Best Places to Dive with Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish)

Best Places to See Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish) in the Wild

The ocean sunfish, Mola mola, is a pelagic marvel: a disc-shaped giant that seems equal parts spacecraft and fish. Adults can grow to several meters in height (measured fin-tip to fin-tip) and weigh hundreds of kilograms, yet they move with surprising grace by sculling their tall dorsal and anal fins in broad, rhythmic sweeps. Their truncated tail ends in a soft, fan-like clavus, an evolutionary departure that adds to their unmistakable silhouette.

Once believed to feed primarily on jellyfish, molas are now understood to have a varied diet of gelatinous zooplankton, small fishes, fish larvae, salps, and crustaceans—soft-bodied prey that suits their relatively gentle bite. They are frequent visitors to cleaning stations, where reef fishes pick parasites from their thick, often scarred skin, and they sometimes bask near the surface, tilting sideways as if sunbathing, perhaps to thermoregulate after deep foraging dives.

A single female may release an astonishing number of eggs during a season—among the highest fecundity recorded for any bony fish. Yet much of their life in the open ocean remains a mystery: routes, ages at maturity, longevity, and the fine-scale rhythms of their vertical migrations. That lingering mystery is part of their allure—and a reason to approach them with humility and care.

Ocean sunfish at a cleaning station — A mola pauses at a cleaning station while a diver observes from a respectful distance—an ideal setup for both fish and photographer.

Top Destinations to Dive with Ocean Sunfish

While sunfish inhabit temperate and tropical waters worldwide, sightings cluster in a handful of celebrated regions where seasonal currents, thermoclines, and cleaning stations align. Below are five destinations where divers commonly encounter molas, along with timing notes and valuable internal resources to explore the broader local diving scene.

Nusa Penida & Nusa Lembongan, Bali, Indonesia

Mola Mola at the Surface

The islands of Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan off Bali’s southeast coast are world-renowned for reliable Mola mola sightings, where cool thermoclines draw the sunfish up from the deep to cleaning stations nestled along dramatic reef walls. Bali’s outer islands are synonymous with mola encounters, particularly during the cooler upwelling months—often July through October—when thermoclines usher cold, nutrient-rich water into dive sites like Crystal Bay, Blue Corner, and Toyapakeh. Cleaning stations on the reef slopes are the stage; divers who arrive early, settle calmly, and give the fish room to approach often enjoy lingering views.

Explore broader Indonesia diving: Liveaboard Diving in Indonesia • Bali Liveaboard Diving.

Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Mola Mola in Galapagos

In the Galápagos, nutrient-charged currents create ideal conditions for pelagic megafauna, and molas are no exception. Encounters can occur year-round, but are more consistent during the cooler, drier season (roughly June to November), when plankton blooms and cleaning stations become active. Depth, surge, and current demand experiences; liveaboards expand their range and opportunities.

Learn more: Galápagos Liveaboard Diving.

Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), Mexico

The Sea of Cortez blends deep pelagic basins with productive coastal zones where smaller or subadult molas are occasionally seen, particularly late summer into autumn. Launch points like La Paz offer access to blue-water edges and island drop-offs. Visibility, surface basking behavior, and mixed-species action deliver strong odds for wide-angle shooting days.

Regional guide: Liveaboard Diving in Mexico • Sea of Cortez Liveaboard Diving

Ethical Encounter Protocols for Divers & Guides

A shared, respectful approach maximizes viewing time and photographic opportunities while minimizing stress for the fish and the cleaner species that serve it. The following procedures are recommended for use at mola cleaning stations and during open-water encounters.

Set the Stage Before You See the Fish

Brief with intent: Agree on signals, rotation order, and maximum time-on-fish. Assign a lead and tail diver to manage spacing.
Streamline your kit: Clip or stow dangling gear to keep it organized. Buoyancy checks happen away from cleaning stations.
Lights and strobes: Pre-set lower powers and diffusers. Avoid “test firing” near the station.

