The verdict
Best places to dive with nurse sharks
Ginglymostoma cirratum
The most reliable place to dive with nurse sharks is Key Largo, Florida Keys, from All year.
| 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: 0 of 10 at peak | June: 0 of 10 at peak | July: 0 of 10 at peak | August: 0 of 10 at peak | September: 0 of 10 at peak | October: 0 of 10 at peak | November: 0 of 10 at peak | December: 0 of 10 at peak |
Possible only
Based on 4,258 OBIS records of nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) within 60 km of 30 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with nurse sharks
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 | All year | Near-guaranteed | 31 of 32 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 2 | Key West, Florida Keys | USA | All year | Near-guaranteed | 29 of 32 years | Day boat |
| 3 | Cozumel | Mexico Caribbean | All year | Near-guaranteed | 20 of 26 years | Day boat |
| 4 | British Virgin Islands | BVI | All year | Near-guaranteed | 23 of 32 years | Day boat |
| 5 | Cenotes (Tulum / Playa) | Mexico Caribbean | All year | Near-guaranteed | 19 of 26 years | Day boat |
| 6 | Turneffe, Belize | Belize | All year | Near-guaranteed | 21 of 30 years | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 7 | Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico | All year | Near-guaranteed | 20 of 28 years | Day boat |
| 8 | Gladden Spit, Belize | Belize | All year | Near-guaranteed | 17 of 25 years | Day boat |
| 9 | Statia (St. Eustatius) | Caribbean | All year | Near-guaranteed | 17 of 25 years | Day boat |
| 10 | Exumas, Bahamas | Bahamas | All year | Near-guaranteed | 16 of 25 years | Liveaboard |
Also on record at Saba, St. Croix, Cancun / Riviera Maya, Isla Mujeres, Bimini, Bahamas, Blue Hole / Lighthouse, Belize, Bocas del Toro, Andros / Nassau, Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Dry Tortugas, Florida Keys, Turks & Caicos, Little Cayman, Cayman Islands, Guanaja, Tiger Beach, Bahamas, Roatan, Utila, Fernando de Noronha, Providencia, Cape Verde and Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas.
When to dive with nurse sharks
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key Largo, Florida Keys | 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: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Gladden Spit, 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 |
| Statia (St. Eustatius) | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Exumas, Bahamas | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
Possible
Nurse shark month by month
- January
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Key Largo, Florida Keys.
- 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
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Key Largo, Florida Keys.
- June
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Key Largo, Florida Keys.
- July
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Key Largo, Florida Keys.
- August
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Key Largo, Florida Keys.
- September
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Key Largo, Florida Keys.
- October
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Key Largo, Florida Keys.
- November
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Key Largo, Florida Keys.
- 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 nurse sharks are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Largo, Florida Keys | All year | 24–31 °C | 5 mm full suit |
| Key West, Florida Keys | All year | 24–30 °C | 5 mm full suit |
| Cozumel | All year | 27–30 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| British Virgin Islands | All year | 27–29 °C | 3 mm full suit |
What else you'll see with nurse sharks
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Manatee
At Key Largo, Florida Keys, Key West, Florida Keys and Gladden Spit, Belize
Southern stingray
At Key Largo, Florida Keys, Statia (St. Eustatius) and Exumas, Bahamas
Nassau grouper
At Key Largo, Florida Keys, Key West, Florida Keys and Statia (St. Eustatius)
Bottlenose dolphin
At Key Largo, Florida Keys, Key West, Florida Keys and Gladden Spit, Belize
Loggerhead turtle
At Key Largo, Florida Keys, Turneffe, Belize and Gladden Spit, Belize
Goliath grouper
At Key Largo, Florida Keys and Key West, Florida Keys
Diving with nurse sharks: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with nurse sharks?
- The most reliable place to dive with nurse sharks is Key Largo, Florida Keys, from All year.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with nurse sharks?
- At Key Largo, Florida Keys from All year, the water is 24 °C to 31 °C, so bring a 5 mm full suit.
- How many places can you dive with nurse sharks?
- besttimetodive.com has nurse sharks on record at 30 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.