The verdict
Best places to dive with spinner dolphins
Stenella longirostris
The most reliable place to dive with spinner dolphins is Fernando de Noronha, 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: 1 of 10 at peak | April: 1 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: 1 of 10 at peak |
Most sites at peak Possible only
Based on 1,557 OBIS records of spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) within 60 km of 33 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with spinner dolphins
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fernando de Noronha | Brazil | All year | Near-guaranteed | 21 of 23 years | Day boat |
| 2 | Big Island / Kona | USA | All year | Near-guaranteed | 26 of 30 years | Day boat |
| 3 | Kauai / Niihau | USA | All year | Near-guaranteed | 20 of 23 years | Day boat |
| 4 | Oahu | USA | All year | Near-guaranteed | 24 of 29 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 5 | Abu Dabbab | Red Sea | All year | Near-guaranteed | 20 of 26 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 6 | Marsa Alam | Red Sea | All year | Near-guaranteed | 20 of 26 years | Day boat, Liveaboard |
| 7 | Mauritius | Mauritius | All year | Near-guaranteed | 14 of 18 years | Day boat |
| 8 | Menjangan | Indonesia | All year | Near-guaranteed | 12 of 16 years | Day boat |
| 9 | Maui / Molokini | USA | All year | Near-guaranteed | 19 of 31 years | Day boat |
| 10 | West (Hikkaduwa), Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | Mar–Apr, Dec | Near-guaranteed | 13 of 18 years | Day boat |
Also on record at Zabargad & Rocky Island, St John's / Fury Shoals, Reunion, North & Central Atolls, Maldives, Bohol / Panglao, Roatan, Oslob, Baa / Hanifaru, Maldives, Moorea / Tahiti, French Polynesia, Sharm el-Sheikh / Ras Mohammed, Strait of Gubal / Thistlegorm, East (Trincomalee), Sri Lanka, Dumaguete / Dauin, Utila, Hurghada, Puerto Vallarta / Banderas, Bligh Water, Fiji, Cabo San Lucas, Socotra, Dominica, Cairns, El Quseir and Cano Island / Drake Bay.
When to dive with spinner dolphins
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fernando de Noronha | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Big Island / Kona | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Kauai / Niihau | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Oahu | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Abu Dabbab | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Marsa Alam | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| 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 |
| Menjangan | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Maui / Molokini | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| West (Hikkaduwa), Sri Lanka | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Peak season | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Possible | Dec: Peak season |
Peak season Possible Not common
Spinner dolphin month by month
- January
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Fernando de Noronha.
- February
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Fernando de Noronha.
- March
- Season starts at West (Hikkaduwa), Sri Lanka.
- April
- Last peak month at West (Hikkaduwa), Sri Lanka.
- May
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Fernando de Noronha.
- June
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Fernando de Noronha.
- July
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Fernando de Noronha.
- August
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Fernando de Noronha.
- September
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Fernando de Noronha.
- October
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Fernando de Noronha.
- November
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Fernando de Noronha.
- December
- The one peak month at West (Hikkaduwa), Sri Lanka.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months spinner dolphins are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fernando de Noronha | All year | 27–29 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Big Island / Kona | All year | 25–27 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Kauai / Niihau | All year | 25–28 °C | 5 mm full suit |
| Oahu | All year | 25–27 °C | 5 mm full suit |
| Abu Dabbab | All year | 23–30 °C | 5 mm full suit |
What else you'll see with spinner dolphins
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Diving with spinner dolphins: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with spinner dolphins?
- The most reliable place to dive with spinner dolphins is Fernando de Noronha, from All year.
- When is the best time to dive with spinner dolphins?
- March to April, December, when 1 of the 10 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Fernando de Noronha peaks All year; Big Island / Kona peaks All year; Kauai / Niihau peaks All year.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with spinner dolphins?
- At Fernando de Noronha from All year, the water is 27 °C to 29 °C, so bring a 3 mm full suit.
- How many places can you dive with spinner dolphins?
- besttimetodive.com has spinner dolphins on record at 33 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.