The verdict
Best places to dive with manatees
Trichechus manatus
The most reliable place to dive with manatees is Key Largo, Florida Keys, from January to February.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 4 of 10 at peak | February: 5 of 10 at peak | March: 3 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: 1 of 10 at peak | October: 2 of 10 at peak | November: 2 of 10 at peak | December: 0 of 10 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak Possible only
Based on 2,717 OBIS records of manatee (Trichechus manatus) within 60 km of 10 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with manatees
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Key Largo, Florida Keys | USA | Jan–Feb | Near-guaranteed | 32 of 32 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 2 | Cenotes (Tulum / Playa) | Mexico Caribbean | All year | Near-guaranteed | 21 of 26 years | Day boat |
| 3 | Jupiter / Palm Beach | USA | Jan–Feb | Near-guaranteed | 23 of 29 years | Day boat |
| 4 | Cozumel | Mexico Caribbean | All year | Near-guaranteed | 20 of 26 years | Day boat |
| 5 | Turneffe, Belize | Belize | All year | Near-guaranteed | 18 of 30 years | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 6 | Key West, Florida Keys | USA | Jan–Apr | Likely | 13 of 32 years | Day boat |
| 7 | Gladden Spit, Belize | Belize | Jan–Mar | Likely | 9 of 25 years | Day boat |
| 8 | Bocas del Toro | Panama | Feb, Nov | Hit-or-miss | 5 of 22 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 9 | Blue Hole / Lighthouse, Belize | Belize | May, Oct | Hit-or-miss | 6 of 23 yearsfew records | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 10 | Utila | Honduras | Mar, Sep–Nov | Hit-or-miss | 5 of 28 yearsfew records | Day boat |
When to dive with manatees
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key Largo, Florida Keys | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Possible | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Possible |
| Cenotes (Tulum / Playa) | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Jupiter / Palm Beach | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Cozumel | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Turneffe, Belize | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Key West, Florida Keys | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Peak season | May: Possible | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Possible |
| Gladden Spit, Belize | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Possible | Jul: Not common | Aug: Possible | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Bocas del Toro | Jan: Not common | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Not common | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Not common | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Not common |
| Blue Hole / Lighthouse, Belize | Jan: Not common | Feb: Possible | Mar: Not common | Apr: Possible | May: Peak season | Jun: Not common | Jul: Possible | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Utila | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Not common | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Not common |
Peak season Possible Not common
Manatee month by month
- January
- Season starts at Key Largo, Florida Keys. Also good at Jupiter / Palm Beach, Key West, Florida Keys and 1 more.
- February
- The one peak month at Bocas del Toro. Also good at Key Largo, Florida Keys, Jupiter / Palm Beach and 2 more.
- March
- The one peak month at Utila. Also good at Key West, Florida Keys and Gladden Spit, Belize.
- April
- Last peak month at Key West, Florida Keys.
- May
- The one peak month at Blue Hole / Lighthouse, Belize.
- June
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Cenotes (Tulum / Playa).
- July
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Cenotes (Tulum / Playa).
- August
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Cenotes (Tulum / Playa).
- September
- Season starts at Utila.
- October
- The one peak month at Blue Hole / Lighthouse, Belize. Also good at Utila.
- November
- The one peak month at Bocas del Toro. Also good at Utila.
- December
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Key Largo, Florida Keys.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months manatees are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Largo, Florida Keys | Jan–Feb | 24–25 °C | 5 mm full suit |
| Jupiter / Palm Beach | Jan–Feb | 24–25 °C | 5 mm full suit |
| Cozumel | All year | 27–30 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Turneffe, Belize | All year | 27–30 °C | 3 mm full suit |
What else you'll see with manatees
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Bottlenose dolphin
At Key Largo, Florida Keys, Key West, Florida Keys and Gladden Spit, Belize
Loggerhead turtle
At Turneffe, Belize, Gladden Spit, Belize and Blue Hole / Lighthouse, Belize
Goliath grouper
At Key Largo, Florida Keys and Key West, Florida Keys
Hawksbill turtle
At Key Largo, Florida Keys and Blue Hole / Lighthouse, Belize
Bull shark
At Cenotes (Tulum / Playa) and Cozumel
Whale shark
At Gladden Spit, Belize and Utila
Diving with manatees: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with manatees?
- The most reliable place to dive with manatees is Key Largo, Florida Keys, from January to February.
- When is the best time to dive with manatees?
- February, when 5 of the 10 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Key Largo, Florida Keys peaks January to February; Cenotes (Tulum / Playa) peaks All year; Jupiter / Palm Beach peaks January to February.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with manatees?
- At Key Largo, Florida Keys from January to February, the water is 24 °C to 25 °C, so bring a 5 mm full suit.
- How many places can you dive with manatees?
- besttimetodive.com has manatees on record at 10 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.