The verdict
Best places to dive with zebra sharks
Stegostoma tigrinum
The most reliable place to dive with zebra sharks is Koh Phi Phi, from March to April, October.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 3 of 10 at peak | February: 4 of 10 at peak | March: 4 of 10 at peak | April: 4 of 10 at peak | May: 3 of 10 at peak | June: 1 of 10 at peak | July: 0 of 10 at peak | August: 1 of 10 at peak | September: 0 of 10 at peak | October: 4 of 10 at peak | November: 1 of 10 at peak | December: 1 of 10 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak Possible only
Based on 301 OBIS records of zebra shark (Stegostoma tigrinum) within 60 km of 10 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with zebra sharks
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Koh Phi Phi | Thailand | Mar–Apr, Oct | Near-guaranteed | 15 of 22 years | Day boat |
| 2 | Phuket | Thailand | Mar–Apr, Oct | Near-guaranteed | 14 of 22 years | Day boat |
| 3 | Byron Bay / Julian Rocks | Australia | Feb–Apr | Likely | 17 of 32 years | Day boat |
| 4 | Mabul / Kapalai | Malaysia | Jan–Feb, May | Likely | 7 of 23 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 5 | Sipadan | Malaysia | Jan–Feb, May | Likely | 7 of 23 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 6 | SS Yongala | Australia | Oct–Dec | Hit-or-miss | 6 of 27 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 7 | Ribbon Reefs | Australia | Mar, Aug | Hit-or-miss | 7 of 32 yearsfew records | Liveaboard |
| 8 | Daymaniyat Islands | Oman | Apr, Oct | Hit-or-miss | 5 of 19 yearsfew records | Day boat |
| 9 | Palau | Micronesia | Feb, Jun | Hit-or-miss | 5 of 27 yearsfew records | Liveaboard, Day boat |
| 10 | Tofo | Mozambique | Jan, May | Hit-or-miss | 4 of 25 yearsfew records | Day boat |
When to dive with zebra sharks
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koh Phi Phi | Jan: Possible | Feb: Not common | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Peak season | May: Not common | Jun: Possible | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Possible | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Not common | Dec: Possible |
| Phuket | Jan: Possible | Feb: Not common | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Peak season | May: Not common | Jun: Possible | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Possible | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Not common | Dec: Possible |
| Byron Bay / Julian Rocks | Jan: Possible | Feb: Peak season | 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: Not common | Dec: Possible |
| Mabul / Kapalai | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Peak season | Jun: Not common | Jul: Possible | Aug: Not common | Sep: Possible | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Possible |
| Sipadan | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Peak season | Jun: Not common | Jul: Possible | Aug: Not common | Sep: Possible | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Possible |
| SS Yongala | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Possible | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Peak season |
| Ribbon Reefs | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Possible | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Daymaniyat Islands | Jan: Possible | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Peak season | May: Possible | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Possible | Dec: Not common |
| Palau | Jan: Not common | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Not common | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Possible |
| Tofo | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Peak season | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Possible | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
Peak season Possible Not common
Zebra shark month by month
- January
- Season starts at Mabul / Kapalai. Also good at Sipadan and Tofo.
- February
- Season starts at Byron Bay / Julian Rocks. Also good at Mabul / Kapalai, Sipadan and 1 more.
- March
- Season starts at Koh Phi Phi. Also good at Phuket, Byron Bay / Julian Rocks and 1 more.
- April
- The one peak month at Daymaniyat Islands. Also good at Koh Phi Phi, Phuket and 1 more.
- May
- The one peak month at Mabul / Kapalai. Also good at Sipadan and Tofo.
- June
- The one peak month at Palau.
- July
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Mabul / Kapalai.
- August
- The one peak month at Ribbon Reefs.
- September
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Koh Phi Phi.
- October
- The one peak month at Koh Phi Phi. Also good at Phuket, SS Yongala and 1 more.
- November
- Best at SS Yongala.
- December
- Last peak month at SS Yongala.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months zebra sharks are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koh Phi Phi | Mar–Apr, Oct | 29–31 °C | Skin or 3 mm shorty |
| Phuket | Mar–Apr, Oct | 29–30 °C | Skin or 3 mm shorty |
| Byron Bay / Julian Rocks | Feb–Apr | 25–27 °C | 3 mm full suit |
| Mabul / Kapalai | Jan–Feb, May | 29–30 °C | Skin or 3 mm shorty |
| Sipadan | Jan–Feb, May | 29–30 °C | Skin or 3 mm shorty |
What else you'll see with zebra sharks
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Diving with zebra sharks: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with zebra sharks?
- The most reliable place to dive with zebra sharks is Koh Phi Phi, from March to April, October.
- When is the best time to dive with zebra sharks?
- February to April, October, when 4 of the 10 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Koh Phi Phi peaks March to April, October; Phuket peaks March to April, October; Byron Bay / Julian Rocks peaks February to April.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with zebra sharks?
- At Koh Phi Phi from March to April, October, the water is 29 °C to 31 °C, so bring a skin or 3 mm shorty.
- How many places can you dive with zebra sharks?
- besttimetodive.com has zebra sharks on record at 10 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.