Inland Sea & Tunnel (Dwejra)
Malta, Gozo & Comino, Malta
An 80 m tunnel leads from Dwejra's enclosed lagoon to the open sea, deepening from 3 m to 26 m at the seaward end.
- Advanced
- Rock formations
- Eagle rays
Where to dive with rays
64 destinations where rays are documented by published sources, with the months to go when we know them.
When to go
Dark: peak season. Light: regularly seen.
| Destination | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CozumelPeak Nov–Mar | ||||||||||||
| Poor Knights IslandsPeak Jan–Apr | ||||||||||||
| AzoresPeak Jul–Oct | ||||||||||||
| Cancún & Isla MujeresPeak Nov–Feb | ||||||||||||
| GalápagosNov–May | ||||||||||||
| MaldivesDec–May | ||||||||||||
| MauiSep–Feb | ||||||||||||
| Cayman IslandsDec–Apr | ||||||||||||
| Raja AmpatSep–Dec | ||||||||||||
| Fakarava & RangiroaJan–Mar |
Also documented here
Sources confirm them, but don't say in which months.
- Aliwal Shoal & Protea Banks, South Africa
- Andaman Islands (Havelock & Neil), India
- Bahamas
- Bali & Nusa Penida, Indonesia
- Belize
- Bohol & Panglao, Philippines
- Bonaire
- Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon, Micronesia
- Cocos Island, Costa Rica
- Côn Đảo, Vietnam
- Crete, Greece
- Curaçao
- Dahab, Egypt
- Dorset (Portland & Swanage), United Kingdom
- Dumaguete, Dauin & Apo Island, Philippines
- El Nido, Philippines
- Fernando de Noronha, Brazil
- Finistère (Brest, Crozon & Glénan), France
- Florida Keys, United States
- Gili Islands, Indonesia
- Great Barrier Reef (Cairns & Port Douglas), Australia
- Grenada
- Gulen (Western Norway), Norway
- Hurghada, Egypt
- Koh Samui & Koh Phangan, Thailand
- Koh Tao, Thailand
- Komodo, Indonesia
- Kona (Big Island), United States
- Mactan (Cebu), Philippines
- Malapascua, Philippines
- Mallorca, Spain
- Malta, Gozo & Comino, Malta
- Moalboal, Philippines
- Netrani Island (Murudeshwar), India
- Oahu, United States
- Palau
- Phú Quốc, Vietnam
- Pondicherry, India
- Recife & Pernambuco Wrecks, Brazil
- Roatán & Bay Islands, Honduras
- Romblon, Philippines
- Sharm El Sheikh & Ras Mohammed, Egypt
- Similan Islands & Khao Lak, Thailand
- Sipadan & Semporna, Malaysia
- Siquijor, Philippines
- Southeast Florida (Palm Beach to Miami), United States
- Southern Leyte (Sogod Bay), Philippines
- Sri Lanka West & South (Colombo to Unawatuna), Sri Lanka
- SS Yongala (Townsville), Australia
- Tofo, Mozambique
- Trincomalee & East Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
- Tubbataha, Philippines
- Utila, Honduras
- Wakatobi, Indonesia
Dive sites known for rays
SS Yongala
SS Yongala (Townsville), Australia
Sunk by a cyclone in March 1911, the wreck lies on a 30 m seabed with its upper parts at 16 m; penetration diving is prohibited by law.
- Advanced
- Wreck
- Reef sharks
Monad Shoal
Malapascua, Philippines
A plateau where thresher sharks rise at dawn to visit cleaning stations.
- Advanced
- Pinnacle
- Bull sharks
Jackfish Alley
Sharm El Sheikh & Ras Mohammed, Egypt
Ras Mohammed drift with sunlit swim-throughs at 5 and 15 m, then an alley of jackfish and whitetip reef sharks.
- Advanced
- Cavern
- Whitetip reef sharks
Manta Point
Bali & Nusa Penida, Indonesia
Mantas visit the cleaning stations here all year, sometimes in courtship 'manta trains' of up to 30.
- Advanced
- Rock formations
- Manta rays
Blue Corner (Palau)
Palau
Hook in above the wall and watch resident grey and whitetip reef sharks, tuna and barracuda work the current.
- Experienced
- Wall
- Whale sharks
Ulong Channel
Palau
Ride the channel current past lettuce coral grown 15–20 feet from the bottom, with grey reef sharks and batfish at the mouth.
- Advanced
- Drift
- Grey reef sharks
Bells to Blue Hole
Dahab, Egypt
Drop through the Bells chimney to a wall at about 25 m, then follow the wall to cross the 7 m saddle into the Blue Hole.
- Advanced
- Blue hole
- Manta rays
Cathedral
Aliwal Shoal & Protea Banks, South Africa
In raggie season up to 40 ragged-tooth sharks rest in this reef amphitheatre; in summer, look out for hammerheads above.
- Advanced
- Rock formations
- Hammerhead sharks
Moray Garden
Dahab, Egypt
Walk-in shore dive where holes and cracks hide morays, nudibranchs and scorpionfish, with a school of yellowtail barracuda at 7 m.
- Open Water
- Reef
- Whale sharks
Cai
Bonaire
East-coast reef for experienced divers with a guide, where turtles, eagle rays and moray eels thrive and large schools including tarpon roam.
- Experienced
- Reef
- Turtles
Salt City
Bonaire
Part of Bonaire's southern double reef system, with a good chance of seeing turtles and eagle rays.
- Advanced
- Reef
- Turtles
Photo credits
- Inland Sea Gozo dive site, Malta / Gozo / Comino, Bellina 09, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Yongala dive site, Australia, Orin Optiglot, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Monad Shoal dive site, Malapascua, Jun V Lao, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Jackfish Alley dive site, Ras Mohammed, Roland Unger, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Manta Point Nusa Penida dive site, Bali / Nusa Penida, Roland Unger, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Blue Corner (Palau) dive site, Palau, Matt Kieffer from London, United Kingdom, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Sea star on the bottom of Ulong Channel, Palau, LuxTonnerre, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Shore entry to The Bells, Dahab, Tim Sheerman-Chase, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cathedral Aliwal Shoal dive site, Aliwal Shoal, South Africa, Peter Southwood, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Moray Garden Dahab dive site, Dahab, Egypt, Yvesb, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cai Bonaire dive site, Lac Cai, Bonaire, Paul Arps from The Netherlands, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Salt City dive site, Bonaire, LASZLO ILYES from Cleveland, Ohio, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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