Can you dive Papua New Guinea all year?

Not everywhere at once. Counting all 3 areas, 10 months of the year have somewhere at its best; the rest are workable but off peak.

How warm is the water in Papua New Guinea?

27 to 30 °C across the year, depending on the area and the month. Each area's page gives its own month-by-month temperatures.

Asia-Pacific

Best Time to Dive in Papua New Guinea

3 dive areas, each scored on its own. The season peaks June–September at Kimbe Bay, October–November at Tufi, and November–March at Milne Bay. Between them there is somewhere worth diving in 10 months of the year.

The 3 dive areas in Papua New Guinea, compared month by month
	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Kimbe Bay	January: Off season	February: Off season	March: Off season	April: Off season	May: Off season	June: Good	July: Good	August: Good	September: Good	October: Off season	November: Off season	December: Off season
Milne Bay	January: Good	February: Good	March: Good	April: Off season	May: Off season	June: Off season	July: Off season	August: Off season	September: Off season	October: Moderate	November: Good	December: Good
Tufi	January: Off season	February: Off season	March: Off season	April: Moderate	May: Off season	June: Off season	July: Moderate	August: Moderate	September: Off season	October: Good	November: Good	December: Off season

Off season Good Moderate

Papua New Guinea compared

Side by side

The 3 dive areas in Papua New Guinea, compared on season, water, visibility and how they are dived
Dive area	Best time	Water	Visibility	Dived from	Suits
Kimbe Bay	Jun–Sep	30–30 °C	15–30 m	day boat	Advanced Open Water
Milne Bay	Nov–Mar	27–30 °C	15–30 m	liveaboard	Advanced Open Water
Tufi	Oct–Nov	28–30 °C	10–25 m	day boat	Advanced Open Water

Water and visibility are the whole year's range at each area, coldest month to warmest. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a.

Which area to pick

Kimbe Bay: The only one in season from June to September.
Milne Bay: Best from November to March. It is dived only from liveaboards.
Tufi: Best from October to November. It has the lowest visibility, 10–25 m.

Papua New Guinea month by month

Two or more areas are good at once in November: the time to combine them in one trip.

Jan–Mar: Good at Milne Bay. Off season at Kimbe Bay and Tufi.
Apr: Nowhere at its best; Tufi is workable.
May: Nowhere at its best.
Jun: Good at Kimbe Bay. Off season at Milne Bay and Tufi.
Jul–Aug: Good at Kimbe Bay. Off season at Milne Bay.
Sep: Good at Kimbe Bay. Off season at Milne Bay and Tufi.
Oct: Good at Tufi. Off season at Kimbe Bay.
Nov: Good at Milne Bay and Tufi. Off season at Kimbe Bay.
Dec: Good at Milne Bay. Off season at Kimbe Bay and Tufi.

Kimbe Bay

Jun–Sep

Plan for June to September for the best conditions. We have no reliable wildlife season for this site.

Kimbe Bay conditions month by month
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
January: Off season	February: Off season	March: Off season	April: Off season	May: Off season	June: Good	July: Good	August: Good	September: Good	October: Off season	November: Off season	December: Off season

Off season Good

Water: 30–30 °C
Wear: skin or 3 mm shorty
Dived from: day boat
Suits: Advanced Open Water

Kimbe Bay month by month →

Milne Bay

Nov–Mar

The best conditions run November to March, when the downpours ease — 4 days a month of heavy rain instead of 10. Too few records to show a wildlife season, so the weather picks the month.

Milne Bay conditions month by month
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
January: Good	February: Good	March: Good	April: Off season	May: Off season	June: Off season	July: Off season	August: Off season	September: Off season	October: Moderate	November: Good	December: Good

Good Off season Moderate

Water: 27–30 °C
Wear: 3 mm full suit
Dived from: liveaboard
Suits: Advanced Open Water

Milne Bay month by month →

Tufi

Oct–Nov

The best conditions run October to November, when the downpours ease — 8 days a month of heavy rain instead of 12. Too few records to show a wildlife season, so the weather picks the month.

Tufi conditions month by month
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
January: Off season	February: Off season	March: Off season	April: Moderate	May: Off season	June: Off season	July: Moderate	August: Moderate	September: Off season	October: Good	November: Good	December: Off season

Off season Moderate Good

Water: 28–30 °C
Wear: skin or 3 mm shorty
Dived from: day boat
Suits: Advanced Open Water

Tufi month by month →

Diving in Papua New Guinea: common questions

When is the best time to dive Papua New Guinea?: It depends which area. The season peaks June–September at Kimbe Bay, October–November at Tufi, and November–March at Milne Bay.
Can you dive Papua New Guinea all year?: Not everywhere at once. Counting all 3 areas, 10 months of the year have somewhere at its best; the rest are workable but off peak.
How warm is the water in Papua New Guinea?: 27 to 30 °C across the year, depending on the area and the month. Each area's page gives its own month-by-month temperatures.