Best Time to Dive in the Canary Islands
4 dive areas, each scored on its own. The season peaks June–October at El Hierro, September–January at Gran Canaria, September–October at Lanzarote, and September–November at Tenerife.
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Hierro | January: Off season | February: Moderate | March: Off season | April: Good | May: Good | June: Good | July: Moderate | August: Moderate | September: Good | October: Good | November: Moderate | December: Off season |
| Gran Canaria | January: Good | February: Good | March: Moderate | April: Moderate | May: Moderate | June: Moderate | July: Off season | August: Off season | September: Good | October: Good | November: Good | December: Good |
| Lanzarote | January: Off season | February: Off season | March: Off season | April: Off season | May: Moderate | June: Good | July: Off season | August: Moderate | September: Good | October: Good | November: Moderate | December: Off season |
| Tenerife | January: Off season | February: Moderate | March: Off season | April: Off season | May: Off season | June: Off season | July: Off season | August: Off season | September: Good | October: Good | November: Good | December: Off season |
The Canary Islands compared
| Dive area | Best time | Water | Visibility | Dived from | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Hierro | Jun–Oct | 20–24 °C | 20–35 m | day boat and shore diving | Open Water |
| Gran Canaria | Sep–Jan | 19–23 °C | 20–35 m | day boat and shore diving | Open Water |
| Lanzarote | Sep–Oct | 19–23 °C | 10–30 m | day boat and shore diving | Open Water |
| Tenerife | Sep–Nov | 20–24 °C | 20–35 m | day boat and shore diving | 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
- El Hierro
- Best from June to October.
- Gran Canaria
- Best from September to January.
- Lanzarote
- Best from September to October. It has the lowest visibility, 10–30 m.
- Tenerife
- Best from September to November.
The Canary Islands month by month
Two or more areas are good at once in June and September to November: the time to combine them in one trip.
- Jan
- Good at Gran Canaria. Off season at El Hierro, Lanzarote and Tenerife.
- Feb
- Good at Gran Canaria. Off season at Lanzarote.
- Mar
- Nowhere at its best; Gran Canaria is workable.
- Apr
- Good at El Hierro. Off season at Lanzarote and Tenerife.
- May
- Good at El Hierro. Off season at Tenerife.
- Jun
- Good at El Hierro and Lanzarote. Off season at Tenerife.
- Jul
- Nowhere at its best; El Hierro is workable.
- Aug
- Nowhere at its best; El Hierro and Lanzarote are workable.
- Sep–Oct
- Every area is good.
- Nov
- Good at Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
- Dec
- Good at Gran Canaria. Off season at El Hierro, Lanzarote and Tenerife.
El Hierro
Go June to October for the calmest water — seas top 1.5 m on 46% of days, against 72% the rest of the year. Too few records to show a wildlife season, so the weather picks the month. The wider season runs May to October.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: Off season | February: Moderate | March: Off season | April: Good | May: Good | June: Good | July: Moderate | August: Moderate | September: Good | October: Good | November: Moderate | December: Off season |
- Water
- 20–24 °C
- Wear
- 5 mm with hood and gloves
- Dived from
- day boat and shore diving
- Suits
- Open Water
Known for Angelshark
El Hierro month by month →Gran Canaria
The wildlife shows no season worth planning around, so the weather picks your month: September to January. The wider season runs September to February.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: Good | February: Good | March: Moderate | April: Moderate | May: Moderate | June: Moderate | July: Off season | August: Off season | September: Good | October: Good | November: Good | December: Good |
- Water
- 19–23 °C
- Wear
- 5 mm with hood and gloves
- Dived from
- day boat and shore diving
- Suits
- Open Water
Known for Angelshark
Gran Canaria month by month →Lanzarote
The best conditions run September to October once the water has warmed to 23 °C from 20. The marine life holds steady all year, so the weather picks the 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: Moderate | June: Good | July: Off season | August: Moderate | September: Good | October: Good | November: Moderate | December: Off season |
- Water
- 19–23 °C
- Wear
- 5 mm with hood and gloves
- Dived from
- day boat and shore diving
- Suits
- Open Water
Known for Angelshark
Lanzarote month by month →Tenerife
Go September to November once the water has warmed to 23 °C from 21. The marine life holds steady all year, so the weather picks the month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: Off season | February: Moderate | March: Off season | April: Off season | May: Off season | June: Off season | July: Off season | August: Off season | September: Good | October: Good | November: Good | December: Off season |
- Water
- 20–24 °C
- Wear
- 5 mm with hood and gloves
- Dived from
- day boat and shore diving
- Suits
- Open Water
Known for Angelshark
Tenerife month by month →Diving in the Canary Islands: common questions
- When is the best time to dive the Canary Islands?
- It depends which area. The season peaks June–October at El Hierro, September–January at Gran Canaria, September–October at Lanzarote, and September–November at Tenerife.
- Can you dive the Canary Islands all year?
- Not everywhere at once. Counting all 4 areas, 8 months of the year have somewhere at its best; the rest are workable but off peak.
- How warm is the water in the Canary Islands?
- 19 to 24 °C across the year, depending on the area and the month. Each area's page gives its own month-by-month temperatures.
- Can you dive the Canary Islands from the shore?
- Yes, at all 4 areas.
- What can you see diving in the Canary Islands?
- The headline animals are angelshark. Each area's page lists everything recorded near it, with the months it was seen.