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Hotels, dive operators, gear, and how to get here are on the Gulf of Tadjoura location page.
Overview
A shallow bay on the southern shore of the Gulf of Tadjoura, just outside the cliff-walled Ghoubbet al-Kharab, where seasonal plankton blooms draw one of the world's densest gatherings of juvenile whale sharks each November to January. The animals here are unusually small — mostly young males of 3-6 m — and researchers suspect the gulf is a nursery, with skiffs sometimes sitting over a dozen sharks at once. Encounters are snorkel-first in green, plankton-rich water a few metres deep; scuba is a secondary affair on the fringing reefs. The plankton that feeds the sharks also cuts visibility, and Ghoubbet's tidal currents can run hard, but the trade-off is swimming alongside the largest fish in the sea at arm's length.
Briefing note
Whale shark season is roughly November-January, peaking in December. A strict interaction code applies: no touching, no flash photography, no diving down onto the sharks, and limits on swimmers in the water. The sharks are juveniles and the bay is shallow; Ghoubbet al-Kharab next door has strong tidal currents. Summer (Jun-Aug) is brutally hot on land and diving is unremarkable outside the plankton season.
What you'll see
5 species curated- seasonalWhale sharkPeak: Nov · Dec · Jan
- rareReef manta rayPeak: Nov · Dec · Jan
- year-roundSpinner dolphin
- year-roundGiant trevally
- year-roundBluefin trevally
Conditions
| Month | Water | Visibility | Current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25–27 °C | 8–15 m | moderate |
| Feb | 25–27 °C | 12–20 m | moderate |
| Mar | 26–28 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
| Apr | 27–29 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| May | 29–31 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Jun | 30–32 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Jul | 30–32 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Aug | 30–32 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Sep | 29–31 °C | 18–28 m | mild |
| Oct | 28–30 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Nov | 27–29 °C | 10–20 m | moderate |
| Dec | 26–28 °C | 8–18 m | moderate |
Season calendar
Peak season highlighted · current month outlined
Gear for this site
Beyond the basic kit- Snorkel and freediving fins — Most whale shark interaction happens at the surface in a few metres of water, so a light snorkel set matters more here than scuba kit.
- 3mm wetsuit — Whale shark season (Nov-Jan) brings the year's coolest water, around 25-28C.
Next step
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