The verdict
Best places to dive with oceanic whitetips
Carcharhinus longimanus
Your best chance with oceanic whitetips is Abu Dabbab, from November to December, though no site we score is a certainty.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 0 of 6 at peak | February: 0 of 6 at peak | March: 1 of 6 at peak | April: 1 of 6 at peak | May: 0 of 6 at peak | June: 0 of 6 at peak | July: 3 of 6 at peak | August: 0 of 6 at peak | September: 0 of 6 at peak | October: 3 of 6 at peak | November: 3 of 6 at peak | December: 3 of 6 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak Possible only Not common
Based on 145 OBIS records of oceanic whitetip (Carcharhinus longimanus) within 60 km of 6 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with oceanic whitetips
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abu Dabbab | Red Sea | Nov–Dec | Likely | 10 of 26 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 2 | Daedalus Reef | Red Sea | Oct–Nov | Likely | 8 of 20 yearsfew records | Liveaboard |
| 3 | Marsa Alam | Red Sea | Nov–Dec | Likely | 9 of 26 years | Day boat, Liveaboard |
| 4 | Brothers Islands | Red Sea | Jul, Oct | Likely | 8 of 19 yearsfew records | Liveaboard |
| 5 | Big Island / Kona | USA | Mar–Apr, Jul, Dec | Likely | 10 of 30 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 6 | El Quseir | Red Sea | Jul, Oct | Likely | 6 of 20 yearsfew records | Day boat, Shore |
When to dive with oceanic whitetips
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dabbab | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Peak season |
| Daedalus Reef | Jan: No survey data | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Possible |
| Marsa Alam | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Possible | Sep: Not common | Oct: Possible | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Peak season |
| Brothers Islands | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Possible | Dec: Not common |
| Big Island / Kona | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Peak season | May: Possible | Jun: Not common | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Not common | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Not common | Dec: Peak season |
| El Quseir | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Possible | Dec: Not common |
Peak season Possible Not common No survey data
Oceanic whitetip month by month
- January
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Big Island / Kona.
- February
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Big Island / Kona.
- March
- Season starts at Big Island / Kona.
- April
- Last peak month at Big Island / Kona.
- May
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Big Island / Kona.
- June
- Not a month for oceanic whitetips.
- July
- The one peak month at Brothers Islands. Also good at Big Island / Kona and El Quseir.
- August
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Abu Dabbab.
- September
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Abu Dabbab.
- October
- Season starts at Daedalus Reef. Also good at Brothers Islands and El Quseir.
- November
- Season starts at Abu Dabbab. Also good at Daedalus Reef and Marsa Alam.
- December
- The one peak month at Big Island / Kona. Also good at Abu Dabbab and Marsa Alam.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months oceanic whitetips are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dabbab | Nov–Dec | 25–27 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Daedalus Reef | Oct–Nov | 28–29 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Marsa Alam | Nov–Dec | 25–27 °C | 5 mm full suit |
| Brothers Islands | Jul, Oct | 28–29 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Big Island / Kona | Mar–Apr, Jul, Dec | 25–27 °C | 3 mm full suit |
What else you'll see with oceanic whitetips
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Diving with oceanic whitetips: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with oceanic whitetips?
- Your best chance with oceanic whitetips is Abu Dabbab, from November to December, though no site we score is a certainty.
- When is the best time to dive with oceanic whitetips?
- July, October to December, when 3 of the 6 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Abu Dabbab peaks November to December; Daedalus Reef peaks October to November; Marsa Alam peaks November to December.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with oceanic whitetips?
- At Abu Dabbab from November to December, the water is 25 °C to 27 °C, so bring a 3 mm full suit.
- How many places can you dive with oceanic whitetips?
- besttimetodive.com has oceanic whitetips on record at 6 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.