Shark
Grey reef shark
Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
A classic requiem reef shark of Indo-Pacific drop-offs and channels, grey-bodied with a plain first dorsal fin and a broad black margin on the tail. It patrols current-swept reef walls and is far more common on remote offshore reefs than inshore. The IUCN uplisted it to Endangered in 2020 after steep declines.
- Max size
- Up to ~2.5m, usually under 1.9m
- Habitat
- Reef walls, drop-offs and channels
Best places to dive with Grey reef shark
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | peak season |
| July | peak season |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
The headline species. The South Pass holds a resident aggregation commonly counted at 300-700 grey reef sharks year-round. Densities peak around the June-July full moon when the sharks feed on spawning groupers. Present at both passes; sightings are reliable but exact numbers vary with tide and season.
| 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 |
Resident on Baa's outer reefs and channels year-round, with a grey reef shark nursery at Anga Faru. Sightings favour current-swept channel and thila dives rather than any season.
| 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 |
Grey reef sharks are among the more reliable large animals here, patrolling the deeper walls of both pinnacles.
| 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 |
Concentrated on the northern seamounts — Castle Rock and Crystal Rock, where operators report them patrolling daily — rather than spread through the park. Also reported at Langkoi Rock in the far south. Year-round; no seasonal pattern found in the sources reviewed. Best seen hooked in on the current-facing side, which is why this is an advanced-site animal.
| 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 |
Resident at Blue Corner, Ulong and Peleliu; numbers and activity peak March–May around the full and new moons.
| 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 |
Resident and commonly seen in the passes and along outer reef walls, especially in current at sites like Dynamite Pass. Year-round; not seasonal.
| 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 |
The most reliable shark here — grey reef sharks appear on nearly every dive, often in groups of several, patrolling the walls and drift sites like Washing Machine and Amos Rock.
| 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 |
Patrol the current-swept pinnacles, notably Kal's Dream and Sharks Galore off Pura, alongside whitetip reef sharks.
| 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 |
An occasional wall and blue-water encounter in the north, chiefly at Tiran. Grey reef sharks are far more reliable on Egypt's southern offshore reefs (the Brothers, Daedalus) than around Sharm.
| 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 common at South Point and the deeper wall (Sipadan closed in November).
| 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 |
Reported at Koh Torinla and exposed reef edges; less frequently seen than the shallow-reef blacktips.
| 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 |
Occasional around the wrecks and lagoon passes; not the reason to come here.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | rare |
| December | rare |
Occasionally seen in the blue off the more exposed points such as Sachiko's, but far less reliable than the reef whitetips and blacktips.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | rare |
| December | rare |
Reported occasionally on Vava'u reefs but the least commonly seen of the three reef sharks here.
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.
- Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos (Grey Reef Shark) — IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Grey reef shark — Wikipedia
Note on the data: Shared species (Northern Red Sea and Baa Atoll). IUCN status was Near Threatened before the 2020 uplisting to Endangered; older sources may still cite Near Threatened. The IUCN Red List PDF URL may 403 to automated fetches but resolves in a browser.