Papua New Guinea · Indo-Pacific
Best time to dive Kimbe Bay
Best May–June and September–December; dry season roughly April–November, northwest monsoon rains December–March. Very warm Bismarck Sea water (up to ~31 °C).
Peak season: year-round
Book a Kimbe Bay LiveaboardUpcoming departures on DivebookerOverall 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 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Macro life | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Coral & reef health | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Visibility | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 |
| Water temperature | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Weather & sea state | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
| Operations & access | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
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 | 28.8 °C (84 °F) | 25–40 m |
| December 2026 | 28.7 °C (84 °F) | 20–30 m |
| January 2027 | 28.8 °C (84 °F) | 20–30 m |
| February 2027 | 28.9 °C (84 °F) | 20–30 m |
| March 2027 | 29.1 °C (84 °F) | 20–30 m |
| April 2027 | 29.2 °C (85 °F) | 25–35 m |
| May 2027 | 29.3 °C (85 °F) | 25–40 m |
| June 2027 | 28.9 °C (84 °F) | 25–40 m |
| July 2027 | 28.5 °C (83 °F) | 25–35 m |
| August 2027 | 28.6 °C (83 °F) | 25–35 m |
| September 2027 | 29.1 °C (84 °F) | 25–40 m |
| October 2027 | 29.7 °C (85 °F) | 25–40 m |
| November 2027 | 29.7 °C (85 °F) | 25–40 m |
| December 2027 | 29.7 °C (85 °F) | 20–30 m |
Marine life calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| schooling barracuda | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| reef sharks | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Peak = best odds · ● = regularly seen · blank = unlikely. Calendar months, every year.
About the diving
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Current strength
- 2 / 5
- Luxury level
- 3 / 5
- Typical depth
- 5–30 m
- Max depth of interest
- 40 m
- Dive styles
- Resort, Liveaboard
- Suggested certification
- Open Water
- Nearest airport
- HKN
- Snorkelling
- Good
- Known for
- schooling barracuda, reef sharks, sea fans
Famous sites: Kimbe Island · Joelle's Reef · Inglis Shoal · South Emma
Season notes & sources
- Best May–June and September–December; dry season roughly April–November, northwest monsoon rains December–March. Very warm Bismarck Sea water (up to ~31 °C).