Pelagic fish
Ocean sunfish (mola)
Mola spp.
A massive, disc-shaped sunfish that hangs in the blue and visits cleaning stations at cold sites. In the Galápagos, Punta Vicente Roca on northwest Isabela is the reliable spot, especially when cold upwelling is strongest.
- Max size
- To ~1.8m+ and ~1,000kg
- Habitat
- Cool open-water upwelling zones; visits cleaning stations at rocky points
Best places to dive with Ocean sunfish (mola)
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | occasional |
| July | peak season |
| August | peak season |
| September | peak season |
| October | peak season |
| November | occasional |
| December | rare |
The Mola. Drawn up by cold upwelling at Crystal Bay and Blue Corner roughly July-November, peaking August-September; sightings are seasonal and never guaranteed, and the water is cold when they appear.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | peak season |
| July | peak season |
| August | peak season |
| September | peak season |
| October | peak season |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Best in the cool season (June–October) when cold upwelling is strongest; Punta Vicente Roca is the reliable site.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | rare |
Mola ride the cold upwelling up into diveable depths at sites like The Refrigerator and Halerman, mainly in the September-November pelagic season and around the cooler upwelling months; encounters are a chance, not a given.
| 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 |
Mola pass through in summer, often near the surface over deep water; sightings are luck-of-the-day.
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.
- Top Dive Sites in the Galápagos — PADI
- Top Mola Dive Sites — SSI