The verdict
Best places to dive with basking sharks
Cetorhinus maximus
The most reliable place to dive with basking sharks is Cornwall, from May to July.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 0 of 7 at peak | February: 2 of 7 at peak | March: 0 of 7 at peak | April: 0 of 7 at peak | May: 1 of 7 at peak | June: 2 of 7 at peak | July: 3 of 7 at peak | August: 2 of 7 at peak | September: 2 of 7 at peak | October: 0 of 7 at peak | November: 0 of 7 at peak | December: 1 of 7 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak Possible only
Based on 4,500 OBIS records of basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) within 60 km of 7 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with basking sharks
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornwall | UK | May–Jul | Near-guaranteed | 29 of 32 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 2 | Scapa Flow | Scotland | Jul–Sep | Near-guaranteed | 24 of 32 years | Day boat |
| 3 | Ireland | Ireland | Jun, Aug | Near-guaranteed | 19 of 30 years | Day boat |
| 4 | Farne Islands | UK | Sep | Likely | 12 of 32 years | Day boat |
| 5 | Outer Banks | USA | Feb | Hit-or-miss | 3 of 32 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 6 | French Riviera / Corsica | France | Dec | Hit-or-miss | 2 of 29 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 7 | Cape Town / False Bay | South Africa | Feb, Jul | Hit-or-miss | 0 of 32 yearsfew records | Day boat, Shore |
When to dive with basking sharks
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Possible | May: Peak season | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Scapa Flow | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Possible | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Ireland | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Possible | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Possible | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Possible | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Farne Islands | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Not common | Aug: Possible | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Not common |
| Outer Banks | Jan: Possible | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| French Riviera / Corsica | Jan: Possible | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Peak season |
| Cape Town / False Bay | Jan: Possible | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Possible | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Possible | Dec: Not common |
Peak season Possible Not common
Basking shark month by month
- January
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Outer Banks.
- February
- The one peak month at Outer Banks. Also good at Cape Town / False Bay.
- March
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Outer Banks.
- April
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Cornwall.
- May
- Season starts at Cornwall.
- July
- Season starts at Scapa Flow. Also good at Cornwall and Cape Town / False Bay.
- August
- The one peak month at Ireland. Also good at Scapa Flow.
- September
- The one peak month at Farne Islands. Also good at Scapa Flow.
- October
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Scapa Flow.
- November
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Farne Islands.
- December
- The one peak month at French Riviera / Corsica.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months basking sharks are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | May–Jul | 13–17 °C | Drysuit |
| Scapa Flow | Jul–Sep | 13 °C | Drysuit |
| Ireland | Jun, Aug | 13–15 °C | Drysuit |
| Farne Islands | Sep | 14 °C | Drysuit |
| Outer Banks | Feb | 18 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
What else you'll see with basking sharks
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Diving with basking sharks: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with basking sharks?
- The most reliable place to dive with basking sharks is Cornwall, from May to July.
- When is the best time to dive with basking sharks?
- July, when 3 of the 7 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Cornwall peaks May to July; Scapa Flow peaks July to September; Ireland peaks June, August.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with basking sharks?
- At Cornwall from May to July, the water is 13 °C to 17 °C, so bring a drysuit.
- How many places can you dive with basking sharks?
- besttimetodive.com has basking sharks on record at 7 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.