Turtle

Green sea turtle

Chelonia mydas

IUCN status: Endangered

The most commonly reported turtle species in Raja Ampat, seen resting under coral ledges and grazing on reef flats. Sauwandarek Jetty is known for a resident individual that regularly surfaces near divers.

Max size
Up to 1.5m shell length
Habitat
Reef flats, jetty pilings, and coral ledges

Best places to dive with Green sea turtle

rareoccasionalcommonly seenpeak season
Baa Atoll
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Resident on Baa's reefs and house reefs year-round, not monsoon-dependent.

Bonaire
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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The most common turtle on Bonaire; reliably seen year-round, especially around Salt Pier and shallow reefs.

Bunaken
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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The signature Bunaken encounter; green turtles are seen on most dives, with counts of ten or more in an hour reported on the Lekuan walls.

Dauin
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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The signature Apo Island encounter; green turtles graze the shallows and are seen on nearly every dive around the sanctuary, with 60-plus individuals documented.

Fakarava
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Green turtles are common on the reef, in the passes and over the lagoon coral gardens year-round. The most frequently seen turtle here.

Galápagos
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Resident, common across central and northern sites.

Gili Islands
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
Februarycommonly seen
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Resident and one of the two main draws; seen on the majority of dives across all three islands year-round, with no meaningful seasonal variation.

Komodo
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Resident year-round, with Siaba Besar ('Turtle Bay') the site operators name for reliable green turtles on a shallow sandy-bottomed check dive. Also reported at Karang Makassar. No seasonality documented.

Lighthouse Reef
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
Februarycommonly seen
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Commonly seen on the Lighthouse Reef walls year-round. Half Moon Caye is a documented nesting site, with nesting in the summer season (roughly June-November).

Moalboal
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Reliable on most reef and shore dives, including the Panagsama house reef and Pescador; frequently seen on the same dives as the sardine baitball.

Northern Red Sea
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Resident year-round, grazing the seagrass beds at Mersa Bareika in Ras Mohammed and seen across the reefs.

Ribbon Reefs & Cod Hole
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Resident and commonly seen across the Ribbon Reefs year-round, including at Lighthouse Bommie, Dynamite Pass and Flare Point. Not seasonal.

Sipadan
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Seen on every Sipadan dive in high numbers; mate and nest around the island. Sipadan is closed each November.

Surin Islands (Mu Ko Surin)
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
Februarycommonly seen
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Regular on the shallow reefs and at Turtle Ledge, often grazing on the reef flat.

Tofo
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
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Green turtles are a common reef sighting at Tofo, usually large.

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Common on the reefs and walls; Tubbataha is an important nesting and foraging area, and turtles are seen on most days.

Wakatobi
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Turtles are regularly seen on the reefs and House Reef throughout the year.

Bali
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
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Common on Bali reefs and around the Nusa Penida sites; often resting on coral or feeding on the shallows.

Cocos Island
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
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Seen year-round around the rocks and at cleaning stations such as Dirty Rock. Hawksbills are also reported but less often.

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

Turtles are seen occasionally around the wrecks, most often on the Irako and the Japanese freighter, but they are a bonus rather than a reliable feature.

Koh Chang
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
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Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
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Turtles are seen occasionally, most often on the Koh Rang National Park reefs; not guaranteed on any dive.

Koh Tao
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
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Resident on shallow reefs; regularly seen at Shark Bay, Aow Leuk and Hin Wong, grazing on seagrass and coral.

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

Seen on the reef and at Gato through the year.

Palau
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
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Decemberoccasional

On the walls and reefs year-round.

Phi Phi & Koh Lanta
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Green turtles turn up on the reefs alongside the more frequent hawksbills, though in smaller numbers.

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

Commonly seen year-round, especially at Cape Mansuar and Sauwandarek Jetty, though not guaranteed on every dive.

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

The second resident turtle in the park, seen grazing on reef flats. Sightings are frequent but not guaranteed on any given dive.

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

Seen on Vava'u reefs year-round; encounters are incidental rather than site-specific.

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.