Dive Destination Calendar: Where to Dive in Each Month

Year at a glance

★ = best season   ● = good conditions   – = off-season, monsoon or closed (diving may still be possible locally)

Destination	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D

How to use this calendar

Diving conditions depend on monsoons, water temperature, plankton blooms and wildlife migrations. A destination that's perfect in March can be stormy, murky or even closed in November. This calendar combines those factors into a simple rating for each month:

• Best: the most reliable weather, sea conditions and visibility, and often the peak season for highlight animals.
• Good: diving is enjoyable, with some compromises such as cooler water, more wind, occasional rain, or fewer big-animal sightings.
• Off-season: monsoon, hurricane season, cold water or closures. Some local diving may still be possible, but it's not the time to plan a trip around.

Tips for planning by season

Think about the whole trip

The "best" month for diving isn't always the best for your budget. Shoulder seasons, just before or after peak, often combine good conditions with lower prices and fewer divers. For example, the Red Sea in late October and November, or the Maldives in April.

Match the destination to your level

Some destinations are rated "best" when currents bring big animals, which also means more challenging diving. The level shown for each destination tells you whether it suits new divers. See best places for your first dive.

Plan your exposure protection

The same destination can vary by 6–8 °C across the year. Use the water temperature shown, then check our wetsuit thickness calculator.

Wildlife seasons

Want mantas, whale sharks or turtles? Those encounters are often seasonal. Read where to see big marine life.

Winter escapes

If you're planning a December–March trip from Europe or North America, see our winter diving destinations list.

Month-by-month highlights

Month	Top picks	Why
January	Maldives, Phuket & Similans, Cozumel, Bonaire	Dry season in the Indian Ocean and Caribbean; calm seas
February	Maldives, Raja Ampat, Similans, Belize atolls	Peak dry season; great visibility
March	Koh Tao, Philippines, Maldives, Red Sea	Gulf of Thailand season starts; Philippines at its calmest
April	Philippines, Belize, Bali, Red Sea	Tubbataha opens; spring plankton brings big animals
May	Red Sea, Malta, Bali, Perhentians	Warming Mediterranean; Southeast Asia still dry
June	Bali, Komodo, Great Barrier Reef, Sardine Run	Dry season in Indonesia; minke whales on the GBR
July	Galápagos, Bali (mola mola), Malta, Croatia	Whale sharks at Darwin; Mediterranean warm
August	Komodo, Sipadan, Cyprus, Baja California	Warmest Mediterranean water; Baja visibility improves
September	Red Sea, Malta, Bali, Great Barrier Reef	Warm water, fewer summer crowds
October	Red Sea, Komodo, Raja Ampat, Baja	Oceanic whitetips in Egypt; Raja Ampat season opens
November	Red Sea, Similans, Maldives, Great Barrier Reef	Andaman season opens; coral spawning in Australia
December	Maldives, Similans, Cozumel, Bonaire	Festive escapes to dry-season tropics

What causes diving seasons?

Monsoons are the biggest factor in Asia and the Indian Ocean. They're seasonal wind patterns that bring rain, waves and plankton-rich water to one coast while the other enjoys calm, dry weather. That's why Koh Tao and Phuket, only a few hundred kilometres apart, have opposite best seasons.

Hurricanes and typhoons affect the Caribbean (roughly June–November) and the western Pacific, including the Philippines (roughly June–November). Diving continues in these months, but storms can cancel trips.

Water temperature defines the season in temperate seas like the Mediterranean, where many dive centres close in winter when water drops to 14–16 °C.

Wildlife cycles also shape the best months: whale shark aggregations, manta feeding seasons, sardine migrations, turtle nesting and coral spawning all follow the calendar.

Frequently asked questions

Which dive destinations are good all year round?

The Red Sea (Egypt, Eilat, Aqaba), Bonaire, Bali, Sipadan, the Yucatán cenotes and the Maldives offer diving year-round, although conditions vary by season.

Where is the best diving in August?

August is a great month for Bali, Komodo, Koh Tao, the Perhentians, Sipadan, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean, the Great Barrier Reef and the Galápagos (whale shark season).