Wildlife Encounter Guide

How and Where to Swim with Dugongs

The original mermaid. Dugongs graze seagrass in shallow tropical bays — and are vanishingly rare. The Red Sea is your one reliable shot.

This guide covers the 3 best places in the world to encounter dugongs from a liveaboard, when to go, what to expect underwater, and how to behave in the water so the encounter is as good for the animal as it is for you. Every recommendation comes from operators who run these dives weekly — not from textbooks.

Dugong dugon2.7–3 m, 250–500 kg3–10 m (they graze shallow seagrass beds)3 top destinations

Where to Swim with Dugongs: 3 Best Liveaboard Destinations

  • Egypt (Marsa Alam, Marsa Mubarak) — Marsa Mubarak's seagrass meadows host one of the most reliable dugong populations on Earth, year-round, in 5 m of water.
  • Vanuatu — Lamen Bay's resident male dugong has been visited by snorkellers for over 20 years.
  • Australia (Shark Bay, WA) — Around 10,000 dugongs live in Shark Bay — but encounters are mostly from boat surface only.

When to Go: Best Season for Dugongs Encounters

Egypt year-round; Vanuatu year-round.

Booking 6–9 months ahead is essential for peak season — top liveaboards on these routes sell out a year in advance.

Dugong Behaviour: 4 Things You Didn't Know

  • Dugongs are the only fully marine herbivorous mammal — manatees can enter rivers, dugongs cannot.
  • They are more closely related to elephants than to other marine mammals.
  • A single dugong eats up to 40 kg of seagrass per day, leaving distinctive feeding trails.
  • Their lifespan exceeds 70 years.

How to Dive with Dugongs: In-Water Protocol

Snorkel from the surface, never dive on top of a feeding dugong. Stay 3 m back, let it pass. They surface every 4–6 minutes — predict the breath spot and float.

Safety: Completely peaceful. Their main threats are boat strikes and seagrass loss.

Dugong Quick Facts

Scientific name
Dugong dugon
Size
2.7–3 m, 250–500 kg
Typical dive depth
3–10 m (they graze shallow seagrass beds)
Best season
Egypt year-round; Vanuatu year-round

FAQ

Is it safe to swim with dugongs?

Completely peaceful. Their main threats are boat strikes and seagrass loss.

What is the best time of year to dive with dugongs?

Egypt year-round; Vanuatu year-round.

Do I need scuba certification, or can I snorkel?

Most premium encounters happen on scuba at 15–30 m, requiring at least an Open Water certification with 30+ logged dives. Surface encounters with whale sharks, mantas, sailfish, sperm whales, humpbacks and orcas are all snorkel-friendly — and legally required in many countries.

Which liveaboard is best for dugongs?

It depends entirely on the destination. The Egypt (Marsa Alam, Marsa Mubarak) routes have the highest hit rate. Browse our full Egypt (Marsa Alam, Marsa Mubarak) liveaboard list to compare boats, prices and itineraries.

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