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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Red Sea and Arabia

Red Sea and Arabia

Pakistan

A quiet Arabian Sea coast with nesting green turtles, rare Arabian Sea humpback whales and the only coral reef in the country. Shared as a story only, with no trips.

Clear green sea and sandstone boulders on the Balochistan coast, Pakistan
Balochistan coast, Pakistan · Photo: Muhammad Abdullah on Unsplash
On pause, travel not recommended

On pause, travel not recommended. A government travel advisory says not to travel here, so we do not offer trips. Sources: Pakistan travel advice, UK FCDO, updated 22 Sep 2026; Pakistan travel advisory, US State Department; Three whale sharks rescued, released into sea, Dawn.

Why: The UK and the United States advise against all travel to Balochistan, where most of Pakistan's wild coast, islands and turtle beaches are, so our ethics check is paused. What we know: fishermen trained by conservationists now free whale sharks and other animals caught in their nets. For now we only share the story of this Arabian Sea coast, with no trips.

We share this country as a story and do not offer trips. This is not a judgement of the people or the ocean here. It only means that today we could not find a visit that meets our animal-welfare and safety standards. Places change, so we look again every year.

⚠️ Official travel advice is a separate question, and it differs by passport. EU citizens or US citizens may be advised against travelling there, so please check your own government’s website before you plan.

WhalesWhale sharksTurtlesDolphinsCoral reefs

Why Pakistan

Pakistan's 1,050 km Arabian Sea coast is home to the Arabian Sea humpback whale, a small population that stays in these waters all year and never migrates to the poles. Green turtles nest on the beaches near Karachi and on the Makran coast, mostly from August to November, and fishermen trained by conservationists now free whale sharks caught in their nets. Churna Island has the only reef formation known in Pakistan, and Astola Island became the first marine protected area in 2017. Sperm, Bryde's and blue whales, and humpback and bottlenose dolphins, are also recorded, and the Indus delta holds one of the largest mangrove forests in the world. Governments advise against all travel to the Balochistan coast, where Astola, Churna and the Makran beaches are, and the US asks people to reconsider travel to Pakistan, so Ocean Calling is only researching it for now.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

KazakhstanUzbekistanSomaliaSudanIsraelLebanonPalestineJordanUnited Arab EmiratesQatarKuwaitIraqOmanThailandMyanmarIndiaBangladeshBhutanNepalPakistanAfghanistanTajikistanKyrgyzstanTurkmenistanIranSyriaArmeniaTurkeySri LankaChinaAzerbaijanEritreaYemenSaudi ArabiaN. CyprusCyprusEgyptEthiopiaDjiboutiSomalilandS. SudanKarachi turtle beaches (Hawksbay and Sandspit), PakistanChurna Island, PakistanAstola Island, PakistanDaran Beach, Jiwani, Pakistan

When to go

Oct-Mar. Timing changes by place and by animal, so check each place below.

Official travel advice or our ethics check means we do not send guests here.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

On pause, travel not recommended

We follow government travel advice. We will look again when it changes.

This is not a judgement of the people or the ocean here. It only means that today we could not find a visit that meets our animal-welfare and safety standards. Places change, so we look again every year. Checked 26 Sep 2026.

⚠️ Official travel advice is a separate question, and it differs by passport. EU citizens or US citizens may be advised against travelling there, so please check your own government’s website before you plan.

Sources for this check
The story

Where in Pakistan

We share these places as stories and research notes. We do not offer or sell trips here.

Karachi turtle beaches (Hawksbay and Sandspit)

On pause, travel not recommended

Sandy beaches west of Karachi where green turtles come ashore at night to nest, next to mangrove creeks.

Also seen: Green turtles nesting (a story for now, not a trip)

When: Aug-Nov. Green turtles nest mostly from August to November, and some into February. June to September is monsoon, with rough sea.

Churna Island

On pause, travel not recommended

A small rocky island west of Karachi with the only reef formation known in Pakistan, a marine protected area since 2024.

What lives here: Corals (15 species recorded), Reef fish

When: Oct-Mar. The calmer months are after the monsoon, from about October to March. The island lies in Balochistan waters.

