The verdict
Best places to dive with bigeye trevallys
Caranx sexfasciatus
The most reliable place to dive with bigeye trevallys is Mabul / Kapalai, from All year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 1 of 10 at peak | February: 1 of 10 at peak | March: 2 of 10 at peak | April: 1 of 10 at peak | May: 2 of 10 at peak | June: 1 of 10 at peak | July: 1 of 10 at peak | August: 1 of 10 at peak | September: 1 of 10 at peak | October: 1 of 10 at peak | November: 0 of 10 at peak | December: 1 of 10 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak Possible only
Based on 1,220 OBIS records of bigeye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus) within 60 km of 44 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with bigeye trevallys
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mabul / Kapalai | Malaysia | All year | Near-guaranteed | 18 of 23 years | Day boat |
| 2 | Sipadan | Malaysia | All year | Near-guaranteed | 17 of 23 years | Day boat |
| 3 | Darwin & Wolf, Galapagos | Ecuador | All year | Near-guaranteed | 23 of 32 years | Liveaboard |
| 4 | Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat | Indonesia | All year | Near-guaranteed | 12 of 19 years | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 5 | Misool, Raja Ampat | Indonesia | Dec–Jan, Mar | Near-guaranteed | 11 of 18 yearsfew records | Liveaboard |
| 6 | Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon | Micronesia | May, Sep–Oct | Near-guaranteed | 6 of 10 yearsfew records | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 7 | Cabo Pulmo | Mexico Pacific | All year | Likely | 15 of 27 years | Day boat |
| 8 | Palau | Micronesia | All year | Likely | 14 of 27 years | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 9 | Komodo North | Indonesia | May–Aug | Likely | 9 of 22 years | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 10 | Cano Island / Drake Bay | Costa Rica | Feb–Apr | Likely | 9 of 30 years | Day boat |
Also on record at Anilao, Puerto Galera, Wayag / North, Raja Ampat, Coron, Coiba, Komodo South, Dumaguete / Dauin, Oslob, Cocos Island, Tubbataha, Ribbon Reefs, Apo Island, Nusa Penida, Bohol / Panglao, Gili Islands, Tulamben / Amed, Moalboal, Guanacaste / Catalinas, Byron Bay / Julian Rocks, Bunaken, Lembeh Strait, Saudi Red Sea, Richelieu Rock, Perhentian, Redang, Cairns, Koh Tao, Puerto Vallarta / Banderas, Oahu, Malpelo, Galapagos Central, Seychelles, Beqa Lagoon, Fiji and Cabo San Lucas.
When to dive with bigeye trevallys
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mabul / Kapalai | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Sipadan | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Darwin & Wolf, Galapagos | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Misool, Raja Ampat | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Possible | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: No survey data | Sep: Possible | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Peak season |
| Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon | Jan: Not common | Feb: Possible | Mar: Not common | Apr: Possible | May: Peak season | Jun: Not common | Jul: Possible | Aug: Not common | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Cabo Pulmo | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Palau | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Komodo North | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Possible | May: Peak season | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Not common |
| Cano Island / Drake Bay | Jan: Possible | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Peak season | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
Peak season Possible Not common No survey data
Bigeye trevally month by month
- January
- Last peak month at Misool, Raja Ampat.
- February
- Season starts at Cano Island / Drake Bay.
- March
- The one peak month at Misool, Raja Ampat. Also good at Cano Island / Drake Bay.
- April
- Last peak month at Cano Island / Drake Bay.
- May
- The one peak month at Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon. Also good at Komodo North.
- June
- Best at Komodo North.
- July
- Best at Komodo North.
- August
- Last peak month at Komodo North.
- September
- Season starts at Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon.
- October
- Last peak month at Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon.
- November
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Mabul / Kapalai.
- December
- Season starts at Misool, Raja Ampat.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months bigeye trevallys are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mabul / Kapalai | All year | 29–30 °C | Skin or 3 mm shorty |
| Sipadan | All year | 29–30 °C | Skin or 3 mm shorty |
| Darwin & Wolf, Galapagos | All year | 25–28 °C | 5 mm full suit |
| Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat | All year | 29–30 °C | Skin or 3 mm shorty |
| Misool, Raja Ampat | Dec–Jan, Mar | 30 °C | Skin or 3 mm shorty |
What else you'll see with bigeye trevallys
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Napoleon wrasse
At Mabul / Kapalai, Sipadan and 2 more
Grey reef shark
At Mabul / Kapalai, Sipadan and 2 more
Whitetip reef shark
At Darwin & Wolf, Galapagos, Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat and 2 more
Reef manta
At Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat, Misool, Raja Ampat and 2 more
Zebra shark
At Mabul / Kapalai and Sipadan
Oceanic manta
At Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat and Misool, Raja Ampat
Diving with bigeye trevallys: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with bigeye trevallys?
- The most reliable place to dive with bigeye trevallys is Mabul / Kapalai, from All year.
- When is the best time to dive with bigeye trevallys?
- March, May, when 2 of the 10 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Mabul / Kapalai peaks All year; Sipadan peaks All year; Darwin & Wolf, Galapagos peaks All year.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with bigeye trevallys?
- At Mabul / Kapalai from All year, the water is 29 °C to 30 °C, so bring a skin or 3 mm shorty.
- How many places can you dive with bigeye trevallys?
- besttimetodive.com has bigeye trevallys on record at 44 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.