Vietnam
Best Time to Dive in Nha Trang
12.18°N 109.30°E
Plan for April to August for the best conditions. We have no reliable wildlife season for this site. Diving holds up from January to September.
- Best time
- Apr–Aug
- Water
- 25–30 °C
- Visibility
- 10–25 m
- Season runs
- Jan–Sep
- Dived from
- day boat
- Tidal range
- 0.6–1.6 m
Where it is
111 km across · coastline from Natural Earth 10m
Diving in Nha Trang — monthly breakdown
A year of scuba diving conditions at a glance. Hover a month to isolate it.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Moderate | Poor | Moderate |
| Water temp (°C) | 25 | 25 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 26 |
| Visibility (m) | 10–20 | 10–20 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 10–20 | 10–20 | 10–20 |
| Marine life | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data |
| Best time | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorPeak season Apr–Aug
Long-term averages, 2016–2025. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a. Water temperature is the surface mean; it is cooler at depth.
The Nha Trang diving season
January to September · Peak season
9 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 25–30 °C
- Visibility
- 15–25 m
- Rain
- 12 days a month
Diving conditionsThe wind eases. The sea is calmer.
October to December · Shoulder season
3 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 26–29 °C
- Visibility
- 10–20 m
- Rain
- 22 days a month
Diving conditionsThis is the wet season topside. The wind is up. The sea is rougher.
- Spring tides run 1.6 m against 0.6 m on neaps, so currents build around the full and new moon.
- Water temperature is satellite sea-surface temperature, so expect it cooler below the thermocline.
- Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a.
Nha Trang water temperature and weather
10 years of sea temperature
Water & weather
Nha Trang water temperature by month
The dashed line is the monthly average. Eight days in ten fall inside the band.
10th to 90th percentile rangemonthly mean
2
rough days a month
Seas top 1.5 m on 5% of days. Enough to cancel a day boat
0
blowy days a month
Gusts over 40 km/h, about where a day boat stays in port
14
wet days a month
3 of them bring heavy rain
| Month | Swell | Gusts over 40 km/h | Wet days | Heavy rain | Air | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1.6 m | 0% | 11 | 2 | 26 °C | 11.4 h |
| February | 1.5 m | 0% | 9 | 1 | 27 °C | 11.6 h |
| March | 1.3 m | 0% | 9 | 1 | 29 °C | 11.9 h |
| April | 1.0 m | 0% | 8 | 1 | 31 °C | 12.3 h |
| May | 0.6 m | 0% | 14 | 2 | 32 °C | 12.6 h |
| June | 0.6 m | 0% | 9 | 1 | 33 °C | 12.7 h |
| July | 0.7 m | 0% | 14 | 2 | 33 °C | 12.7 h |
| August | 0.6 m | 0% | 14 | 2 | 33 °C | 12.4 h |
| September | 0.7 m | 0% | 20 | 5 | 31 °C | 12.1 h |
| October | 1.1 m | 0% | 26 | 8 | 29 °C | 11.7 h |
| November | 1.5 m | 0% | 23 | 9 | 28 °C | 11.4 h |
| December | 1.7 m | 0% | 18 | 7 | 27 °C | 11.3 h |
Swell is the rough end of the month: nine days in ten come in under it. Sea temperature covers 10 years, waves 4.
Pick your week
48 weeks from the daily record. Darker is better, against this site's own year. Pick a month for the detail.
| Week 1 | January week 1: Good | February week 1: Excellent | March week 1: Excellent | April week 1: Excellent | May week 1: Excellent | June week 1: Excellent | July week 1: Excellent | August week 1: Excellent | September week 1: Excellent | October week 1: Moderate | November week 1: Poor | December week 1: Moderate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | January week 2: Excellent | February week 2: Excellent | March week 2: Excellent | April week 2: Excellent | May week 2: Excellent | June week 2: Excellent | July week 2: Excellent | August week 2: Excellent | September week 2: Excellent | October week 2: Moderate | November week 2: Poor | December week 2: Moderate |
| Week 3 | January week 3: Excellent | February week 3: Excellent | March week 3: Excellent | April week 3: Excellent | May week 3: Excellent | June week 3: Excellent | July week 3: Excellent | August week 3: Excellent | September week 3: Excellent | October week 3: Moderate | November week 3: Poor | December week 3: Moderate |
| Week 4 | January week 4: Excellent | February week 4: Excellent | March week 4: Excellent | April week 4: Excellent | May week 4: Excellent | June week 4: Excellent | July week 4: Excellent | August week 4: Excellent | September week 4: Excellent | October week 4: Moderate | November week 4: Poor | December week 4: Moderate |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorBest week to go: third of April
January, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 25 °C | 1.5 m | 21 km/h | 50% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.5 m | 20 km/h | 37% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.6 m | 21 km/h | 31% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.6 m | 20 km/h | 27% |
February, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.6 m | 20 km/h | 23% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.5 m | 20 km/h | 28% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.5 m | 20 km/h | 33% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.5 m | 20 km/h | 33% |
March, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.4 m | 18 km/h | 29% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.3 m | 16 km/h | 27% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.2 m | 15 km/h | 29% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.2 m | 15 km/h | 34% |
April, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.3 m | 15 km/h | 35% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.1 m | 15 km/h | 24% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 28 °C | 0.8 m | 15 km/h | 17% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 28 °C | 0.8 m | 15 km/h | 27% |
May, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.8 m | 14 km/h | 40% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.6 m | 13 km/h | 46% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 30 °C | 0.6 m | 12 km/h | 47% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 30 °C | 0.6 m | 12 km/h | 42% |
June, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.6 m | 12 km/h | 36% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.6 m | 13 km/h | 28% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.6 m | 14 km/h | 28% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.6 m | 13 km/h | 36% |
July, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 28 °C | 0.6 m | 13 km/h | 38% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 28 °C | 0.6 m | 13 km/h | 40% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.7 m | 13 km/h | 45% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.8 m | 12 km/h | 46% |
August, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.7 m | 13 km/h | 40% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.6 m | 13 km/h | 40% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.6 m | 13 km/h | 45% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.6 m | 13 km/h | 52% |
September, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.6 m | 12 km/h | 56% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.6 m | 11 km/h | 62% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.6 m | 11 km/h | 72% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.7 m | 11 km/h | 73% |
October, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 29 °C | 0.8 m | 11 km/h | 75% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 29 °C | 0.9 m | 12 km/h | 82% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 28 °C | 1.0 m | 13 km/h | 83% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 28 °C | 1.1 m | 16 km/h | 83% |
November, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.3 m | 17 km/h | 78% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 27 °C | 1.3 m | 17 km/h | 72% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 27 °C | 1.6 m | 18 km/h | 75% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 27 °C | 1.6 m | 20 km/h | 77% |
December, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 26 °C | 1.5 m | 21 km/h | 70% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 26 °C | 1.6 m | 22 km/h | 61% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 26 °C | 1.8 m | 21 km/h | 53% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 25 °C | 1.7 m | 21 km/h | 55% |
10 years of daily records, averaged into weeks.
Gear & storms
What to wear
Off the coldest water of each month, not the average — that is what the suit has to cope with.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suit | January: 5 mm | February: 5 mm | March: 3 mm | April: 3 mm | May: skin | June: skin | July: skin | August: skin | September: skin | October: skin | November: 3 mm | December: 3 mm |
- Jan–Feb5 mm full suit
- Mar–Apr3 mm full suit
- May–Octskin or 3 mm shorty
- Nov–Dec3 mm full suit
Swell through the year
The rough end of each month — nine days in ten come in under it.
Amber is over 1.5 m.
Tides
Tropical storms
14 of the last 30 Novembers saw a tropical storm pass within 250 km. Anything has been recorded Mar, Jun, Oct–Dec.
Share of the last 30 years with a storm that month.
- NOAASea surface temperature, from OISST and MUR
- ERA5Wind, waves, rain and air temperature, via Open-Meteo
- OBISMarine species records within 60 km
- IBTrACSTropical cyclone tracks, 1996 to 2025
Nha Trang marine life — what you'll see diving
Only 0 records have been logged within 60 km. A thin record is not an empty reef.
No survey records within 60 km of this site.
- Observed window
- Months with records. Peak is where most of them fall.
- Reliability
- Near-guaranteed in 60% of surveyed years or more
- Likely 30% to 60%
- Hit-or-miss under 30%
- Evidence
- Years it was seen, out of the years anyone surveyed.
- Records
- OBIS sightings within 60 km.
These are sightings people logged, not a full survey of the reef. A species missing from a month may just mean nobody recorded one.
Diving Nha Trang — common questions
- When is the best time to dive Nha Trang?
- Plan for April to August for the best conditions. We have no reliable wildlife season for this site. Diving holds up from January to September.
- When is the diving season in Nha Trang?
- The diving season in Nha Trang runs January to September, and it is at its best April to August.
- Is the diving in Nha Trang good for beginners?
- Yes. It suits Open Water divers, so it works for a first trip after certification.
- How warm is the water in Nha Trang?
- Between 25 and 30 °C at the surface across the year, coldest in January and warmest in May. It runs cooler below the thermocline.
- What wetsuit do I need in Nha Trang?
- A 5 mm full suit covers the coldest water of the year. In the warmest months a skin or 3 mm shorty is enough.
- What is the visibility like in Nha Trang?
- Roughly 10 to 25 m depending on the month. That is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a rather than measured in the water.
- Does Nha Trang get tropical storms?
- Yes. Over 30 years of records a storm passed within 250 km in Mar, Jun, Oct–Dec, most often in November at 14 of 30 years.
- Is there current in Nha Trang?
- The tide rises and falls 1.6 m around the full and new moon, against 0.6 m in between. How much of that becomes current depends on the shape of the channel.
- When should I avoid Nha Trang?
- November is the weakest month for conditions.
- How do you dive Nha Trang?
- Mostly from day boats. Trips run through the season, Jan–Sep.