The verdict
Best places to dive with ocean sunfish
Mola mola
The most reliable place to dive with ocean sunfish is Cornwall, from July to August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 4 of 10 at peak | February: 3 of 10 at peak | March: 4 of 10 at peak | April: 3 of 10 at peak | May: 4 of 10 at peak | June: 3 of 10 at peak | July: 4 of 10 at peak | August: 6 of 10 at peak | September: 6 of 10 at peak | October: 5 of 10 at peak | November: 4 of 10 at peak | December: 5 of 10 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak
Based on 4,689 OBIS records of ocean sunfish (Mola mola) within 60 km of 16 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with ocean sunfish
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornwall | UK | Jul–Aug | Near-guaranteed | 28 of 32 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 2 | Channel Islands | USA | Aug–Oct | Near-guaranteed | 28 of 32 years | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 3 | Monterey | USA | Aug–Oct | Near-guaranteed | 27 of 32 years | Shore |
| 4 | Catalina Island | USA | All year | Near-guaranteed | 25 of 32 years | Shore, Day boat |
| 5 | La Jolla / San Diego | USA | All year | Near-guaranteed | 21 of 32 years | Shore, Day boat |
| 6 | Sesimbra / Berlengas | Portugal | All year | Near-guaranteed | 15 of 23 years | Day boat |
| 7 | Costa Brava / Medes | Spain | Dec–Jan, May | Near-guaranteed | 13 of 21 years | Day boat |
| 8 | Newfoundland | Canada | Sep | Likely | 9 of 29 years | Day boat |
| 9 | Cape Town / False Bay | South Africa | All year | Likely | 10 of 32 yearsfew records | Day boat, Shore |
| 10 | Outer Banks | USA | Mar, Nov–Dec | Likely | 11 of 32 years | Day boat |
Also on record at Portofino / Ligurian Sea, French Riviera / Corsica, Elba, Western (Isabela/Fernandina), Galapagos, Ireland and Sardinia.
When to dive with ocean sunfish
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | 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: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Channel Islands | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Possible | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Monterey | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Possible | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Catalina Island | 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 |
| La Jolla / San Diego | 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 |
| Sesimbra / Berlengas | 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 |
| Costa Brava / Medes | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Possible | Mar: Not common | Apr: Possible | May: Peak season | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Peak season |
| Newfoundland | 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: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| 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 |
| Outer Banks | Jan: Not common | Feb: Possible | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Peak season |
Peak season Possible Not common
Ocean sunfish month by month
- January
- Last peak month at Costa Brava / Medes. Also good at Catalina Island, La Jolla / San Diego and 1 more.
- February
- Best at Catalina Island, La Jolla / San Diego and 1 more.
- March
- The one peak month at Outer Banks. Also good at Catalina Island, La Jolla / San Diego and 1 more.
- April
- Best at Catalina Island, La Jolla / San Diego and 1 more.
- May
- The one peak month at Costa Brava / Medes. Also good at Catalina Island, La Jolla / San Diego and 1 more.
- June
- Best at Catalina Island, La Jolla / San Diego and 1 more.
- July
- Season starts at Cornwall. Also good at Catalina Island, La Jolla / San Diego and 1 more.
- August
- Season starts at Channel Islands. Also good at Cornwall, Monterey and 3 more.
- September
- The one peak month at Newfoundland. Also good at Channel Islands, Monterey and 3 more.
- October
- Last peak month at Channel Islands. Also good at Monterey, Catalina Island and 2 more.
- November
- Season starts at Outer Banks. Also good at Catalina Island, La Jolla / San Diego and 1 more.
- December
- Season starts at Costa Brava / Medes. Also good at Outer Banks, Catalina Island and 2 more.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months ocean sunfish are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | Jul–Aug | 17 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
| Channel Islands | Aug–Oct | 19–20 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
| Monterey | Aug–Oct | 15–16 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
| Catalina Island | All year | 15–21 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
| La Jolla / San Diego | All year | 15–22 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
What else you'll see with ocean sunfish
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Blue shark
At Cornwall, Channel Islands and 2 more
Sardine
At Channel Islands, Monterey and 2 more
California sea lion
At Channel Islands, Monterey and 2 more
Blue whale
At Monterey, Catalina Island and La Jolla / San Diego
Common thresher
At Channel Islands and Monterey
Grey whale
At Catalina Island and La Jolla / San Diego
Diving with ocean sunfish: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with ocean sunfish?
- The most reliable place to dive with ocean sunfish is Cornwall, from July to August.
- When is the best time to dive with ocean sunfish?
- August to September, when 6 of the 10 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Cornwall peaks July to August; Channel Islands peaks August to October; Monterey peaks August to October.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with ocean sunfish?
- At Cornwall from July to August, the water is 17 °C to 17 °C, so bring a 7 mm semi-dry.
- How many places can you dive with ocean sunfish?
- besttimetodive.com has ocean sunfish on record at 16 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.