Approach & Positioning

Slow is invisible: Glide in with small fin movements; use frog kicks or modified flutter to reduce “kick snow.”
Angles matter: Approach from the side at station depth; avoid head-on paths and never cut off the route to or from the cleaning area.
Neutral and quiet: Hold position with breath control; keep bubble streams from drifting over the mola or cleaners.
Group discipline: Cap the active cluster to a few divers; others remain back until rotation.

During the Encounter

No touching, no feeding: Contact can remove protective mucus and alter natural behavior.
Guard the cleaners: Do not hover directly above the cleaning station; let cleaner fish work uninterrupted.
Let the fish choose: If the mola approaches, hold your line and stay calm; if it turns away, give it space immediately.

Rotation & Exit

Time-sharing: Typical windows are short, rotating every 3–5 minutes, so everyone gets a view.
Back out cleanly: Leave the station as slowly as you arrived; do not surge upward or kick toward the fish.

Photography Tips: Lenses, Light & Approach

Mola photography rewards patience and planning. Their size and unusual geometry demand vast fields of view and careful light control; their skittishness punishes haste. Adopt a “low stimulus” mindset, and the images will follow.

Keep it in frame and try not to crop its fins

Go wide: A fisheye or rectilinear wide-angle lens is ideal for framing the whole body and fins without crowding the fish. Aperture & shutter: Start around f/8–f/11 to keep the subject crisp; 1/125–1/200s balances motion and ambient. Adjust ISO to taste. Manual balance: Dial exposure for the subject’s pale, mottled skin; avoid clipping highlights on the fin edges.

Diffuse everything: Use large diffusers or domes; angle strobes outward to avoid hotspots and backscatter. Ambient-first: In clear water or near the surface, lean on ambient light for soft, natural tonality—then add gentle fill. Mind the eyes: Never blast the eye with direct strobe. If the fish flinches or veers, power down and wait.

Profile power: Three-quarter or side profiles accentuate the fish’s silhouette and clavus detail. Tell the story: Include cleaners, thermocline haze, or sunbeams to contextualize the moment. Let it come to you: Static, low-energy positioning entices closer passes than active swimming.

Burst with restraint: Short bursts catch fin cadence without turning the scene into a strobe fest. Video-ready: Continuous lights on low power and 4K/60 capture elegant fin sculling and micro-interactions at stations. Backups: Carry spare batteries and moisture absorbers; cold upwellings can sap power, and fog domes can be problematic.

Conservation Status, Threats & How Divers Can Help

Ocean sunfish face a suite of modern pressures. Bycatch in pelagic fisheries is a persistent threat; floating plastics can be mistaken for jellyfish and ingested; boat strikes are a risk when molas bask near the surface. Climate shifts alter currents and prey fields, potentially reshaping seasonal access to cleaning stations.

Various assessments list Mola mola as a species of concern in parts of its range. While their high fecundity suggests resilience, population trajectories are uncertain—partly because molas roam vast, lightly monitored seascapes. Divers can play an outsized role in observation and advocacy.

Actions for Visiting Divers

Choose responsible operators: Prioritize those with a published code of conduct for mola interactions and small group sizes. See regional overviews: Indonesia, Galápagos, Mexico.
Report sightings: Participate in local citizen-science logs. Clear images with date, depth, and site help build distribution maps.
Cut plastic at the source: Refill bottles, refuse bags, secure all trash on boats, and join harbor or beach cleanups.
Support MPAs and bycatch reforms: Fees, donations, and public pressure for selective gear and seasonal closures protect pelagic giants.

Quick FAQs

What is the “right” depth for mola encounters?

Cleaning stations in some regions are located between 18 and 35 m, although molas range widely. Always follow your training, gas planning, and local guide advice.

What thermal protection should I bring?

Thermoclines can be chilly even in the tropics. Many divers opt for 5–7 mm suits or a drysuit during peak mola months in Bali and similar locations.

Can snorkelers see Mola mola?

Occasionally, yes—especially when molas bask near the surface. Boat etiquette is crucial; operators may restrict entry to avoid stressing the fish.