The verdict
Best places to dive with great white sharks
Carcharodon carcharias
The most reliable place to dive with great white sharks is Guadalupe Island, from September to November.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 2 of 6 at peak | February: 1 of 6 at peak | March: 1 of 6 at peak | April: 1 of 6 at peak | May: 1 of 6 at peak | June: 1 of 6 at peak | July: 3 of 6 at peak | August: 3 of 6 at peak | September: 2 of 6 at peak | October: 3 of 6 at peak | November: 2 of 6 at peak | December: 1 of 6 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak
Based on 734 OBIS records of great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) within 60 km of 6 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with great white sharks
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guadalupe Island | Mexico Pacific | Sep–Nov | Near-guaranteed | 15 of 19 years | Cage |
| 2 | Gansbaai | South Africa | All year | Near-guaranteed | 22 of 32 years | Cage |
| 3 | Neptune Islands | Australia | All year | Likely | 18 of 31 years | Cage |
| 4 | Cape Town / False Bay | South Africa | All year | Likely | 12 of 32 yearsfew records | Day boat, Shore |
| 5 | Byron Bay / Julian Rocks | Australia | Jul–Aug, Oct | Hit-or-miss | 7 of 32 years | Day boat |
| 6 | La Jolla / San Diego | USA | Jan, Jul–Aug | Hit-or-miss | 5 of 32 yearsfew records | Shore, Day boat |
When to dive with great white sharks
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guadalupe Island | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Possible | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Not common |
| Gansbaai | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Peak season | May: Peak season | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Peak season |
| Neptune Islands | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Cape Town / False Bay | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Byron Bay / Julian Rocks | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Possible | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Possible | Dec: Not common |
| La Jolla / San Diego | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Not common | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Not common |
Peak season Possible Not common
Great white shark month by month
- January
- The one peak month at La Jolla / San Diego. Also good at Gansbaai.
- February
- Best at Gansbaai.
- March
- Best at Gansbaai.
- April
- Best at Gansbaai.
- May
- Best at Gansbaai.
- June
- Best at Gansbaai.
- July
- Season starts at Byron Bay / Julian Rocks. Also good at La Jolla / San Diego and Gansbaai.
- August
- Last peak month at Byron Bay / Julian Rocks. Also good at La Jolla / San Diego and Gansbaai.
- September
- Season starts at Guadalupe Island. Also good at Gansbaai.
- October
- The one peak month at Byron Bay / Julian Rocks. Also good at Guadalupe Island and Gansbaai.
- November
- Last peak month at Guadalupe Island. Also good at Gansbaai.
- December
- Best at Gansbaai.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months great white sharks are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guadalupe Island | Sep–Nov | 19–21 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
| Gansbaai | All year | 15–20 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
| Neptune Islands | All year | 15–20 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
| Cape Town / False Bay | All year | 15–19 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
| Byron Bay / Julian Rocks | Jul–Aug, Oct | 20–22 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
What else you'll see with great white sharks
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Diving with great white sharks: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with great white sharks?
- The most reliable place to dive with great white sharks is Guadalupe Island, from September to November.
- When is the best time to dive with great white sharks?
- July to August, October, when 3 of the 6 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Guadalupe Island peaks September to November; Gansbaai peaks All year; Neptune Islands peaks All year.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with great white sharks?
- At Guadalupe Island from September to November, the water is 19 °C to 21 °C, so bring a 5 mm with hood and gloves.
- How many places can you dive with great white sharks?
- besttimetodive.com has great white sharks on record at 6 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.