The verdict
Best places to dive with dugongs
Dugong dugon
The most reliable place to dive with dugongs is Abu Dabbab, from All year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 0 of 8 at peak | February: 3 of 8 at peak | March: 2 of 8 at peak | April: 1 of 8 at peak | May: 2 of 8 at peak | June: 1 of 8 at peak | July: 1 of 8 at peak | August: 0 of 8 at peak | September: 2 of 8 at peak | October: 0 of 8 at peak | November: 3 of 8 at peak | December: 2 of 8 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak Possible only
Based on 262 OBIS records of dugong (Dugong dugon) within 60 km of 8 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with dugongs
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abu Dabbab | Red Sea | All year | Near-guaranteed | 17 of 26 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 2 | Marsa Alam | Red Sea | All year | Near-guaranteed | 17 of 26 years | Day boat, Liveaboard |
| 3 | Coron | Philippines | Feb, May–Jun, Sep | Near-guaranteed | 8 of 13 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 4 | Vanuatu | Vanuatu | Feb, Nov–Dec | Likely | 9 of 16 years | Day boat |
| 5 | Ningaloo | Australia | Sep, Nov | Hit-or-miss | 4 of 32 yearsfew records | Day boat, Snorkel |
| 6 | Cairns | Australia | Mar, May | Hit-or-miss | 4 of 32 yearsfew records | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 7 | Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat | Indonesia | Feb–Mar, Jul | Hit-or-miss | 4 of 19 yearsfew records | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 8 | Ribbon Reefs | Australia | Apr, Nov–Dec | Hit-or-miss | 4 of 32 yearsfew records | Liveaboard |
When to dive with dugongs
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dabbab | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Marsa Alam | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Coron | Jan: Not common | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Peak season | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Possible | Nov: Not common | Dec: Possible |
| Vanuatu | Jan: Not common | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Peak season |
| Ningaloo | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Not common | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Possible |
| Cairns | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Possible | May: Peak season | Jun: Possible | Jul: Not common | Aug: Possible | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Possible | Dec: Not common |
| Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat | Jan: Not common | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Possible | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Ribbon Reefs | Jan: Possible | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Peak season | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Possible | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Peak season |
Peak season Possible Not common
Dugong month by month
- January
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Abu Dabbab.
- February
- The one peak month at Coron. Also good at Vanuatu and Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat.
- March
- The one peak month at Cairns. Also good at Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat.
- April
- The one peak month at Ribbon Reefs.
- June
- Last peak month at Coron.
- July
- The one peak month at Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat.
- August
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Abu Dabbab.
- October
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Abu Dabbab.
- November
- Season starts at Vanuatu. Also good at Ningaloo and Ribbon Reefs.
- December
- Last peak month at Vanuatu. Also good at Ribbon Reefs.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months dugongs are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dabbab | All year | 23–30 °C | 5 mm full suit |
| Marsa Alam | All year | 23–30 °C | 5 mm full suit |
| Coron | Feb, May–Jun, Sep | 28–30 °C | Skin or 3 mm shorty |
| Vanuatu | Feb, Nov–Dec | 28–29 °C | Skin or 3 mm shorty |
| Ningaloo | Sep, Nov | 23–25 °C | 5 mm full suit |
What else you'll see with dugongs
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Diving with dugongs: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with dugongs?
- The most reliable place to dive with dugongs is Abu Dabbab, from All year.
- When is the best time to dive with dugongs?
- February, November, when 3 of the 8 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Abu Dabbab peaks All year; Marsa Alam peaks All year; Coron peaks February, May to June, September.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with dugongs?
- At Abu Dabbab from All year, the water is 23 °C to 30 °C, so bring a 5 mm full suit.
- How many places can you dive with dugongs?
- besttimetodive.com has dugongs on record at 8 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.