The verdict
Best places to dive with bumphead parrotfish
Bolbometopon muricatum
The most reliable place to dive with bumphead parrotfish is Mabul / Kapalai, from All year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 3 of 10 at peak | February: 1 of 10 at peak | March: 1 of 10 at peak | April: 1 of 10 at peak | May: 1 of 10 at peak | June: 0 of 10 at peak | July: 0 of 10 at peak | August: 0 of 10 at peak | September: 0 of 10 at peak | October: 2 of 10 at peak | November: 1 of 10 at peak | December: 1 of 10 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak Possible only
Based on 742 OBIS records of bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) within 60 km of 22 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with bumphead parrotfish
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 | 19 of 23 years | Day boat |
| 2 | Sipadan | Malaysia | All year | Near-guaranteed | 19 of 23 years | Day boat |
| 3 | Cairns | Australia | All year | Near-guaranteed | 24 of 32 years | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 4 | Ribbon Reefs | Australia | All year | Near-guaranteed | 22 of 32 years | Liveaboard |
| 5 | Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat | Indonesia | All year | Near-guaranteed | 13 of 19 years | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 6 | Tulamben / Amed | Indonesia | All year | Near-guaranteed | 14 of 21 yearsfew records | Day boat, Shore |
| 7 | Wayag / North, Raja Ampat | Indonesia | Jan, Mar, Oct–Nov | Near-guaranteed | 9 of 15 yearsfew records | Liveaboard |
| 8 | Misool, Raja Ampat | Indonesia | Dec–Jan, Apr–May | Near-guaranteed | 12 of 18 years | Liveaboard |
| 9 | Banda Sea | Indonesia | Jan–Feb, Oct | Near-guaranteed | 6 of 8 yearsfew records | Liveaboard |
| 10 | Palau | Micronesia | All year | Likely | 15 of 27 years | Liveaboard, Day boat |
Also on record at Nusa Penida, Tubbataha, Bunaken, Komodo North, Komodo South, Perhentian, Redang, Yap, Gili Islands, Andaman Islands, Seychelles and Wakatobi.
When to dive with bumphead parrotfish
| 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 |
| Cairns | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Ribbon Reefs | 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 |
| Tulamben / Amed | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Wayag / North, Raja Ampat | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Possible | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Possible |
| Misool, Raja Ampat | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Peak season | May: Peak season | Jun: No survey data | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Peak season |
| Banda Sea | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Not common | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Possible | Dec: Not common |
| 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 |
Peak season Possible Not common No survey data
Bumphead parrotfish month by month
- January
- The one peak month at Wayag / North, Raja Ampat. Also good at Misool, Raja Ampat and Banda Sea.
- February
- Last peak month at Banda Sea.
- March
- The one peak month at Wayag / North, Raja Ampat.
- April
- Season starts at Misool, Raja Ampat.
- May
- Last peak month at Misool, Raja Ampat.
- June
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Mabul / Kapalai.
- July
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Mabul / Kapalai.
- August
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Mabul / Kapalai.
- September
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Mabul / Kapalai.
- October
- Season starts at Wayag / North, Raja Ampat. Also good at Banda Sea.
- November
- Last peak month at Wayag / North, Raja Ampat.
- 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 bumphead parrotfish 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 |
| Cairns | All year | 25–30 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Ribbon Reefs | All year | 25–29 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat | All year | 29–30 °C | Skin or 3 mm shorty |
What else you'll see with bumphead parrotfish
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Napoleon wrasse
At Mabul / Kapalai, Sipadan and 3 more
Reef manta
At Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat, Tulamben / Amed and 3 more
Grey reef shark
At Mabul / Kapalai, Sipadan and 2 more
Bigeye trevally
At Ribbon Reefs, Tulamben / Amed and 2 more
Hawksbill turtle
At Wayag / North, Raja Ampat, Misool, Raja Ampat and Banda Sea
Zebra shark
At Mabul / Kapalai and Sipadan
Diving with bumphead parrotfish: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with bumphead parrotfish?
- The most reliable place to dive with bumphead parrotfish is Mabul / Kapalai, from All year.
- When is the best time to dive with bumphead parrotfish?
- January, when 3 of the 10 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Mabul / Kapalai peaks All year; Sipadan peaks All year; Cairns peaks All year.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with bumphead parrotfish?
- 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 bumphead parrotfish?
- besttimetodive.com has bumphead parrotfish on record at 22 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.