The verdict
Best places to dive with Munk's mobulas
Mobula munkiana
Your best chance with Munk's mobulas is Sea of Cortez / La Paz, from March to May, though no site we score is a certainty.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 2 of 8 at peak | February: 3 of 8 at peak | March: 4 of 8 at peak | April: 1 of 8 at peak | May: 4 of 8 at peak | June: 0 of 8 at peak | July: 2 of 8 at peak | August: 1 of 8 at peak | September: 0 of 8 at peak | October: 0 of 8 at peak | November: 1 of 8 at peak | December: 0 of 8 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak Possible only
Based on 154 OBIS records of Munk's mobula (Mobula munkiana) within 60 km of 8 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with Munk's mobulas
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sea of Cortez / La Paz | Mexico Pacific | Mar–May | Likely | 10 of 30 years | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 2 | Cabo San Lucas | Mexico Pacific | May, Jul | Likely | 9 of 29 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 3 | Cabo Pulmo | Mexico Pacific | Feb–Mar, May | Likely | 9 of 27 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 4 | Coiba | Panama | Feb | Hit-or-miss | 3 of 22 years | Day boat |
| 5 | Guanacaste / Catalinas | Costa Rica | Mar | Hit-or-miss | 7 of 24 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 6 | Galapagos Central | Ecuador | Jan–Mar | Hit-or-miss | 7 of 31 yearsfew records | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 7 | Loreto / Sea of Cortez North | Mexico Pacific | Jan, May, Aug | Hit-or-miss | 5 of 32 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 8 | Puerto Vallarta / Banderas | Mexico Pacific | Jul, Nov | Hit-or-miss | 6 of 32 yearsfew records | Day boat |
When to dive with Munk's mobulas
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea of Cortez / La Paz | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Peak season | May: Peak season | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Possible |
| Cabo San Lucas | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Peak season | Jun: Possible | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Possible | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Cabo Pulmo | Jan: Not common | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Possible | May: Peak season | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Coiba | Jan: Not common | 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: Not common |
| Guanacaste / Catalinas | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Galapagos Central | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Possible | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Possible | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Possible |
| Loreto / Sea of Cortez North | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Possible | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Peak season | Jun: Possible | Jul: Not common | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Puerto Vallarta / Banderas | Jan: Not common | Feb: Possible | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Possible | Jun: Not common | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Not common |
Peak season Possible Not common
Munk's mobula month by month
- January
- Season starts at Galapagos Central. Also good at Loreto / Sea of Cortez North.
- February
- Season starts at Cabo Pulmo. Also good at Coiba and Galapagos Central.
- March
- Season starts at Sea of Cortez / La Paz. Also good at Cabo Pulmo, Guanacaste / Catalinas and 1 more.
- April
- Best at Sea of Cortez / La Paz.
- May
- The one peak month at Cabo San Lucas. Also good at Sea of Cortez / La Paz, Cabo Pulmo and 1 more.
- June
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Sea of Cortez / La Paz.
- July
- The one peak month at Cabo San Lucas. Also good at Puerto Vallarta / Banderas.
- August
- The one peak month at Loreto / Sea of Cortez North.
- September
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Galapagos Central.
- October
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Cabo San Lucas.
- November
- The one peak month at Puerto Vallarta / Banderas.
- December
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Sea of Cortez / La Paz.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months Munk's mobulas are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea of Cortez / La Paz | Mar–May | 21–24 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
| Cabo San Lucas | May, Jul | 23–27 °C | 5 mm full suit |
| Cabo Pulmo | Feb–Mar, May | 22–25 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
| Coiba | Feb | 29 °C | Skin or 3 mm shorty |
| Guanacaste / Catalinas | Mar | 28 °C | 3 mm full suit |
What else you'll see with Munk's mobulas
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
California sea lion
At Sea of Cortez / La Paz, Cabo San Lucas and Cabo Pulmo
Humpback whale
At Sea of Cortez / La Paz, Cabo Pulmo and Guanacaste / Catalinas
Green turtle
At Guanacaste / Catalinas, Galapagos Central and Puerto Vallarta / Banderas
Whale shark
At Sea of Cortez / La Paz
Common dolphin
At Cabo San Lucas
Oceanic manta
At Galapagos Central
Diving with Munk's mobulas: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with Munk's mobulas?
- Your best chance with Munk's mobulas is Sea of Cortez / La Paz, from March to May, though no site we score is a certainty.
- When is the best time to dive with Munk's mobulas?
- March, May, when 4 of the 8 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Sea of Cortez / La Paz peaks March to May; Cabo San Lucas peaks May, July; Cabo Pulmo peaks February to March, May.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with Munk's mobulas?
- At Sea of Cortez / La Paz from March to May, the water is 21 °C to 24 °C, so bring a 5 mm with hood and gloves.
- How many places can you dive with Munk's mobulas?
- besttimetodive.com has Munk's mobulas on record at 8 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.