Shark

Blacktip reef shark

Carcharhinus melanopterus

IUCN status: Vulnerable

A small, shallow-water reef shark identifiable by the black tips on its dorsal and tail fins. Common on Raja Ampat's shallower reef flats and around reef edges, frequently reported alongside turtles at sites like Cape Mansuar.

Max size
Up to 1.8m
Habitat
Shallow reef flats and reef edges, typically under 20m

Best places to dive with Blacktip reef shark

rareoccasionalcommonly seenpeak season
Baa Atoll
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
Februarycommonly seen
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Resident on shallow reef flats and lagoons across Baa year-round.

Fakarava
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
Februarycommonly seen
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Common in the shallows, on reef flats and along the lagoon edge, including the Tetamanu coral garden. Small and skittish; reliable year-round in shallow water rather than in the pass drifts.

Koh Tao
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
Februarycommonly seen
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Reliable year-round in shallow bays such as Shark Bay, Aow Leuk and Hin Wong. Shy and easily spooked by regulator noise, so often easier to see while snorkelling.

Phi Phi & Koh Lanta
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
Februarycommonly seen
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Juvenile blacktip reef sharks patrol the shallow bay at Koh Bida Nok and are among the most reliable shark encounters in the central Andaman, often seen on a single shallow dive or even while snorkeling.

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
Februarycommonly seen
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Seen regularly on the reef tops and shallow walls, often alongside grey reef and whitetip sharks.

Bali
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Seen around the Padang Bai and Nusa Penida reefs, often in shallower water than the whitetips.

Bunaken
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Patrols the shallower reef tops and wall edges; encounters are fairly frequent but not guaranteed on any single dive.

Gili Islands
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
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Occasionally seen alongside whitetips at Shark Point and along reef drifts; sightings are not guaranteed.

Koh Lipe
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
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Septemberoccasional
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Seen patrolling shallow reefs around the Adang/Rawi group; not a guaranteed sighting.

Palau
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
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Septemberoccasional
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On the shallow reef flats.

Raja Ampat
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
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Decemberoccasional

Commonly seen on shallow reef flats but not guaranteed on every dive.

Similan Islands
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
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Seen on shallow reefs and around the islands; a common Andaman reef shark. Sightings vary by site and day through the open season.

Surin Islands (Mu Ko Surin)
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Common over shallow reefs and around the islets such as Koh Chi and Koh Pachumba.

Vava'u
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Occasional on Vava'u reefs year-round, alongside whitetips and the odd grey reef shark. Encounters are single animals rather than aggregations.

Sources & last checked

Checked July 2026

This is a researched draft, not yet human-verified. The seasonality and logistics are drawn from the sources below — confirm specifics (permits, fees, closures) with an operator before you book.

Note on the data: Sources describe 'reef sharks' generically (Cape Mansuar) without always distinguishing blacktip from whitetip reef shark — blacktip was chosen as the more consistently named species across sources, but on-site species mix likely includes whitetip reef sharks too. Confirm before publishing. The IUCN Red List URL returns HTTP 403 to automated fetches (their site blocks bots/datacenter IPs) but resolves normally in a browser — verify manually rather than treating the 403 as a broken link.