Shark
Whale shark
Rhincodon typus
The world's largest fish. Presence and seasonality vary sharply by destination: occasional in Raja Ampat (Cenderawasih Bay, a separate marine area elsewhere in Papua, is the region's reliable year-round whale shark destination), and most reliably reported around Socorro in November and December, with a secondary, less-consistently-sourced window some operators place in April and May.
- Max size
- Up to 18m
- Habitat
- Open water; near bagan (lift-net) fisheries in parts of Indonesia
Best places to dive with Whale shark
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | occasional |
| July | peak season |
| August | peak season |
| September | peak season |
| October | occasional |
| November | rare |
| December | rare |
Encountered in the rainy season, June to November, with the best odds roughly July to September over the same seamounts. Never guaranteed and largely absent in the dry season.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | peak season |
| March | peak season |
| April | peak season |
| May | peak season |
| June | occasional |
| July | rare |
| August | not seen |
| September | not seen |
| October | rare |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
The headline animal, encountered by snorkel (not scuba) in Donsol Bay under the BIO program — wild and non-provisioned. Season runs roughly November to June with peak numbers around February to May; sightings are plankton-driven and not guaranteed, and numbers vary year to year. Also recorded occasionally at Manta Bowl.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | occasional |
| June | peak season |
| July | peak season |
| August | peak season |
| September | peak season |
| October | peak season |
| November | occasional |
| December | rare |
Wolf and Darwin only in practice; cool/dry season, peak roughly August–September. Mostly very large, apparently pregnant females.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | not seen |
| February | not seen |
| March | not seen |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | not seen |
| July | not seen |
| August | not seen |
| September | not seen |
| October | not seen |
| November | peak season |
| December | peak season |
Most operators report November-December as the strongest window. At least one operator instead emphasizes April-May, particularly on the season's final trips — genuine disagreement between sources, treated conservatively here.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | peak season |
| February | peak season |
| March | peak season |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | peak season |
| November | peak season |
| December | peak season |
Tofo has a near-resident whale-shark population, so sightings are possible year-round but track plankton blooms, with the reliable warm-season window around October-March. They are typically encountered on surface ocean-safaris rather than on dives.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | rare |
In Baa Atoll, whale sharks are seasonal Hanifaru feeders tied to the same southwest-monsoon plankton bloom (roughly May to November, best late July to early October), not the year-round residents of South Ari Atoll. Only a few join the manta feeding, so occasional at best even in peak season.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | rare |
| December | rare |
Whale sharks are reported year-round but realistically rare; sightings cluster in the Feb-April plankton bloom. Many trips see none.
| 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, not reliable. Reported mainly at 8 Mile Rock, in the dry season and during May-September plankton blooms; most trips see none. Treat operator 'year-round' claims as marketing.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | rare |
| December | rare |
The island's headline draw and a real reason people come, but sightings are sporadic and never guaranteed. Reported year-round; the two most commonly cited better windows are roughly March–May and September–October, tied to plankton blooms at the offshore pinnacles.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | not seen |
| July | not seen |
| August | not seen |
| September | rare |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
An occasional warm-season visitor; not a headline species here.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | not seen |
| February | not seen |
| March | rare |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | not seen |
| December | not seen |
A late-spring to mid-summer visitor (best chance April to August, especially late May to July) following plankton past Ras Mohammed and Tiran. A lottery even in the best weeks.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | rare |
| December | rare |
Most reliably encountered at Richelieu Rock, and occasionally Koh Tachai/Koh Bon. Best odds February-April when plankton blooms peak. Genuinely unpredictable — many trips see none. Not present in the closed months (mid-May to mid-October).
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | rare |
| December | rare |
A rare visitor to exposed Surin sites, most reported February to April. Treat any sighting as luck, not an expectation.
| 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 |
A genuine rarity here, not a reason to book. Occasional August sightings are reported over the offshore banks; do not expect one.
| 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 |
Whale sharks are reported occasionally, sometimes tied to plankton-rich water, but sightings at Koh Chang are genuinely rare and never reliable despite operator marketing.
| 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 |
A rare pelagic passer-by, slightly more likely in the January–April dry season.
| 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 |
Occasional reports only — Raja Ampat is not a reliable whale shark destination. Cenderawasih Bay, a separate marine area elsewhere in Papua, is where whale sharks are genuinely resident year-round.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | not seen |
| December | rare |
A rare, plankton-driven visitor; not a Sipadan draw (island closed in November).
| 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 passes through the open water around the atolls, but Tubbataha is not a dependable whale-shark destination.
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.
- Insights into the population demographics and residency patterns of photo-identified whale sharks Rhincodon typus in the Bird's Head Seascape, Indonesia — Frontiers in Marine Science
- Raja Ampat Dive Season Explained — Bluewater Dive Travel
- Socorro Diving (Revillagigedo): Best Time to Go, Giant Mantas, Sharks & Liveaboards — Bluewater Dive Travel
- Everything You Need to Know About Diving in Socorro Island — Infinite Blue Dive Travel
- Best Time for Diving the Socorro Islands — Nautilus Liveaboards
- Best Time to Dive in the Socorro Islands Mexico — LiveAboard.com
Note on the data: This species record is shared across regions (Raja Ampat and Socorro) — region-specific seasonality lives on each sighting record, not here. Do not conflate Raja Ampat with Cenderawasih Bay, a different destination with genuinely resident whale sharks. Socorro timing is a genuine source conflict — see the socorro-whale-shark sighting record's reviewNotes for how that was resolved.