Punta Vicente Roca
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Why dive in Punta Vicente Roca?
BEST SEASON
Featured Animals 10
- Unlikely
- Likely
- Very likely
Nocturnal Frequent sightingsGalapagos Fur Seal
Arctocephalus galapagoensis
The Galapagos Fur Seal is the smallest of all pinnipeds, found only in the Galapagos Islands. They have a dense underfur and are known for their pronounced pointy snouts.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsGalapagos Shark
Carcharhinus galapagensis
The Galapagos Shark is a large requiem shark found in tropical waters. It is recognizable by its streamlined body and distinctive fins. This shark is known for forming schools near sea mounts and is often seen in coastal and reef areas.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsGalápagos Sea Lion
Zalophus wollebaeki
The Galápagos Sea Lion is the smallest sea lion species, endemic to the Galápagos Archipelago and some areas off mainland Ecuador. They are highly social, forming colonies on sandy beaches and rocky shores, and are known for their playful and inquisitive nature. Their diet primarily consists of fish, squid, octopus, and crustaceans, which they forage at shallow to moderate depths.
BEST SEASON
Variable Frequent sightingsGiant Oceanic Manta Ray
Mobula birostris
The Giant Oceanic Manta Ray is the world's largest ray, with a disc width that can reach up to 9 meters. It is a circumglobal species found in tropical to temperate pelagic waters, often near coastlines, reefs, and in the open ocean, diving to depths of 1,000 meters. These filter feeders primarily consume zooplankton, including mesopelagic sources, and can also eat small fish. While generally solitary, they aggregate at feeding grounds and cleaning stations. The species is currently listed as Endangered due to overfishing and low reproductive rates.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsGreen Sea Turtle
Chelonia mydas
The green sea turtle is a large marine reptile distinguished by its heart-shaped carapace and a single pair of prefrontal scales.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsMarine Iguana
Amblyrhynchus cristatus
The Marine Iguana is the only lizard adapted to life in the sea. Found only on the Galápagos Islands, it feeds primarily on algae and can dive up to a meter deep. Adult males are significantly larger than females, and their ability to excrete salt is a unique adaptation to their marine environment.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsOcean Sunfish
Mola mola
The Ocean Sunfish is one of the heaviest known bony fish, notable for its round, flat body. It often basks on its side at the surface of the ocean and is a diurnal predator feeding primarily on jellyfish.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsPacific Seahorse
Hippocampus ingens
The Pacific Seahorse is a relatively large seahorse species found in the eastern Pacific. They have distinctive elongated bodies and often change color to blend with their surroundings.
BEST SEASON
Cathemeral Frequent sightingsScalloped Hammerhead Shark
Sphyrna lewini
The Scalloped Hammerhead Shark is a large, migratory shark easily recognized by the central indentation on its hammer-shaped head. These sharks are found globally in warm temperate and tropical coastal and oceanic waters, often forming large schools around seamounts and islands. They are primarily nocturnal foragers, feeding on a diverse diet of bony fishes, cephalopods, crustaceans, and smaller sharks and rays.
BEST SEASON
Nocturnal Frequent sightingsWhitetip Reef Shark
Triaenodon obesus
The Whitetip Reef Shark is a slender, medium-sized shark easily identified by the distinctive white tips on its dorsal and upper caudal fins. Primarily nocturnal, it spends its days resting in caves and under ledges on coral reefs and hunts at night for bony fishes, crustaceans, and cephalopods. These sharks are generally social, often found in groups during the day, but can hunt individually or cooperatively.
BEST SEASON
More marine life 24
Bigeye TrevallyCaranx sexfasciatus
Blacktip SharkCarcharhinus limbatus
Blue SharkPrionace glauca
Blue WhaleBalaenoptera musculus
Common Bottlenose DolphinTursiops truncatus
Eagle RayAetobatus spp.
Fur SealsArctocephalinae
Galapagos Barnacle BlennyAcanthemblemaria castroi
Galapagos Blackstripe SalemaXenocys jessiae
Great Hammerhead SharkSphyrna mokarran
Humpback WhaleMegaptera novaeangliae
Killer WhaleOrcinus orca
Oceanic Whitetip SharkCarcharhinus longimanus
Pelagic Thresher SharkAlopias pelagicus
Sea LionOtariinae
Sicklefin Devil RayMobula tarapacana
Silky SharkCarcharhinus falciformis
Smooth Hammerhead SharkSphyrna zygaena
Sperm WhalePhyseter macrocephalus
Spinner DolphinStenella longirostris
Spot-fin PorcupinefishDiodon hystrix
Tiger SharkGaleocerdo cuvier
Whale SharkRhincodon typus
Yellowfin TunaThunnus albacares
Where is Punta Vicente Roca
Pacific Ocean · Ecuador
Frequently asked questions about Punta Vicente Roca
When is the best time to dive in Punta Vicente Roca?
The best time to dive in Punta Vicente Roca is from June to November. In those months the water is between 16°C and 22°C.
What marine life can you see diving in Punta Vicente Roca?
Divers can encounter 34 species in Punta Vicente Roca. Highlights include Galapagos Fur Seal, Galapagos Shark, Galápagos Sea Lion, Giant Oceanic Manta Ray, Green Sea Turtle, and Marine Iguana.
When can you see the Galapagos Fur Seal in Punta Vicente Roca?
The Galapagos Fur Seal is most often seen in Punta Vicente Roca from July to October.
When can you see the Galapagos Shark in Punta Vicente Roca?
The Galapagos Shark is most often seen in Punta Vicente Roca from March to October.
When can you see the Giant Oceanic Manta Ray in Punta Vicente Roca?
The Giant Oceanic Manta Ray is most often seen in Punta Vicente Roca from April to October.
What is the water temperature in Punta Vicente Roca?
Water temperature in Punta Vicente Roca ranges from 16°C in July to 25°C in February.
What wetsuit do I need to dive in Punta Vicente Roca?
Most divers wear a 7 mm wetsuit in July, when the water drops to 16°C, and a 3 mm wetsuit in February, when it reaches 25°C.
What is the visibility like when diving in Punta Vicente Roca?
Visibility in Punta Vicente Roca ranges from 8 m to 20 m. The water is clearest from January to April.
What are the currents like in Punta Vicente Roca?
Divers in Punta Vicente Roca can expect moderate, strong, or very strong currents, depending on the month and the dive site.
What can you see on a night dive in Punta Vicente Roca?
After dark, Punta Vicente Roca reveals nocturnal species such as Galapagos Fur Seal, Whitetip Reef Shark, Blue Shark, Spinner Dolphin, and Spot-fin Porcupinefish.
Where is Punta Vicente Roca located?
Punta Vicente Roca is a dive destination in Ecuador, in the Pacific Ocean.
Every answer is built from the conditions and sightings data we keep for Punta Vicente Roca. Spotted something that looks off?
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