Oman · Indian Ocean
Best time to dive Daymaniyat Islands
Whale sharks come through September–November, most reliably in October. Landing on the islands is banned from May to October for turtle nesting, but boat diving around them continues.
Peak season: April–May, September–November
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 low · Jul low · Aug low · Sep low · 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 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| Macro life | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Coral & reef health | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Visibility | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
| Water temperature | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Weather & sea state | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Operations & access | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
Water temperature & visibility
| Month | Water | Visibility |
|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | 26.5 °C (80 °F) | 15–25 m |
| December 2026 | 24.5 °C (76 °F) | 10–20 m |
| January 2027 | 23.0 °C (73 °F) | 10–20 m |
| February 2027 | 22.5 °C (73 °F) | 10–20 m |
| March 2027 | 24.0 °C (75 °F) | 15–20 m |
| April 2027 | 26.5 °C (80 °F) | 15–25 m |
| May 2027 | 29.0 °C (84 °F) | 15–25 m |
| June 2027 | 30.0 °C (86 °F) | 10–20 m |
| July 2027 | 29.5 °C (85 °F) | 10–15 m |
| August 2027 | 28.5 °C (83 °F) | 10–15 m |
| September 2027 | 28.5 °C (83 °F) | 10–20 m |
| October 2027 | 28.0 °C (82 °F) | 15–20 m |
| November 2027 | 26.5 °C (80 °F) | 15–25 m |
| December 2027 | 24.5 °C (76 °F) | 10–20 m |
Marine life calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| whale shark | ● | Peak | ● | |||||||||
| turtles | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| leopard shark | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
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
- 5–25 m
- Max depth of interest
- 30 m
- Dive styles
- Day boat
- Suggested certification
- Open Water
- Nearest airport
- MCT
- Snorkelling
- Good
- Known for
- whale shark, turtles, leopard shark
Famous sites: Aquarium · Jun's Delight · Police Run · Three Sisters
Season notes & sources
- Whale sharks come through September–November, most reliably in October. Landing on the islands is banned from May to October for turtle nesting, but boat diving around them continues.