Philippines
Best Time to Dive in Tubbataha
8.90°N 119.90°E
Closed July to February. Plan for March to May, when the downpours ease — 3 days a month of heavy rain instead of 8. The marine life holds steady all year, so the weather picks the month.
- Best time
- Mar–May
- Water
- 28–30 °C
- Visibility
- 10–30 m
- Dived from
- liveaboard
- Tidal range
- 0.8–1.9 m
- Species logged
- 11
Worth knowing: 6 days a month of heavy rain.
Where it is
111 km across · coastline from Natural Earth 10m
Diving in Tubbataha — 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 | Closed | Closed | Poor | Excellent | Excellent | Poor | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed |
| Water temp (°C) | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 |
| Visibility (m) | 15–25 | 10–20 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 20–30 | 20–30 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 20–30 | 15–25 | 15–25 |
| Marine life | Closed | Closed | Peak | Busy | Peak | Peak | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed |
| Best time | Peak | Peak | Peak |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorPeak season Mar–May
Long-term averages, 2016–2025. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a. Water temperature is the surface mean; it is cooler at depth.
The Tubbataha diving season
March to June · Shoulder season
4 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 28–30 °C
- Visibility
- 15–25 m
- Rain
- 17 days a month
Diving conditionsRain is frequent topside. The wind eases. The sea is calmer.
Marine lifeWhale shark (near-guaranteed) peaks at Tubbataha in these months.
July to February · Closed
8 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
The site is closed to diving in these months.
- Spring tides run 1.9 m against 0.8 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.
Tubbataha water temperature and weather
334 underwater observation records · 11 surveyed years of ocean data · 10 years of sea temperature
Water & weather
Tubbataha 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
Rarely
rough enough to cancel
Seas top 2.5 m on under 1% of days. Enough to cancel a liveaboard crossing
2
blowy days a month
Gusts over 40 km/h, about where a day boat stays in port
20
wet days a month
7 of them bring heavy rain
| Month | Swell | Gusts over 40 km/h | Wet days | Heavy rain | Air | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2.1 m | 14% | 16 | 5 | 28 °C | 11.5 h |
| February | 1.9 m | 12% | 11 | 2 | 28 °C | 11.7 h |
| March | 1.4 m | 1% | 11 | 2 | 28 °C | 11.9 h |
| April | 1.0 m | 1% | 13 | 3 | 29 °C | 12.2 h |
| May | 0.8 m | 0% | 21 | 5 | 30 °C | 12.4 h |
| June | 0.9 m | 1% | 24 | 8 | 29 °C | 12.5 h |
| July | 1.7 m | 5% | 25 | 9 | 29 °C | 12.5 h |
| August | 1.3 m | 4% | 23 | 7 | 29 °C | 12.3 h |
| September | 1.6 m | 6% | 23 | 9 | 29 °C | 12.0 h |
| October | 1.5 m | 7% | 26 | 12 | 29 °C | 11.8 h |
| November | 1.5 m | 3% | 24 | 9 | 29 °C | 11.6 h |
| December | 1.7 m | 8% | 25 | 9 | 29 °C | 11.5 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: Poor | February week 1: Poor | March week 1: Poor | April week 1: Excellent | May week 1: Good | June week 1: Poor | July week 1: Poor | August week 1: Poor | September week 1: Poor | October week 1: Poor | November week 1: Poor | December week 1: Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | January week 2: Poor | February week 2: Poor | March week 2: Poor | April week 2: Excellent | May week 2: Excellent | June week 2: Poor | July week 2: Poor | August week 2: Poor | September week 2: Poor | October week 2: Poor | November week 2: Poor | December week 2: Poor |
| Week 3 | January week 3: Poor | February week 3: Poor | March week 3: Moderate | April week 3: Excellent | May week 3: Excellent | June week 3: Poor | July week 3: Poor | August week 3: Poor | September week 3: Poor | October week 3: Poor | November week 3: Poor | December week 3: Poor |
| Week 4 | January week 4: Poor | February week 4: Poor | March week 4: Moderate | April week 4: Excellent | May week 4: Excellent | June week 4: Poor | July week 4: Poor | August week 4: Poor | September week 4: Poor | October week 4: Poor | November week 4: Poor | December week 4: Poor |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorBest week to go: third of April
January, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.9 m | 32 km/h | 64% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.9 m | 32 km/h | 52% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.0 m | 33 km/h | 52% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.1 m | 33 km/h | 48% |
February, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.0 m | 32 km/h | 39% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.9 m | 31 km/h | 36% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.9 m | 31 km/h | 38% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.0 m | 31 km/h | 38% |
March, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.9 m | 29 km/h | 36% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.5 m | 28 km/h | 34% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 28 °C | 1.3 m | 27 km/h | 35% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.2 m | 24 km/h | 38% |
April, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 29 °C | 1.0 m | 23 km/h | 40% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 29 °C | 1.0 m | 20 km/h | 41% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 30 °C | 0.8 m | 18 km/h | 40% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 30 °C | 0.8 m | 19 km/h | 49% |
May, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 30 °C | 0.9 m | 18 km/h | 56% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 30 °C | 0.7 m | 17 km/h | 62% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 30 °C | 0.5 m | 16 km/h | 72% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 30 °C | 0.7 m | 17 km/h | 74% |
June, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.1 m | 18 km/h | 78% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.0 m | 18 km/h | 78% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 30 °C | 0.7 m | 18 km/h | 79% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 30 °C | 0.9 m | 18 km/h | 85% |
July, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.1 m | 19 km/h | 85% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.8 m | 21 km/h | 85% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.0 m | 24 km/h | 79% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.5 m | 26 km/h | 70% |
August, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.2 m | 26 km/h | 71% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 29 °C | 0.9 m | 23 km/h | 70% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.1 m | 22 km/h | 77% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.5 m | 22 km/h | 79% |
September, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.4 m | 20 km/h | 74% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.7 m | 21 km/h | 79% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.9 m | 22 km/h | 79% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.5 m | 20 km/h | 74% |
October, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.3 m | 18 km/h | 75% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.2 m | 19 km/h | 82% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.5 m | 21 km/h | 90% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.9 m | 23 km/h | 88% |
November, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.8 m | 24 km/h | 84% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.4 m | 24 km/h | 78% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.5 m | 26 km/h | 79% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.5 m | 28 km/h | 82% |
December, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.4 m | 28 km/h | 79% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.6 m | 30 km/h | 80% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.8 m | 30 km/h | 82% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.0 m | 30 km/h | 79% |
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: skin | February: skin | March: skin | April: skin | May: skin | June: skin | July: skin | August: skin | September: skin | October: skin | November: skin | December: skin |
One suit covers the whole year: a skin or 3 mm shorty.
Swell through the year
The rough end of each month — nine days in ten come in under it.
Amber is over 2.5 m.
Tides
Tropical storms
4 of the last 30 Decembers saw a tropical storm pass within 250 km. Anything has been recorded Nov–Jan, Apr.
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
Tubbataha marine life — what you'll see diving
| Species | When | Observed window | Reliability | Evidence | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitetip reef shark | May–Jun | Likely | 63 | ||
| Hawksbill turtle | Mar, May | Likely | 26 | ||
| Bumphead parrotfish | Mar–Apr | Likely | 47 | ||
| Whale shark | May–Jun | Near-guaranteed | 13 | ||
| Bluespotted ribbontail ray | May–Jun | Likely | 12 | ||
| Blackfin barracuda | Mar, May | Likely | 8 | ||
| Grey reef shark | Mar, Jun | Near-guaranteed | 40 | ||
| Napoleon wrasse | Mar, Jun | Near-guaranteed | 73 | ||
| Bigeye trevally | Mar, Jun | Likely | 15 | ||
| Green turtle | Mar, Jun | Likely | 13 | ||
| Camouflage grouper | Mar, Jun | Likely | 8 |
Peak Present No survey data
- 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 Tubbataha — common questions
- When is the best time to dive Tubbataha?
- Closed July to February. Plan for March to May, when the downpours ease — 3 days a month of heavy rain instead of 8. The marine life holds steady all year, so the weather picks the month.
- When is the diving season in Tubbataha?
- The diving season in Tubbataha runs March to May.
- Is the diving in Tubbataha good for beginners?
- It is better with some experience. It suits Advanced Open Water divers or equivalent, so newer divers should ask the local operator which sites fit their level.
- How warm is the water in Tubbataha?
- Between 28 and 30 °C at the surface across the year, coldest in February and warmest in May. It runs cooler below the thermocline.
- What wetsuit do I need in Tubbataha?
- A skin or 3 mm shorty covers the coldest water of the year. The same suit works all year.
- What is the visibility like in Tubbataha?
- Roughly 10 to 30 m depending on the month. That is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a rather than measured in the water.
- What will I see diving Tubbataha?
- The most consistently recorded species are Whitetip reef shark (likely), Hawksbill turtle (likely) and Bumphead parrotfish (likely), from 334 records within 60 km.
- Does Tubbataha get tropical storms?
- Yes. Over 30 years of records a storm passed within 250 km in Nov–Jan, Apr, most often in December at 4 of 30 years.
- Is there current in Tubbataha?
- The tide rises and falls 1.9 m around the full and new moon, against 0.8 m in between. How much of that becomes current depends on the shape of the channel.
- When should I avoid Tubbataha?
- The site is closed Jul–Feb. June–March are the weakest months for conditions.
- How do you dive Tubbataha?
- Mostly from liveaboards. Trips run through the season, Mar–May.