Winter Diving: Where to Dive from December to March
Northern winter is prime time in many tropical dive destinations. Here's where to find warm water, calm seas and great visibility from December to March.
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If you live in Europe or North America, winter is the perfect time for a dive holiday, and many of the world's best destinations are in their dry season exactly then. Here's where to go.
Top winter destinations
| Destination | Water (Dec–Mar) | Why go in winter | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maldives | 28–29 °C | Dry NE monsoon, calm seas, great visibility, sharks in channels | All (channels advanced) |
| Thailand (Andaman) | 27–29 °C | Similan Islands season, Phuket and Koh Lanta at their best | All |
| Philippines | 25–28 °C | Dry season begins; Anilao, Moalboal, Malapascua | All |
| Indonesia (Raja Ampat) | 28–30 °C | Raja Ampat liveaboard season (Oct–Apr) | Experienced |
| Caribbean | 25–27 °C | Dry season, outside hurricane season | All |
| Mexico (Caribbean side) | 25–27 °C | Dry, pleasant; bull sharks in Playa del Carmen (advanced) | All |
| Mexico (Socorro) | 21–25 °C | Giant mantas, humpback whales (liveaboard) | Advanced |
| Egypt (Red Sea) | 21–23 °C | Short flight from Europe, fewer crowds, cooler water | All, bring 7 mm |
| Great Barrier Reef | 28–29 °C | Warm water (summer there), but wet season, stingers and cyclone risk | All |
| Galápagos | 22–26 °C | Warmer, calmer season; hammerheads and mantas | Advanced |
Best for beginners in winter
- Maldives: calm lagoons and house reefs, and more affordable guesthouse options on local islands
- Phuket, Khao Lak and Koh Lanta: easy day trips and good-value courses
- Bonaire and Curaçao: calm shore diving and very reliable weather
- Cozumel: gentle drifts and a direct-flight destination from North America
- Philippines (Moalboal, Anilao): good value with plenty of easy sites
Close to Europe in winter?
The Red Sea is the closest warm-ish option, but water drops to about 21–22 °C in February and it can be windy. Bring a 7 mm suit, hood and a windproof jacket. The Canary Islands (Atlantic, about 18–19 °C in winter) offer year-round diving with shorter flights. Cape Verde is another option (around 21–23 °C). For truly warm water, you'll need a longer flight.
Things to watch out for
- Koh Tao and the Gulf of Thailand have their monsoon around November (and often October–December): bad timing for a winter trip.
- Malaysia's Perhentians are closed roughly November–February.
- The Great Barrier Reef is warm, but it's the wet season, with stingers and possible cyclones.
- The Mediterranean is cold (14–16 °C) and many dive centres close, except in Malta and Cyprus.
- Christmas and New Year are peak season everywhere. Book early.
Use our dive destination calendar to check any month.
Sample winter itineraries
10 days in Thailand (January–February)
Fly into Phuket, spend 3 days on day trips (Racha Yai, Shark Point, King Cruiser wreck), then join a 4-day Similan Islands liveaboard that includes Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock. Keep the last day free before flying home.
One week in the Maldives on a budget (December–April)
Stay in a guesthouse on a local island in South Ari Atoll (for example Dhigurah), do 8–10 fun dives including a whale shark snorkel, and add a manta cleaning-station dive. Fly back via Malé with a full no-fly interval.
Caribbean shore-diving week (January–April)
Rent an apartment and a pickup truck on Bonaire, buy an unlimited-air shore-diving package, and dive 2–3 marked sites a day at your own pace. Ideal for building buoyancy skills after your Open Water course.
Packing for winter trips
- A warm layer and windbreaker for flights and boat rides, even to the tropics
- A 5–7 mm suit for the Red Sea, Canaries or Socorro; 3 mm for most tropical spots
- Seasickness remedies. Winter winds can make some crossings rough
- Our interactive packing checklist
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to dive in January?
The Maldives, Thailand's Andaman coast (Phuket, Similans), the Philippines, the Caribbean and Mexico's Caribbean coast are all excellent in January.
Is the Red Sea warm in winter?
The water is around 21–23 °C from December to March, cooler than summer but diveable with a 7 mm wetsuit.
Keep reading
Where to See Manta Rays, Whale Sharks and Turtles While Diving
The best places and seasons for the ocean's gentle giants, plus how to encounter them responsibly.
Cheap Diving: The Most Affordable Scuba Destinations in the World
Where your diving budget goes furthest, with typical course and dive prices.
Diving in Egypt's Red Sea: Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Marsa Alam and Dahab
Year-round warm, clear water, affordable courses and famous wrecks. One of the best places to learn.