Best time to dive Lembeh Strait

Diveable year-round; the world's best-known muck site. Cooler July–September water (about 25–26 °C) brings the murkiest visibility but often the most critter activity. The rainy season runs roughly November–March.

Peak season: year-round

Best upcoming months:5.9November 2026 5.8November 2027 5.7May 2027

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	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3
Macro life	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10
Coral & reef health	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3
Visibility	5	5	5	5	5	5	6	6	5	3	3	5	5	5
Water temperature	9	9	9	10	10	10	10	10	8	8	8	9	10	10
Weather & sea state	9	8	8	7	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	9	8	7
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	27.8 °C (82 °F)	10–15 m
December 2026	27.7 °C (82 °F)	8–15 m
January 2027	27.8 °C (82 °F)	8–15 m
February 2027	27.9 °C (82 °F)	8–15 m
March 2027	28.1 °C (83 °F)	8–15 m
April 2027	28.2 °C (83 °F)	10–15 m
May 2027	28.3 °C (83 °F)	10–20 m
June 2027	27.9 °C (82 °F)	10–20 m
July 2027	26.5 °C (80 °F)	8–15 m
August 2027	25.6 °C (78 °F)	5–12 m
September 2027	26.1 °C (79 °F)	5–12 m
October 2027	27.7 °C (82 °F)	8–15 m
November 2027	28.7 °C (84 °F)	10–15 m
December 2027	28.7 °C (84 °F)	8–15 m

Marine life calendar

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
mimic octopus	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	●	●	●	●	●
blue-ringed octopus	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak
flamboyant cuttlefish	Peak	●	●	●	●	●	●	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak
frogfish	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
pygmy seahorse	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
rhinopias	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
ribbon eels	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
moray eels	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
snake eels	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
nudibranchs	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
ghost pipefish	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
mandarinfish	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
batfish	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
lionfish	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●

Peak = best odds · ● = regularly seen · blank = unlikely. Calendar months, every year.

About the diving

Difficulty: Beginner
Current strength: 1 / 5
Luxury level: 4 / 5
Typical depth: 3–25 m
Max depth of interest: 30 m
Dive styles: Resort, Day boat
Suggested certification: Open Water (good buoyancy essential)
Nearest airport: MDC
Snorkelling: Limited
Known for: mimic octopus, hairy frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ringed octopus, rhinopias

Famous sites: Hairball · Nudi Falls · TK · Police Pier · Aer Perang

Season notes & sources

Diveable year-round; the world's best-known muck site. Cooler July–September water (about 25–26 °C) brings the murkiest visibility but often the most critter activity. The rainy season runs roughly November–March.
Critter peaks: blue-ringed octopus most often August–December, mimic octopus mating January–July, flamboyant cuttlefish August–January.
The house reef supports ribbon eels and nudibranchs throughout the year; Hairball has snake eels and roughsnout ghost pipefish. Reef morays, batfish, lionfish and dusk mandarinfish dives are also documented. Resident calendars do not guarantee individual species on every dive; ask guides about current locations.