The verdict
Best places to dive with Nassau groupers
Epinephelus striatus
The most reliable place to dive with Nassau groupers is Key Largo, Florida Keys, from June to August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 0 of 10 at peak | February: 0 of 10 at peak | March: 0 of 10 at peak | April: 0 of 10 at peak | May: 1 of 10 at peak | June: 3 of 10 at peak | July: 2 of 10 at peak | August: 1 of 10 at peak | September: 2 of 10 at peak | October: 1 of 10 at peak | November: 0 of 10 at peak | December: 0 of 10 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak Possible only
Based on 3,213 OBIS records of Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) within 60 km of 24 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with Nassau groupers
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 | Jun–Aug | Near-guaranteed | 27 of 32 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 2 | British Virgin Islands | BVI | All year | Near-guaranteed | 25 of 32 years | Day boat |
| 3 | Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico | All year | Near-guaranteed | 19 of 28 years | Day boat |
| 4 | Turks & Caicos | Turks & Caicos | All year | Near-guaranteed | 13 of 19 years | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 5 | Key West, Florida Keys | USA | May–Jul, Sep | Near-guaranteed | 21 of 32 years | Day boat |
| 6 | Little Cayman, Cayman Islands | Caribbean | All year | Near-guaranteed | 13 of 20 years | Day boat |
| 7 | St. Croix | USVI | Jun, Sep–Oct | Near-guaranteed | 23 of 31 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 8 | Roatan | Honduras | All year | Likely | 16 of 29 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 9 | Utila | Honduras | All year | Likely | 16 of 28 years | Day boat |
| 10 | Turneffe, Belize | Belize | All year | Likely | 16 of 30 years | Liveaboard, Day boat |
Also on record at Saba, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Guadeloupe, Statia (St. Eustatius), Gladden Spit, Belize, Andros / Nassau, Bahamas, Blue Hole / Lighthouse, Belize, Jardines de la Reina, Dry Tortugas, Florida Keys, Cenotes (Tulum / Playa), Cozumel, Martinique, Exumas, Bahamas and Cancun / Riviera Maya.
When to dive with Nassau groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key Largo, Florida Keys | Jan: Not common | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Possible | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| British Virgin 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 |
| Puerto Rico | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Turks & Caicos | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: No survey data | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Key West, Florida Keys | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Not common | May: Peak season | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Possible | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Not common |
| Little Cayman, Cayman 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 |
| St. Croix | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Possible | Apr: Not common | May: Possible | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Possible | Aug: Not common | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Possible | Dec: Not common |
| Roatan | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Utila | 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 |
Peak season Possible Not common No survey data
Nassau grouper month by month
- January
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is British Virgin Islands.
- February
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Key Largo, Florida Keys.
- March
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Key Largo, Florida Keys.
- April
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Key Largo, Florida Keys.
- May
- Season starts at Key West, Florida Keys.
- June
- Season starts at Key Largo, Florida Keys. Also good at Key West, Florida Keys and St. Croix.
- July
- Last peak month at Key West, Florida Keys. Also good at Key Largo, Florida Keys.
- August
- Last peak month at Key Largo, Florida Keys.
- September
- The one peak month at Key West, Florida Keys. Also good at St. Croix.
- October
- Last peak month at St. Croix.
- November
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is British Virgin Islands.
- December
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is British Virgin Islands.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months Nassau groupers are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Largo, Florida Keys | Jun–Aug | 29–31 °C | Skin or 3 mm shorty |
| British Virgin Islands | All year | 27–29 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Puerto Rico | All year | 27–30 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Turks & Caicos | All year | 26–30 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Key West, Florida Keys | May–Jul, Sep | 27–30 °C | 3 mm full suit |
What else you'll see with Nassau groupers
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Nurse shark
At Turks & Caicos, Little Cayman, Cayman Islands and 3 more
Goliath grouper
At Key Largo, Florida Keys and Key West, Florida Keys
Loggerhead turtle
At Key Largo, Florida Keys and Turneffe, Belize
Hawksbill turtle
At British Virgin Islands and Turks & Caicos
Green turtle
At Little Cayman, Cayman Islands and Roatan
Whale shark
At Roatan and Utila
Diving with Nassau groupers: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with Nassau groupers?
- The most reliable place to dive with Nassau groupers is Key Largo, Florida Keys, from June to August.
- When is the best time to dive with Nassau groupers?
- June, when 3 of the 10 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Key Largo, Florida Keys peaks June to August; British Virgin Islands peaks All year; Puerto Rico peaks All year.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with Nassau groupers?
- At Key Largo, Florida Keys from June to August, the water is 29 °C to 31 °C, so bring a skin or 3 mm shorty.
- How many places can you dive with Nassau groupers?
- besttimetodive.com has Nassau groupers on record at 24 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.