzaniaPeakPeak●●PeakPeak
Koh TaoThailand●PeakPeakPeak●●●
DjiboutiDjiboutiPeak●●PeakPeak
Sea of Cortez (La Paz)Mexico●●●●●PeakPeak
Seychelles (Inner Islands)Seychelles●PeakPeakPeak●
Similan IslandsThailand●PeakPeakPeak●
TrincomaleeSri Lanka●PeakPeak●●●
Isla Mujeres & CancúnMexico●●PeakPeak●
Belize Barrier Reef & AtollsBelize●PeakPeak●
Socorro (Revillagigedo)Mexico●PeakPeak
Jardines de la ReinaCuba●●●●●●
Daymaniyat IslandsOman●Peak●
AzoresPortugal●●●●
Baa AtollMaldives●●●●
Tubbataha ReefsPhilippines●●●●
Mergui ArchipelagoMyanmar (Burma)●●

Peak = best odds · ● = regularly seen · blank = unlikely.

Calendars describe animal presence, not weather or site access; check each region’s dive season. For grouped animals, a marked month may apply to only one member of the group. Sightings vary by site and dive.

Explore all 23 documented regions