Short answer: day dives from Puerto Ayora and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno reach Gordon Rocks, Kicker Rock, Mosquera and North Seymour: sharks, rays, turtles and sea lions, cold and current-swept, so most boats want an advanced card or a check dive. Darwin and Wolf, with the schooling hammerheads and the whale sharks of Jul–Dec, are liveaboard only, about a week at sea. Hammerheads are most abundant Jun–Dec.
Dive season, month by month
| Month | Sea surface, Puerto Ayora | Season | What is in the water |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24.5°C | warm | calm, clear, warm: easiest conditions for day dives |
| February | 25.4°C | warm | calm, clear, warm: easiest conditions for day dives |
| March | 25.7°C | warm | calm, clear, warm: easiest conditions for day dives |
| April | 25.5°C | warm | calm, clear, warm: easiest conditions for day dives |
| May | 24.7°C | warm | calm, clear, warm: easiest conditions for day dives |
| June | 23.5°C | cool | hammerhead schools at Darwin & Wolf; upwelling: most marine life, best snorkelling; humpback and blue whales possible |
| July | 22.3°C | cool | hammerhead schools at Darwin & Wolf; whale sharks at Darwin; upwelling: most marine life, best snorkelling; humpback and blue whales possible |
| August | 21.5°C | cool | hammerhead schools at Darwin & Wolf; whale sharks at Darwin; upwelling: most marine life, best snorkelling; humpback and blue whales possible |
| September | 21.5°C | cool | hammerhead schools at Darwin & Wolf; whale sharks at Darwin; upwelling: most marine life, best snorkelling; humpback and blue whales possible |
| October | 21.7°C | cool | hammerhead schools at Darwin & Wolf; whale sharks at Darwin; upwelling: most marine life, best snorkelling; humpback and blue whales possible |
| November | 22.3°C | cool | hammerhead schools at Darwin & Wolf; whale sharks at Darwin; humpback and blue whales possible |
| December | 23.2°C | warm | hammerhead schools at Darwin & Wolf; whale sharks at Darwin |
Thirty-year averages from the Charles Darwin Foundation station at Puerto Ayora. The western islands and the northern seamounts run colder than the station, with thermoclines below 15 m. Full weather and sea tables: month by month.
Where the sharks are
Darwin and Wolf lie far to the north-west of the main group, beyond any day boat. Kicker Rock and Gordon Rocks are the day-dive sites with a chance of hammerheads.
- Scalloped hammerheadReliable schools are at Darwin and Wolf only (liveaboards); day-trip sightings are occasional. Best months Jun–Dec. Where and when
- Whitetip reef sharkRests in groups in caves and channels by day, so Tintoreras and Kicker Rock usually deliver. Seen all year. Where and when
- Red-lipped batfishLives at 3-76 m on sand, so snorkellers rarely see it; mostly a diver's find. Where and when
- Whale sharkPeer-reviewed six-year study: presence tracked sea surface temperature inversely, concentrated July-December (about 207 sightings Jul-Dec vs 4 Jan-Jun, from a blog summary of the paper). Jul–Dec.
Day dives from the towns
Discovery Diving One-Day Experience
Scuba Diving Tour: 2 Dives
All Galápagos diving on GetYourGuide →
Prices and ratings as listed in November 2026; the price at checkout is what counts. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Disclosure
- From Santa Cruz (Puerto Ayora): Gordon Rocks (the hammerhead day site, strong currents, advanced), North Seymour, Mosquera, Daphne, Academy Bay check dives.
- From San Cristóbal: Kicker Rock (León Dormido), the channel between the two rocks, with turtles, rays, Galápagos sharks and sometimes hammerheads. Also a top snorkel site.
- From Isabela: mostly snorkelling: Los Túneles and Tintoreras, white-tip sharks resting in lava channels. Los Túneles guide
- Rules: every dive boat carries a licensed guide and the park fixes the sites each boat may use. Leave a full day between your last dive and your flight home; the tortoise highlands are the classic last day.
Liveaboards to Darwin and Wolf
A dive liveaboard runs about a week from Baltra or San Cristóbal: sailing north to Darwin and Wolf, several dive days there with three or four dives a day, then back through the central islands. Operators set their own minimum of logged dives; check it before you book.
Galapagos Cruise - Discover Central, East & South Islands in 8 Days aboard the Monserrat
Galapagos Cruise - South East Islands in 4 Days aboard the Monserrat
Ultimate Galapagos: Central Islands (Grand Daphne)
Dive liveaboards are sold by the dive agencies more than the tour marketplaces. Naturalist cruises on the cruise finder include snorkelling at every stop but no scuba; TourRadar's Galápagos sailing list is the place to check for a boat with tanks.
Snorkel instead
Most of what makes the islands famous underwater is in the top five metres. These three day trips are the snorkels divers rate highest:
Full-Day 360° Speedboat Tour around San Cristóbal
Kicker Rock & Beach Full-Day Tour
Best of Galápagos
Prices and ratings as listed in November 2026; the price at checkout is what counts. Many multi-day packages start in Quito, so check what is included. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Disclosure
Insurance, fees, the practical part
- Insurance: Required by law for foreign tourists (LOREG Art. 49). Dive operators and liveaboards require cover that includes diving and medical evacuation from the islands.
- Fees: the $200 park fee and $20 transit card apply to divers like everyone else. Entry rules
- Cost of a trip: price your week, day dives included as "boat day tours", in the cost calculator.
- Getting there: flights from Quito and Guayaquil; divers heading for a San Cristóbal liveaboard fly into SCY.
Quick answers
Can you dive the Galápagos on a day trip?
Yes, from Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal: two-tank boat days to sites such as Gordon Rocks, Kicker Rock, North Seymour and Mosquera, from $321 per person on GetYourGuide. Darwin and Wolf, the hammerhead and whale-shark islands, are reached only by liveaboard.
When is the best time to dive the Galápagos?
Hammerheads school most in the cool season (Jun–Dec) and whale sharks pass Darwin from Jul–Dec. The water is coolest in August (about 21.5°C at Puerto Ayora) and warmest in March (25.7°C), when visibility is best and the sea calmest for beginners.
How cold is the water?
Between about 21.5°C and 25.7°C at the surface on Santa Cruz over the year; western sites and thermoclines run colder. A thick wetsuit with a hood is normal in the cool season.
Do I need insurance to dive in the Galápagos?
Required by law for foreign tourists (LOREG Art. 49). Dive boats add their own rule: cover that includes diving and medical evacuation from the islands. Carry proof.
Sources:Galápagos National Park and Governing Council, peer-reviewed research, Charles Darwin Foundation, Galápagos Conservation Trust, Galápagos Conservancy. More numbers:facts and figures.
Updated 2026-11-06. Fees, boat times and prices change, so confirm with the operator before you travel.