When to scuba dive: a month-by-month guide

Every month is peak season somewhere. Pick a month to see the 86 Good Dives regions ranked by our forecast of marine life, coral health, visibility, water temperature, currents and weather, plus the animals at their best that month.

• Diving in January

  28 regions rated 7+
  1. Palau8.5
  2. Raja Ampat, Indonesia8.3
  3. Deep South Maldives8.2

  Best month for orcas, hammerhead sharks, eagle rays

  Best dives in January →

• Diving in February

  29 regions rated 7+
  1. Palau8.5
  2. Deep South Maldives8.3
  3. Raja Ampat, Indonesia8.2

  Best month for orcas, hammerhead sharks, eagle rays

  Best dives in February →

• Diving in March

  33 regions rated 7+
  1. Palau8.5
  2. Tubbataha Reefs, Philippines8.2
  3. Raja Ampat, Indonesia8.1

  Best month for hammerhead sharks, eagle rays, humpback whales

  Best dives in March →

• Diving in April

  33 regions rated 7+
  1. Palau8.5
  2. Tubbataha Reefs, Philippines8.5
  3. Sipadan & Semporna, Malaysia8.3

  Best month for blue whales, reef sharks, oceanic whitetip sharks

  Best dives in April →

• Diving in May

  34 regions rated 7+
  1. Tubbataha Reefs, Philippines8.5
  2. Belize Barrier Reef & Atolls8.3
  3. Sipadan & Semporna, Malaysia8.3

  Best month for blue whales, mobula (devil) rays, oceanic whitetip sharks

  Best dives in May →

• Diving in June

  30 regions rated 7+
  1. French Polynesia (Tuamotus)8.4
  2. Sipadan & Semporna, Malaysia8.4
  3. Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia8.2

  Best month for bronze whaler sharks, dolphins, dwarf minke whales

  Best dives in June →

• Diving in July

  33 regions rated 7+
  1. French Polynesia (Tuamotus)8.4
  2. Sipadan & Semporna, Malaysia8.4
  3. Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia8.1

  Best month for fish spawning aggregations, bronze whaler sharks, dolphins

  Best dives in July →

• Diving in August

  33 regions rated 7+
  1. Sipadan & Semporna, Malaysia8.4
  2. Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia8.1
  3. French Polynesia (Tuamotus)8.1

  Best month for blue sharks, humpback whales, barracuda

  Best dives in August →

• Diving in September

  35 regions rated 7+
  1. Sipadan & Semporna, Malaysia8.3
  2. Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia8.2
  3. Alor, Indonesia8.1

  Best month for mola mola (ocean sunfish), blue sharks, coral spawning

  Best dives in September →

• Diving in October

  40 regions rated 7+
  1. Banda Sea, Indonesia8.7
  2. Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia8.2
  3. Sipadan & Semporna, Malaysia8.2

  Best month for thresher sharks, coral spawning, sand tiger sharks (ragged-tooth and grey nurse)

  Best dives in October →

• Diving in November

  36 regions rated 7+
  1. Palau8.4
  2. Banda Sea, Indonesia8.3
  3. Raja Ampat, Indonesia8.3

  Best month for whale sharks, thresher sharks, coral spawning

  Best dives in November →

• Diving in December

  28 regions rated 7+
  1. Palau8.5
  2. Raja Ampat, Indonesia8.4
  3. Deep South Maldives8.2

  Best month for stingrays, thresher sharks, bull sharks

  Best dives in December →