The verdict
Best places to dive with Bryde's whales
Balaenoptera edeni
Your best chance with Bryde's whales is Loreto / Sea of Cortez North, from March, though no site we score is a certainty.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 1 of 6 at peak | February: 0 of 6 at peak | March: 1 of 6 at peak | April: 0 of 6 at peak | May: 0 of 6 at peak | June: 1 of 6 at peak | July: 0 of 6 at peak | August: 2 of 6 at peak | September: 3 of 6 at peak | October: 3 of 6 at peak | November: 1 of 6 at peak | December: 1 of 6 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak Possible only
Based on 604 OBIS records of Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni) within 60 km of 6 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with Bryde's whales
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loreto / Sea of Cortez North | Mexico Pacific | Mar | Likely | 13 of 32 years | Day boat |
| 2 | Kauai / Niihau | USA | Sep–Oct | Hit-or-miss | 6 of 23 years | Day boat |
| 3 | Gran Canaria, Canary Islands | Spain | Aug–Oct | Hit-or-miss | 3 of 21 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 4 | Western (Isabela/Fernandina), Galapagos | Ecuador | Oct–Dec | Hit-or-miss | 0 of 29 years | Liveaboard |
| 5 | Catalina Island | USA | Sep | Hit-or-miss | 5 of 32 yearsfew records | Shore, Day boat |
| 6 | Madeira | Portugal | Jan, Jun, Aug | Hit-or-miss | 6 of 26 yearsfew records | Day boat |
When to dive with Bryde's whales
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loreto / Sea of Cortez North | Jan: Not common | Feb: Possible | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Possible | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Kauai / Niihau | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Gran Canaria, Canary Islands | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Not common | May: Possible | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Western (Isabela/Fernandina), Galapagos | Jan: Possible | Feb: Not common | Mar: Possible | Apr: Not common | May: Possible | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Possible | Sep: Not common | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Peak season |
| Catalina Island | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Possible | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Madeira | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Possible | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Not common |
Peak season Possible Not common
Bryde's whale month by month
- January
- The one peak month at Madeira.
- February
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Loreto / Sea of Cortez North.
- March
- The one peak month at Loreto / Sea of Cortez North.
- April
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Loreto / Sea of Cortez North.
- May
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Gran Canaria, Canary Islands.
- June
- The one peak month at Madeira.
- July
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Madeira.
- August
- Season starts at Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. Also good at Madeira.
- September
- Season starts at Kauai / Niihau. Also good at Gran Canaria, Canary Islands and Catalina Island.
- October
- Season starts at Western (Isabela/Fernandina), Galapagos. Also good at Kauai / Niihau and Gran Canaria, Canary Islands.
- November
- Best at Western (Isabela/Fernandina), Galapagos.
- December
- Last peak month at Western (Isabela/Fernandina), Galapagos.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months Bryde's whales are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loreto / Sea of Cortez North | Mar | 20 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
| Kauai / Niihau | Sep–Oct | 27–28 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Gran Canaria, Canary Islands | Aug–Oct | 23 °C | 5 mm full suit |
| Western (Isabela/Fernandina), Galapagos | Oct–Dec | 21–22 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
| Catalina Island | Sep | 21 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
What else you'll see with Bryde's whales
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
California sea lion
At Loreto / Sea of Cortez North and Catalina Island
Humpback whale
At Loreto / Sea of Cortez North and Madeira
Common dolphin
At Loreto / Sea of Cortez North and Madeira
Short-finned pilot whale
At Loreto / Sea of Cortez North and Gran Canaria, Canary Islands
Blue whale
At Loreto / Sea of Cortez North
Bottlenose dolphin
At Loreto / Sea of Cortez North
Diving with Bryde's whales: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with Bryde's whales?
- Your best chance with Bryde's whales is Loreto / Sea of Cortez North, from March, though no site we score is a certainty.
- When is the best time to dive with Bryde's whales?
- September to October, when 3 of the 6 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Loreto / Sea of Cortez North peaks March; Kauai / Niihau peaks September to October; Gran Canaria, Canary Islands peaks August to October.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with Bryde's whales?
- At Loreto / Sea of Cortez North from March, the water is 20 °C to 20 °C, so bring a 5 mm with hood and gloves.
- How many places can you dive with Bryde's whales?
- besttimetodive.com has Bryde's whales on record at 6 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.