The verdict
Best places to dive with sperm whales
Physeter macrocephalus
The most reliable place to dive with sperm whales is Azores, from May, July.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 3 of 10 at peak | February: 2 of 10 at peak | March: 2 of 10 at peak | April: 1 of 10 at peak | May: 2 of 10 at peak | June: 2 of 10 at peak | July: 3 of 10 at peak | August: 3 of 10 at peak | September: 2 of 10 at peak | October: 0 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 2,339 OBIS records of sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) within 60 km of 24 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with sperm whales
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Azores | Portugal | May, Jul | Near-guaranteed | 26 of 28 years | Day boat |
| 2 | Dominica | Caribbean | Jan–Mar | Near-guaranteed | 22 of 25 years | Day boat |
| 3 | French Riviera / Corsica | France | Jun, Aug–Sep | Near-guaranteed | 23 of 29 years | Day boat |
| 4 | Madeira | Portugal | All year | Near-guaranteed | 20 of 26 years | Day boat |
| 5 | Santa Maria, Azores | Portugal | May, Jul–Sep | Near-guaranteed | 19 of 26 years | Day boat |
| 6 | Mauritius | Mauritius | All year | Likely | 10 of 18 years | Day boat |
| 7 | Guadeloupe | Caribbean | Jan–Feb | Likely | 13 of 29 years | Day boat |
| 8 | Alaska | USA | Jun–Jul | Likely | 12 of 30 years | Day boat |
| 9 | Martinique | Caribbean | Jan, Mar–Apr | Likely | 11 of 27 years | Day boat |
| 10 | Menorca | Spain | Aug | Likely | 4 of 12 years | Day boat |
Also on record at Big Island / Kona, Portofino / Ligurian Sea, Loreto / Sea of Cortez North, Western (Isabela/Fernandina), Galapagos, Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas, Saba, Flower Garden Banks, Catalina Island, Andros / Nassau, Bahamas, Scapa Flow, Grenada, Tonga, Sea of Cortez / La Paz and Outer Banks.
When to dive with sperm whales
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azores | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Possible | May: Peak season | Jun: Possible | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Dominica | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| French Riviera / Corsica | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Possible | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Possible | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Madeira | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Santa Maria, Azores | Jan: Not common | Feb: No survey data | Mar: Possible | Apr: Not common | May: Peak season | Jun: Possible | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: No survey data |
| Mauritius | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Guadeloupe | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Possible | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Alaska | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Possible | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Martinique | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Possible | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Peak season | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Menorca | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Possible | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
Peak season Possible Not common No survey data
Sperm whale month by month
- January
- Season starts at Dominica. Also good at Guadeloupe and Martinique.
- February
- Last peak month at Guadeloupe. Also good at Dominica.
- March
- Season starts at Martinique. Also good at Dominica.
- April
- Last peak month at Martinique.
- May
- The one peak month at Azores. Also good at Santa Maria, Azores.
- June
- The one peak month at French Riviera / Corsica. Also good at Alaska.
- July
- The one peak month at Azores. Also good at Santa Maria, Azores and Alaska.
- August
- Season starts at French Riviera / Corsica. Also good at Santa Maria, Azores and Menorca.
- September
- Last peak month at French Riviera / Corsica. Also good at Santa Maria, Azores.
- October
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Azores.
- November
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Dominica.
- December
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Dominica.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months sperm whales are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azores | May, Jul | 18–22 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
| Dominica | Jan–Mar | 27 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| French Riviera / Corsica | Jun, Aug–Sep | 22–25 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
| Madeira | All year | 19–24 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
| Santa Maria, Azores | May, Jul–Sep | 19–24 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
What else you'll see with sperm whales
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Humpback whale
At Dominica, Madeira and 4 more
Common dolphin
At Azores, French Riviera / Corsica and 2 more
Loggerhead turtle
At Azores, French Riviera / Corsica and Santa Maria, Azores
Bottlenose dolphin
At Azores and Santa Maria, Azores
Atlantic spotted dolphin
At Azores and Santa Maria, Azores
Short-finned pilot whale
At Azores and Santa Maria, Azores
Diving with sperm whales: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with sperm whales?
- The most reliable place to dive with sperm whales is Azores, from May, July.
- When is the best time to dive with sperm whales?
- January, July to August, when 3 of the 10 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Azores peaks May, July; Dominica peaks January to March; French Riviera / Corsica peaks June, August to September.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with sperm whales?
- At Azores from May, July, the water is 18 °C to 22 °C, so bring a 7 mm semi-dry.
- How many places can you dive with sperm whales?
- besttimetodive.com has sperm whales on record at 24 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.