Where and when to dive with hammerhead sharks

17 July 2026

Hammerheads are a bucket list dive, but the word covers two very different experiences. Schooling scalloped hammerheads gather in huge numbers at a few remote sites, while the large solitary great hammerhead is a different animal in a different place and season. The best liveaboard destinations are the Galapagos, the Red Sea and the Bahamas. Here is where and when to dive with them.

Photo: Barry Peters, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The two kinds of hammerhead

When divers say hammerheads they usually mean one of two things. Schooling scalloped hammerheads move in large numbers over remote seamounts and offshore reefs, a wall of sharks overhead. The great hammerhead is bigger, usually solitary, and comes in close over shallow sand. They suit different destinations and different seasons, so it helps to know which one you are after before you book.

Galapagos: schools of scalloped hammerheads

The Galapagos is the most reliable place on earth for schooling scalloped hammerheads. The remote northern islands of Darwin and Wolf, reached only by liveaboard, hold big schools year round, alongside whale sharks and Galapagos sharks. The warm season from December to May brings calmer seas and clearer water, while the cool season adds whale sharks. It is an advanced destination with cool water and strong currents. Read the Galapagos marine life guide and compare Galapagos liveaboards.

Red Sea: summer hammerheads offshore

In the Red Sea, scalloped hammerheads gather at the offshore reefs of Daedalus and the Brothers in summer, roughly June to August. These are deep, blue-water dives in current, so they suit Advanced divers with logged dives. The same offshore routes bring oceanic whitetips and, in the north, the famous wrecks. Read the Red Sea liveaboard season guide and compare Egypt liveaboards.

Bahamas: winter great hammerheads

The Bahamas is the place for the great hammerhead, the large solitary kind. Off Bimini in winter, roughly December to March, these big sharks come in close over shallow sand in clear, warm water. The dives are shallower than the Galapagos or the offshore Red Sea, but they are still big animal dives that suit confident divers. Read the Bahamas liveaboard diving guide and compare Bahamas liveaboards.

Other hammerhead sites

Cocos Island off Costa Rica and Malpelo off Colombia are the other world class sites for schooling scalloped hammerheads, both remote liveaboard-only destinations. We do not cover them yet, but they are worth knowing about if hammerhead schools are your main goal.

Hammerhead season month by month

Plan your hammerhead trip

Decide which hammerhead you want first: schools in the Galapagos or the summer Red Sea, or a great hammerhead in the Bahamas. Then match the destination to the month and to your dive level, since the Galapagos and offshore Red Sea need Advanced experience. DiveScanner compares real, current prices from every operator and agency for each boat, so you find the best hammerhead departure without checking each booking site yourself.

FAQ

Where can I see schooling hammerheads?

The Galapagos at Darwin and Wolf has the most reliable schools of scalloped hammerheads, seen year round. The Red Sea offers scalloped hammerheads at Daedalus and the Brothers in summer, roughly June to August.

When are great hammerheads best in the Bahamas?

Winter, roughly December to March, off Bimini, where the large solitary great hammerheads come in close over the sand.

Do I need experience to dive with hammerheads?

Yes for the Galapagos and the offshore Red Sea, which have cool water, strong currents and blue-water dives that need Advanced certification and logged dives. The Bahamas great hammerhead dives are shallower but still suit confident divers.