The verdict
Best places to dive with giant devil rays
Mobula mobular
No site we score is reliable for giant devil rays. The best-evidenced is Sardinia, from August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 0 of 8 at peak | February: 0 of 8 at peak | March: 2 of 8 at peak | April: 0 of 8 at peak | May: 2 of 8 at peak | June: 2 of 8 at peak | July: 3 of 8 at peak | August: 4 of 8 at peak | September: 0 of 8 at peak | October: 0 of 8 at peak | November: 2 of 8 at peak | December: 0 of 8 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak Possible only Not common
Based on 163 OBIS records of giant devil ray (Mobula mobular) within 60 km of 8 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with giant devil rays
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sardinia | Italy | Aug | Hit-or-miss | 5 of 27 years | Day boat |
| 2 | Elba | Italy | May, Jul | Hit-or-miss | 4 of 21 years | Day boat |
| 3 | French Riviera / Corsica | France | Jul–Aug | Hit-or-miss | 6 of 29 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 4 | Sea of Cortez / La Paz | Mexico Pacific | May–Jun | Hit-or-miss | 7 of 30 yearsfew records | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 5 | Costa Brava / Medes | Spain | Jun | Hit-or-miss | 5 of 21 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 6 | Portofino / Ligurian Sea | Italy | Jul | Hit-or-miss | 4 of 26 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 7 | Mabul / Kapalai | Malaysia | Mar, Aug, Nov | Hit-or-miss | 4 of 23 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 8 | Sipadan | Malaysia | Mar, Aug, Nov | Hit-or-miss | 4 of 23 yearsfew records | Day boat |
When to dive with giant devil rays
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sardinia | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Possible | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Elba | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Peak season | Jun: Possible | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Possible | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| French Riviera / Corsica | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Possible | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Possible | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Sea of Cortez / La Paz | Jan: Not common | Feb: Possible | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Peak season | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Possible | Dec: Not common |
| Costa Brava / Medes | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Possible | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Possible | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Portofino / Ligurian Sea | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Possible | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Not common | Sep: Possible | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Mabul / Kapalai | Jan: Not common | Feb: Possible | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Possible | Oct: Not common | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Possible |
| Sipadan | Jan: Not common | Feb: Possible | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Possible | Oct: Not common | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Possible |
Peak season Possible Not common
Giant devil ray month by month
- January
- Not a month for giant devil rays.
- February
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Sea of Cortez / La Paz.
- March
- The one peak month at Mabul / Kapalai. Also good at Sipadan.
- April
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Mabul / Kapalai.
- May
- The one peak month at Elba. Also good at Sea of Cortez / La Paz.
- June
- The one peak month at Costa Brava / Medes. Also good at Sea of Cortez / La Paz.
- July
- The one peak month at Elba. Also good at French Riviera / Corsica and Portofino / Ligurian Sea.
- August
- The one peak month at Sardinia. Also good at French Riviera / Corsica, Mabul / Kapalai and 1 more.
- September
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is French Riviera / Corsica.
- October
- Not a month for giant devil rays.
- November
- The one peak month at Mabul / Kapalai. Also good at Sipadan.
- December
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Mabul / Kapalai.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months giant devil rays are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sardinia | Aug | 26 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Elba | May, Jul | 18–26 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
| French Riviera / Corsica | Jul–Aug | 24–25 °C | 5 mm full suit |
| Sea of Cortez / La Paz | May–Jun | 24–25 °C | 5 mm full suit |
| Costa Brava / Medes | Jun | 21 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
What else you'll see with giant devil rays
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Diving with giant devil rays: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with giant devil rays?
- No site we score is reliable for giant devil rays. The best-evidenced is Sardinia, from August.
- When is the best time to dive with giant devil rays?
- August, when 4 of the 8 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Sardinia peaks August; Elba peaks May, July; French Riviera / Corsica peaks July to August.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with giant devil rays?
- At Sardinia from August, the water is 26 °C to 26 °C, so bring a 3 mm full suit.
- How many places can you dive with giant devil rays?
- besttimetodive.com has giant devil rays on record at 8 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.