Dive with
Best places to dive with Spotted eagle ray
Aetobatus narinari
An elegant ray with a dark, white-spotted back and a long whip-like tail, cruising sandy edges and channels, often in small groups. It uses a shovel-shaped snout to root molluscs and crustaceans from the sand. Protected in the Maldives and seen year-round.
Destinations ranked by how reliably spotted eagle ray is seen. The bars show the likelihood by month — never a guarantee. See the full species page for more.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Large schools at North Seymour and the central sites year-round.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Seen year-round cruising the walls and sand flats, notably at Half Moon Caye Wall; no documented seasonal peak at Lighthouse Reef.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Seen year-round along Baa's channels and reef edges rather than on any seasonal schedule, but patchy and unpredictable, so kept at occasional.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Seen cruising over sand and along drop-offs year-round, but as passing encounters rather than a reliable fixture.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Passing eagle rays are seen off the exposed points and along Bunaken Timur, sometimes in small groups, but sightings are not guaranteed.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Regularly reported at cleaning stations and along ridges such as Dirty Rock and Punta Maria, often in small groups. No strong seasonal pattern in the sources.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Passes through the channels singly or in small groups, more often on the drift than a guaranteed sighting. Seen year-round without a clear seasonal peak.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Passes through the drift sites such as Halik and Manta Point; sightings are occasional rather than reliable.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Spotted eagle rays pass over the reefs and pinnacles occasionally, more often at Koh Haa and the outer sites; never guaranteed.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | not seen |
| December | occasional |
More likely at South Point on plankton-rich currents (Sipadan closed in November).