Best time to dive Bunaken
Dry season (about April–October) brings visibility past 30 m; west winds make January–February the roughest. The marine park islands are sheltered by the mainland and diveable year-round.
Peak season: year-round
Overall diving, month by month
Balanced scoring · forecasts include the 2026/27 El Niño outlook
Confidence: Nov medium · Dec medium · Jan medium · Feb medium · Mar medium · Apr medium · May medium · Jun medium · Jul medium · Aug medium · Sep medium · Oct low · Nov low · Dec low
What's good when
Each attribute scored 0–10 for every month
| Nov2026 | Dec | Jan2027 | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelagic & big animals | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Macro life | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Coral & reef health | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Visibility | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
| Water temperature | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Weather & sea state | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 |
| Operations & access | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
Climate outlook
How this year's forecast differs from a typical year
- Weather & sea state +1 · El Niño makes the wet season drier (Nov 2026 – April 2027)
- Water temperature -0.8 °C · Indonesian seas run cooler during El Niño (Nov 2026 – April 2027)
- Coral & reef health -1 · El Niño sea-level drop and heat stress damage shallow reefs (Nov 2026 – December 2027)
Water temperature & visibility
| Month | Water | Visibility |
|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | 28.3 °C (83 °F) | 20–30 m |
| December 2026 | 27.7 °C (82 °F) | 15–25 m |
| January 2027 | 27.3 °C (81 °F) | 15–20 m |
| February 2027 | 27.4 °C (81 °F) | 15–20 m |
| March 2027 | 28.1 °C (83 °F) | 15–25 m |
| April 2027 | 28.7 °C (84 °F) | 20–30 m |
| May 2027 | 28.8 °C (84 °F) | 20–35 m |
| June 2027 | 28.4 °C (83 °F) | 20–35 m |
| July 2027 | 27.5 °C (82 °F) | 20–35 m |
| August 2027 | 27.1 °C (81 °F) | 20–35 m |
| September 2027 | 27.6 °C (82 °F) | 25–40 m |
| October 2027 | 28.7 °C (84 °F) | 25–35 m |
| November 2027 | 29.2 °C (85 °F) | 20–30 m |
| December 2027 | 28.7 °C (84 °F) | 15–25 m |
Marine life calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| green turtle | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| hawksbill turtle | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| napoleon wrasse | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| reef sharks | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Peak = best odds · ● = regularly seen · blank = unlikely. Calendar months, every year.
About the diving
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Current strength
- 2 / 5
- Luxury level
- 4 / 5
- Typical depth
- 5–30 m
- Max depth of interest
- 40 m
- Dive styles
- Resort, Day boat
- Suggested certification
- Open Water
- Nearest airport
- MDC
- Snorkelling
- Good
- Known for
- green turtle, hawksbill turtle, napoleon wrasse, reef sharks
Famous sites: Lekuan I–III · Fukui Point · Mandolin · Sachiko's Point
Season notes & sources
- Dry season (about April–October) brings visibility past 30 m; west winds make January–February the roughest. The marine park islands are sheltered by the mainland and diveable year-round.
- The 2015–16 El Niño sea-level drop killed up to 85% of reef-flat coral at Bunaken; the walls below were largely spared.