Can you dive Raja Ampat all year?

Not everywhere at once. Counting all 3 areas, 6 months of the year have somewhere at its best; the rest are workable but off peak.

How warm is the water in Raja Ampat?

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

What can you see diving in Raja Ampat?

The headline animals are reef manta and oceanic manta. Each area's page lists everything recorded near it, with the months it was seen.

Asia-Pacific

Best Time to Dive in Raja Ampat

3 dive areas, each scored on its own. The season peaks January–March at the Dampier Strait, and October–February at Misool and Wayag / North.

The 3 dive areas in Raja Ampat, compared month by month
	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Dampier Strait	January: Good	February: Good	March: Good	April: Moderate	May: Off season	June: Off season	July: Off season	August: Moderate	September: Off season	October: Moderate	November: Good	December: Moderate
Misool	January: Good	February: Good	March: Good	April: Moderate	May: Moderate	June: Off season	July: Off season	August: Off season	September: Good	October: Good	November: Good	December: Good
Wayag / North	January: Good	February: Good	March: Good	April: Good	May: Good	June: Off season	July: Off season	August: Off season	September: Moderate	October: Good	November: Good	December: Good

Good Moderate Off season

Raja Ampat compared

Side by side

The 3 dive areas in Raja Ampat, compared on season, water, visibility and how they are dived
Dive area	Best time	Water	Visibility	Dived from	Suits
Dampier Strait	Jan–Mar	29–30 °C	15–30 m	liveaboard and day boat	Advanced Open Water
Misool	Oct–Feb	28–30 °C	10–30 m	liveaboard	Advanced Open Water
Wayag / North	Oct–Feb	29–30 °C	15–30 m	liveaboard	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

Dampier Strait: Best from January to March. It is dived only from liveaboards and day boats.
Misool: Best from October to February. Same season as Wayag / North.
Wayag / North: Best from October to February. Same season as Misool.

Raja Ampat month by month

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

Jan–Mar: Every area is good.
Apr: Good at Wayag / North.
May: Good at Wayag / North. Off season at the Dampier Strait.
Jun–Jul: Nowhere at its best.
Aug: Nowhere at its best; the Dampier Strait is workable.
Sep: Good at Misool. Off season at the Dampier Strait.
Oct: Good at Misool and Wayag / North.
Nov: Every area is good.
Dec: Good at Misool and Wayag / North.

Dampier Strait

Jan–Mar

Go January to March. Conditions are at their best, and the draw is the reef fish diversity of Cape Kri.

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

Good Moderate Off season

Water: 29–30 °C
Wear: skin or 3 mm shorty
Dived from: liveaboard and day boat
Suits: Advanced Open Water

Known for Reef manta, Oceanic manta

Dampier Strait month by month →

Misool

Oct–Feb

Aim for October to February, when the downpours ease — 9 days a month of heavy rain instead of 12. The marine life holds steady all year, so the weather picks the month.

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

Good Moderate Off season

Water: 28–30 °C
Wear: 3 mm full suit
Dived from: liveaboard
Suits: Advanced Open Water

Known for Reef manta, Oceanic manta

Misool month by month →

Wayag / North

Oct–Feb

Aim for October to February, when the downpours ease — 7 days a month of heavy rain instead of 10. Too few records to show a wildlife season, so the weather picks the month. The full season runs October to May.

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

Good Off season Moderate

Water: 29–30 °C
Wear: skin or 3 mm shorty
Dived from: liveaboard
Suits: Advanced Open Water

Known for Reef manta

Wayag / North month by month →

Diving in Raja Ampat: common questions

When is the best time to dive Raja Ampat?: It depends which area. The season peaks January–March at the Dampier Strait, and October–February at Misool and Wayag / North.
Can you dive Raja Ampat all year?: Not everywhere at once. Counting all 3 areas, 6 months of the year have somewhere at its best; the rest are workable but off peak.
How warm is the water in Raja Ampat?: 28 to 30 °C across the year, depending on the area and the month. Each area's page gives its own month-by-month temperatures.
What can you see diving in Raja Ampat?: The headline animals are reef manta and oceanic manta. Each area's page lists everything recorded near it, with the months it was seen.