Astola Island

On pause, travel not recommended

Pakistan's first marine protected area, an offshore island where green turtles nest and 11 hard coral species were found.

Also seen: Green turtles nesting, Dolphins (from the boat)

When: Oct-Mar. Green turtles nest here in the second half of the year. Any visit, diving or boating needs prior approval.

Daran Beach, Jiwani

On pause, travel not recommended

A remote Makran beach near the Iran border where green turtles nest and Arabian Sea humpback whales pass offshore.

Also seen: Green turtles nesting, Arabian Sea humpback whales (offshore, rare), Bryde's whales (offshore, rare)

When: Oct-Mar. Green turtles nest from July, with a peak in November. Whales are seen most often in the calm months before the monsoon, February to April.

Animals

Animals recorded in Pakistan

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Humpback whale swimming close with long pectoral finHumpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliaeSeen in 87 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreen turtle resting on the reef, shell and head pattern in sharp detailGreen turtleChelonia mydasSeen in 103 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernOlive ridley turtles nesting on Playa Ostional, Costa RicaOlive ridley turtleLepidochelys olivaceaSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasVulnerableHawksbill turtle swimming, pointed beak in profileHawksbill turtleEretmochelys imbricataSeen in 88 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredLoggerhead turtle at the surface feeding on Portuguese man o' warLoggerhead turtleCaretta carettaSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasVulnerableLeatherback hatchling crossing the sand toward the seaLeatherback turtleDermochelys coriaceaSeen in 76 countries in the AtlasVulnerableHuge spotted whale shark gliding through open blue waterWhale sharkRhincodon typusSeen in 54 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSperm whale mother raising her fluke beside her calf off DominicaSperm whalePhyseter macrocephalusSeen in 114 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBryde’s whale surfacing and exhaling in deep blue open oceanBryde's whaleBalaenoptera edeniSeen in 36 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBlue whale blowing a tall spout off San DiegoBlue whaleBalaenoptera musculusSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasEndangeredCuvier's beaked whale surfacing, pale scarred head and small dorsal finCuvier's beaked whaleZiphius cavirostrisSeen in 42 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernIndian Ocean humpback dolphin showing its pale dorsal humpIndian Ocean humpback dolphinSousa plumbeaSeen in 13 countries in the AtlasEndangeredPod of bottlenose dolphins swimming over a Red Sea coral reefIndo-Pacific bottlenose dolphinTursiops aduncusSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedScalloped hammerhead shark cruising in deep blue Red Sea waterScalloped hammerheadSphyrna lewiniSeen in 57 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredBump-head sunfish swimming in blue water off Nusa PenidaOcean sunfish (mola)Mola molaSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasVulnerableFinless porpoiseNeophocaena phocaenoidesSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasVulnerablePod of common dolphins surfacing in calm blue seaCommon dolphinDelphinus delphisSeen in 53 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernMasked booby on Ascension IslandMasked boobySula dactylatraSeen in 80 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGanges river dolphin lifting its long toothy snout above brown river water beside a muddy bankGanges river dolphinPlatanista gangeticaSeen in 3 countries in the AtlasEndangeredGreat cormorant perched on a branch, with white head plumes and a glossy blue-black backGreat cormorantPhalacrocorax carboSeen in 90 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLittle cormorant perched among mangrove branches with its wings spreadLittle cormorantMicrocarbo nigerSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernIndian cormorant perched beside water, showing its blue eye and scalloped feathersIndian cormorantPhalacrocorax fuscicollisSeen in 8 countries in the AtlasLeast Concern
Curious?

Why this is a story, not a trip

Read our ethics check above. If you would like to talk about it, Rocío is happy to explain.

Ask RocíoBack to the Ocean Atlas

Also in Red Sea and Arabia
BahrainDjiboutiEgyptEritreaIranIraqIsraelJordanKuwaitOmanQatarSaudi ArabiaSudanUnited Arab EmiratesYemen

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Based in Pakistan?

We are always happy to hear from exceptional local operators, accommodation, conservation organisations and destination experts in Pakistan. If your work fits responsible, small-group ocean travel, we would love to learn more.

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