Djibouti · Djibouti · Pelagic & blue water
Arta Beach Whale Shark Grounds
Breath-hold encounters with juvenile whale sharks feeding at the surface
Area photo: CNE CNA C6F · Public domain
The winter plankton bloom in the Gulf of Tadjoura draws juvenile whale sharks in along the Arta shoreline, close enough that boats can work the coast looking for a fin. Encounters happen at the surface and are run on a breath-hold rather than on scuba. The grounds sit inside the Arta marine protected area, 40.1 square kilometres declared by presidential decree in 2014.
Also known as Arta Plage, Arta Bay.
Where it is and how deep
11.5857° N, 42.8285° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
There is no dive plan here in the usual sense. The boat runs the shoreline of the bay watching for a dorsal fin, and when one is spotted the group slides in ahead of the animal and lets it come through. Whale sharks are filter feeders that move slowly while they work the plankton, so the pace is set by the shark rather than by you, and the boat repositions and repeats until everyone has had enough.
Encounters happen near the surface, which is why they are run on a breath-hold and why no certification is needed; most excursions here are snorkelling trips suitable for beginners. The season runs from November to February, peaking in December and January. Treat the day as a wildlife trip with reef diving fitted around it rather than as a dive with a shark in it.
Background
The grounds fall inside the Arta marine protected area, one of a set of Djibouti reserves created by presidential decree in 2014. At 40.1 square kilometres it takes in coral reef, mangrove and sea turtle nesting beach as well as the whale shark aggregation, and Mission Blue recorded the network as protecting habitat for whale sharks, whales, dolphins, sea turtles and sea birds.
Marine life and season
- Whale sharks
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Djibouti: Whale sharks aggregate reliably November–February when plankton blooms in the gulf; sightings are sparse the rest of the year.
Dive videos
Requin baleine dans le golfe de Tadjourah (Djibouti) · Jean François STEPHAN on YouTube
Questions divers ask
When can you see whale sharks at Arta Beach?+
The season runs from November to February, peaking in December and January. Outside that window the plankton bloom that concentrates the sharks in the gulf fades and sightings thin out.
Do you need to be a diver to see the whale sharks?+
No. Encounters happen near the surface and are run on a breath-hold, so most excursions are snorkelling trips that beginners can join without any certification.
Sources
- Whale Shark Season in Djibouti: Best Time to Visit — Travel2Djibouti
- Ocean Protection Expands in Horn of Africa — Mission Blue
- Plage d'Arta Map — Mapcarta
In The Logbook
- Where to dive in DecemberTrip planning · 10 min read
- Where to dive in every month of the yearTrip planning · 14 min read
- Why is some sea green instead of blue?Ocean science · 8 min read
- Where to dive with whale sharks, month by monthBig animals · 16 min read
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