The verdict
Best places to dive with spotted eagle rays
Aetobatus narinari
The most reliable place to dive with spotted eagle rays 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 3,043 OBIS records of spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) within 60 km of 36 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with spotted eagle rays
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 | 26 of 32 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 2 | Cozumel | Mexico Caribbean | All year | Near-guaranteed | 21 of 26 years | Day boat |
| 3 | Gladden Spit, Belize | Belize | All year | Near-guaranteed | 20 of 25 years | Day boat |
| 4 | St. Croix | USVI | All year | Near-guaranteed | 24 of 31 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 5 | Turneffe, Belize | Belize | All year | Near-guaranteed | 21 of 30 years | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 6 | Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico | All year | Near-guaranteed | 20 of 28 years | Day boat |
| 7 | Cenotes (Tulum / Playa) | Mexico Caribbean | All year | Near-guaranteed | 18 of 26 years | Day boat |
| 8 | Bonaire | Caribbean | All year | Near-guaranteed | 18 of 28 years | Shore |
| 9 | British Virgin Islands | BVI | All year | Near-guaranteed | 20 of 32 years | Day boat |
| 10 | Key West, Florida Keys | USA | All year | Likely | 18 of 32 years | Day boat |
Also on record at Roatan, Utila, Cancun / Riviera Maya, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Isla Mujeres, Bocas del Toro, Andros / Nassau, Bahamas, Curacao, Blue Hole / Lighthouse, Belize, Bermuda, Jamaica, Tobago, Providencia, Saba, Malpelo, Dry Tortugas, Florida Keys, Statia (St. Eustatius), Aliwal Shoal, Martinique, Protea Banks, Turks & Caicos, Oahu, Guanaja, Exumas, Bahamas, Aruba and Little Cayman, Cayman Islands.
When to dive with spotted eagle rays
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key Largo, Florida Keys | Jan: No survey data | 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 |
| 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 |
| St. Croix | 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 |
| 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 |
| Bonaire | 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 |
| 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 |
Possible No survey data
Spotted eagle ray 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 spotted eagle rays are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Largo, Florida Keys | All year | 24–31 °C | 5 mm full suit |
| Cozumel | All year | 27–30 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Gladden Spit, Belize | All year | 27–30 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| St. Croix | All year | 27–30 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Turneffe, Belize | All year | 27–30 °C | 3 mm full suit |
What else you'll see with spotted eagle rays
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Manatee
At Key Largo, Florida Keys, Gladden Spit, Belize and Key West, Florida Keys
Nassau grouper
At Key Largo, Florida Keys, St. Croix and Key West, Florida Keys
Bottlenose dolphin
At Key Largo, Florida Keys, Gladden Spit, Belize and Key West, Florida Keys
Loggerhead turtle
At Key Largo, Florida Keys, Gladden Spit, Belize and Turneffe, Belize
Hawksbill turtle
At Key Largo, Florida Keys, Bonaire and British Virgin Islands
Goliath grouper
At Key Largo, Florida Keys and Key West, Florida Keys
Diving with spotted eagle rays: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with spotted eagle rays?
- The most reliable place to dive with spotted eagle rays is Key Largo, Florida Keys, from All year.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with spotted eagle rays?
- 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 spotted eagle rays?
- besttimetodive.com has spotted eagle rays on record at 36 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.