Shark

Grey reef shark

Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos

IUCN status: EndangeredWidely sought

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

rareoccasionalcommonly seenpeak season

Fakarava

Sighting likelihood by month
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.

Ari Atoll

Sighting likelihood by month
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 around current-swept thilas such as Fish Head and Maaya Thila; numbers and proximity change with tide and boat traffic.

Baa Atoll

Sighting likelihood by month
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.

Banda Sea

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Regular on the outer walls and off the drop-off at Manuk, Hatta and Koon. Numbers are moderate — this is not a shark-protected area like Raja Ampat, and the surrounding waters are fished.

Derawan Archipelago (Derawan, Sangalaki, Kakaban, Maratua)

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Recorded at the Maratua channel and Kakaban's Barracuda Point, usually in current and usually as singles or small groups — not the densities of Indonesia's shark-focused regions.

Hin Daeng & Hin Muang

Sighting likelihood by month
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.

Komodo

Sighting likelihood by month
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.

Layang-Layang (Swallow Reef)

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Reported on most wall dives, particularly D'Wall, Gorgonian Forest and The Runway. The most consistently seen shark on the atoll.

North and South Malé Atolls

Sighting likelihood by month
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 around current-fed channel mouths and pinnacles. Numbers and proximity depend on tide and diver position.

Palau

Sighting likelihood by month
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.

Ribbon Reefs & Cod Hole

Sighting likelihood by month
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.

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park

Sighting likelihood by month
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.

Vaavu Atoll

Sighting likelihood by month
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 the channel mouths, with the official Miyaru description emphasizing sightings during northeast-monsoon incoming flow. Strong current improves the viewing opportunity but makes the dives harder.

Addu Atoll

Sighting likelihood by month
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 current-facing channels, especially Kuda Kandu and Maa Kandu. Numbers depend on current and should not be inferred from a site nickname.

Alor

Sighting likelihood by month
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.

Apo Reef Natural Park

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Recorded at Apo Reef by Global FinPrint surveys, usually along the deeper wall sections such as Binangaan Drop-off rather than on the plateau. Regular but not a given on any single dive — this is a reef rebuilding its shark numbers, not a grey-reef aggregation site.

Beqa Lagoon & Pacific Harbour

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Bligh Water & Vatu-i-Ra

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Cairns & Outer Great Barrier Reef

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Possible throughout the operating year; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Cenderawasih Bay

Sighting likelihood by month
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 on outer reefs throughout the operating year. No defensible month-specific peak was found.

Deep South: St John’s & Fury Shoals

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Fuvahmulah

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Recorded by non-baited cameras and on outer reefs. Current and site choice matter more than a verified calendar.

Kadavu & Great Astrolabe Reef

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Mergui Archipelago

Sighting likelihood by month
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 in the blue at Shark Cave, Black Rock and the Banks. Numbers are modest by Indo-Pacific standards; this is a fished archipelago and reef shark encounters are singles and pairs rather than schools.

Sharm el-Sheikh, Ras Mohammed & Tiran

Sighting likelihood by month
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.

Osprey Reef & Coral Sea

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Possible throughout the operating year; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Rowley Shoals

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Possible in the region; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Safaga & Brothers Islands

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Savusavu & Namena

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Sipadan

Sighting likelihood by month
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).

Sumbawa, Moyo & Sangeang

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Surin Islands (Mu Ko Surin)

Sighting likelihood by month
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.

Taveuni & Rainbow Reef

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Triton Bay

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Truk Lagoon

Sighting likelihood by month
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.

Bunaken

Sighting likelihood by month
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.

Hurghada & Giftun Islands

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Marsa Alam, Elphinstone & Abu Dabbab

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Pulau Weh

Sighting likelihood by month
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

An occasional exposed-site sighting rather than a routine encounter; Batee Tokong and Shark Plateau offer the better chance.

Vava'u

Sighting likelihood by month
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

Research is source-backed, but conditions and fees should still be confirmed locally.

View 2 sources and checking notes

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.