Can you dive the Bahamas all year?

Not everywhere at once. Counting all 5 areas, 9 months of the year have somewhere at its best; the rest are workable but off peak.

How warm is the water in the Bahamas?

25 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 the Bahamas?

The headline animals are great hammerhead and tiger shark. Each area's page lists everything recorded near it, with the months it was seen.

Caribbean

Best Time to Dive in the Bahamas

5 dive areas, each scored on its own. The season peaks January–May at Andros / Nassau, January–February at Bimini, February–June at Exumas and Grand Bahama / Freeport, and October–January at Tiger Beach. Between them there is somewhere worth diving in 9 months of the year.

The 5 dive areas in the Bahamas, compared month by month
	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Andros / Nassau	January: Good	February: Good	March: Good	April: Good	May: Good	June: Good	July: Good	August: Off season	September: Off season	October: Off season	November: Off season	December: Good
Bimini	January: Good	February: Good	March: Good	April: Off season	May: Off season	June: Off season	July: Off season	August: Off season	September: Moderate	October: Off season	November: Moderate	December: Off season
Exumas	January: Good	February: Good	March: Good	April: Good	May: Good	June: Good	July: Moderate	August: Off season	September: Off season	October: Off season	November: Off season	December: Good
Grand Bahama / Freeport	January: Moderate	February: Good	March: Good	April: Good	May: Good	June: Good	July: Good	August: Moderate	September: Off season	October: Off season	November: Off season	December: Good
Tiger Beach	January: Good	February: Off season	March: Off season	April: Off season	May: Off season	June: Off season	July: Off season	August: Off season	September: Off season	October: Good	November: Good	December: Good

Good Off season Moderate

The Bahamas compared

Side by side

The 5 dive areas in the Bahamas, compared on season, water, visibility and how they are dived
Dive area	Best time	Water	Visibility	Dived from	Suits
Andros / Nassau	Jan–May	25–30 °C	5–15 m	day boat	Open Water
Bimini	Jan–Feb	25–30 °C	0–15 m	day boat	Advanced Open Water
Exumas	Feb–Jun	25–30 °C	5–15 m	liveaboard	Open Water
Grand Bahama / Freeport	Feb–Jun	25–30 °C	20–35 m	day boat	Open Water
Tiger Beach	Oct–Jan	25–30 °C	5–20 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

Andros / Nassau: Best from January to May. It suits Open Water divers.
Bimini: Best from January to February. It is the one for great hammerheads.
Exumas: Best from February to June. Same season as Grand Bahama / Freeport. It suits Open Water divers.
Grand Bahama / Freeport: Best from February to June. Same season as Exumas. It has the clearest water, up to 35 m and suits Open Water divers.
Tiger Beach: Best from October to January.

The Bahamas month by month

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

Jan: Good at Andros / Nassau, Bimini, Exumas and Tiger Beach.
Feb–Mar: Good at Andros / Nassau, Bimini, Exumas and Grand Bahama / Freeport. Off season at Tiger Beach.
Apr–Jun: Good at Andros / Nassau, Exumas and Grand Bahama / Freeport. Off season at Bimini and Tiger Beach.
Jul: Good at Andros / Nassau and Grand Bahama / Freeport. Off season at Bimini and Tiger Beach.
Aug: Nowhere at its best; Grand Bahama / Freeport is workable.
Sep: Nowhere at its best; Bimini is workable.
Oct: Good at Tiger Beach. Off season at Andros / Nassau, Bimini, Exumas and Grand Bahama / Freeport.
Nov: Good at Tiger Beach. Off season at Andros / Nassau, Exumas and Grand Bahama / Freeport.
Dec: Good at Andros / Nassau, Exumas, Grand Bahama / Freeport and Tiger Beach. Off season at Bimini.

Andros / Nassau

Jan–May

Go January to May, when the rain backs off — 10 wet days a month instead of 18. The marine life holds steady all year, so the weather picks the month. Diving holds up from December to July.

Andros / Nassau 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: Good	July: Good	August: Off season	September: Off season	October: Off season	November: Off season	December: Good

Good Off season

Water: 25–30 °C
Wear: 3 mm full suit
Dived from: day boat
Suits: Open Water

Andros / Nassau month by month →

Bimini

Jan–Feb

Go January to February for great hammerhead. The calmest water is March to July, outside their window. The wider season runs February to July.

Bimini 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: Moderate	October: Off season	November: Moderate	December: Off season

Good Off season Moderate

Water: 25–30 °C
Wear: 3 mm full suit
Dived from: day boat
Suits: Advanced Open Water

Known for Great hammerhead

Bimini month by month →

Exumas

Feb–Jun

Aim for February to June, when the rain backs off — 8 wet days a month instead of 13. The marine life holds steady all year, so the weather picks the month. Diving holds up from December to June.

Exumas 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: Good	July: Moderate	August: Off season	September: Off season	October: Off season	November: Off season	December: Good

Good Moderate Off season

Water: 25–30 °C
Wear: 3 mm full suit
Dived from: liveaboard
Suits: Open Water

Exumas month by month →

Grand Bahama / Freeport

Feb–Jun

The wildlife shows no season worth planning around, so it comes down to the weather: go February to June. The wider season runs December to July.

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

Moderate Good Off season

Water: 25–30 °C
Wear: 3 mm full suit
Dived from: day boat
Suits: Open Water

Known for Tiger shark

Grand Bahama / Freeport month by month →

Tiger Beach

Oct–Jan

Go October to January for tiger shark. Conditions are easier March to July, but the animals are not there then. The full season runs February to July.

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

Good Off season

Water: 25–30 °C
Wear: 5 mm full suit
Dived from: liveaboard
Suits: Advanced Open Water

Known for Tiger shark

Tiger Beach month by month →

Diving in the Bahamas: common questions

When is the best time to dive the Bahamas?: It depends which area. The season peaks January–May at Andros / Nassau, January–February at Bimini, February–June at Exumas and Grand Bahama / Freeport, and October–January at Tiger Beach.
Can you dive the Bahamas all year?: Not everywhere at once. Counting all 5 areas, 9 months of the year have somewhere at its best; the rest are workable but off peak.
How warm is the water in the Bahamas?: 25 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 the Bahamas?: The headline animals are great hammerhead and tiger shark. Each area's page lists everything recorded near it, with the months it was seen.