Sao Tome
Best Time to Dive in Sao Tome
0.12°N 6.66°E
Plan for February to June, when the downpours ease — 7 days a month of heavy rain instead of 11. Too few records to show a wildlife season, so the weather picks the month. The full season runs February to July.
- Best time
- Feb–Jun
- Water
- 26–29 °C
- Visibility
- 5–30 m
- Season runs
- Feb–Jul
- Dived from
- day boat
- Tidal range
- 0.8–1.6 m
- Species logged
- 1
Worth knowing: 9 days a month of heavy rain.
Where it is
111 km across · coastline from Natural Earth 10m
Diving in Sao Tome — 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 | Moderate | Excellent | Good | Good | Good | Excellent | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Water temp (°C) | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 |
| Visibility (m) | 10–20 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 20–30 | 20–30 | 5–15 | 10–20 | 15–25 | — | 20–30 | 20–30 | 10–20 |
| Marine life | Quiet | Quiet | Quiet | Quiet | Quiet | Quiet | Quiet | Steady | Steady | Quiet | Quiet | Quiet |
| Best time | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorPeak season Feb–Jun
Long-term averages, 2016–2025. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a. Water temperature is the surface mean; it is cooler at depth.
The Sao Tome diving season
January · Shoulder season
1 monthJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 29–29 °C
- Rain
- 29 days a month
Diving conditionsThe wind eases. The sea is calmer.
February to July · Peak season
6 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 26–29 °C
- Rain
- 24 days a month
Diving conditionsExpect some swell. The wind is up.
August to September · Shoulder season
2 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 26–26 °C
- Rain
- 26 days a month
Diving conditionsThe wind is up. The sea is rougher.
October to December · Off season
3 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 27–28 °C
- Rain
- 29 days a month
Diving conditionsThe wind eases. The sea is calmer.
- Spring tides run 1.6 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.
Sao Tome water temperature and weather
36 underwater observation records · 11 surveyed years of ocean data · 10 years of sea temperature
Water & weather
Sao Tome 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 1.5 m on 3% of days. Enough to cancel a day boat
0
blowy days a month
Gusts over 40 km/h, about where a day boat stays in port
26
wet days a month
9 of them bring heavy rain
| Month | Swell | Gusts over 40 km/h | Wet days | Heavy rain | Air | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1.0 m | 0% | 29 | 10 | 28 °C | 12.0 h |
| February | 1.0 m | 0% | 25 | 8 | 29 °C | 12.0 h |
| March | 1.1 m | 0% | 25 | 8 | 29 °C | 12.0 h |
| April | 1.2 m | 0% | 24 | 8 | 29 °C | 12.0 h |
| May | 1.3 m | 0% | 26 | 8 | 28 °C | 12.0 h |
| June | 1.4 m | 0% | 22 | 4 | 26 °C | 12.0 h |
| July | 1.4 m | 0% | 24 | 6 | 25 °C | 12.0 h |
| August | 1.5 m | 0% | 25 | 9 | 25 °C | 12.0 h |
| September | 1.4 m | 0% | 26 | 10 | 26 °C | 12.0 h |
| October | 1.3 m | 0% | 29 | 16 | 27 °C | 12.0 h |
| November | 1.1 m | 0% | 28 | 14 | 27 °C | 12.0 h |
| December | 1.0 m | 0% | 29 | 13 | 28 °C | 12.0 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: Good | February week 1: Excellent | March week 1: Excellent | April week 1: Good | May week 1: Good | June week 1: Excellent | July week 1: Good | August week 1: Moderate | September week 1: Moderate | October week 1: Poor | November week 1: Poor | December week 1: Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | January week 2: Good | February week 2: Excellent | March week 2: Good | April week 2: Good | May week 2: Good | June week 2: Excellent | July week 2: Good | August week 2: Poor | September week 2: Moderate | October week 2: Poor | November week 2: Poor | December week 2: Moderate |
| Week 3 | January week 3: Moderate | February week 3: Good | March week 3: Good | April week 3: Good | May week 3: Moderate | June week 3: Excellent | July week 3: Good | August week 3: Moderate | September week 3: Moderate | October week 3: Poor | November week 3: Poor | December week 3: Poor |
| Week 4 | January week 4: Moderate | February week 4: Good | March week 4: Good | April week 4: Excellent | May week 4: Moderate | June week 4: Excellent | July week 4: Moderate | August week 4: Moderate | September week 4: Moderate | October week 4: Poor | November week 4: Moderate | December week 4: Poor |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorBest week to go: second of June
January, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 28 °C | 1.0 m | 13 km/h | 92% |
| Week 2 | Good | 28 °C | 1.0 m | 13 km/h | 92% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.1 m | 13 km/h | 93% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.1 m | 12 km/h | 93% |
February, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.9 m | 12 km/h | 90% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.9 m | 12 km/h | 88% |
| Week 3 | Good | 29 °C | 1.0 m | 13 km/h | 87% |
| Week 4 | Good | 29 °C | 1.0 m | 13 km/h | 84% |
March, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 29 °C | 1.1 m | 13 km/h | 80% |
| Week 2 | Good | 29 °C | 1.1 m | 13 km/h | 81% |
| Week 3 | Good | 29 °C | 1.1 m | 13 km/h | 81% |
| Week 4 | Good | 29 °C | 1.2 m | 13 km/h | 79% |
April, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 29 °C | 1.2 m | 12 km/h | 80% |
| Week 2 | Good | 29 °C | 1.2 m | 12 km/h | 79% |
| Week 3 | Good | 29 °C | 1.1 m | 13 km/h | 77% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 29 °C | 1.1 m | 12 km/h | 82% |
May, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 29 °C | 1.2 m | 12 km/h | 89% |
| Week 2 | Good | 29 °C | 1.2 m | 12 km/h | 89% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 28 °C | 1.3 m | 12 km/h | 81% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 28 °C | 1.4 m | 14 km/h | 74% |
June, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.3 m | 15 km/h | 76% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.3 m | 15 km/h | 73% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.4 m | 15 km/h | 69% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.4 m | 16 km/h | 72% |
July, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 26 °C | 1.4 m | 16 km/h | 77% |
| Week 2 | Good | 26 °C | 1.4 m | 17 km/h | 80% |
| Week 3 | Good | 26 °C | 1.4 m | 17 km/h | 77% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 26 °C | 1.5 m | 17 km/h | 76% |
August, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 26 °C | 1.6 m | 18 km/h | 79% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 26 °C | 1.5 m | 18 km/h | 80% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 26 °C | 1.4 m | 18 km/h | 81% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 26 °C | 1.4 m | 18 km/h | 82% |
September, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 26 °C | 1.4 m | 17 km/h | 85% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 26 °C | 1.4 m | 17 km/h | 86% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 26 °C | 1.4 m | 17 km/h | 88% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 26 °C | 1.4 m | 16 km/h | 89% |
October, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 27 °C | 1.4 m | 15 km/h | 90% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 27 °C | 1.3 m | 14 km/h | 93% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 27 °C | 1.2 m | 14 km/h | 96% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 27 °C | 1.3 m | 13 km/h | 96% |
November, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 27 °C | 1.2 m | 13 km/h | 95% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.2 m | 13 km/h | 95% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.1 m | 13 km/h | 95% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 28 °C | 1.0 m | 12 km/h | 94% |
December, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.0 m | 12 km/h | 95% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 28 °C | 1.0 m | 12 km/h | 95% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.0 m | 12 km/h | 94% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.0 m | 13 km/h | 93% |
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: 3 mm | July: 3 mm | August: 3 mm | September: 3 mm | October: 3 mm | November: skin | December: skin |
- Nov–Mayskin or 3 mm shorty
- Jun–Oct3 mm full suit
Swell through the year
The rough end of each month — nine days in ten come in under it.
Amber is over 1.5 m.
Tides
Tropical storms
No tropical storm has come within 250 km in 30 years of records. Swell and wind set the season, not cyclones.
- 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
Sao Tome marine life — what you'll see diving
Only 36 records have been logged within 60 km. A thin record is not an empty reef.
| Species | When | Observed window | Reliability | Evidence | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humpback whale | Aug–Sep | Likely | 13 |
Peak
- 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 Sao Tome — common questions
- When is the best time to dive Sao Tome?
- Plan for February to June, when the downpours ease — 7 days a month of heavy rain instead of 11. Too few records to show a wildlife season, so the weather picks the month. The full season runs February to July.
- When is the diving season in Sao Tome?
- The diving season in Sao Tome runs February to July, and it is at its best February to June.
- Is the diving in Sao Tome good for beginners?
- Yes. It suits Open Water divers, so it works for a first trip after certification.
- How warm is the water in Sao Tome?
- Between 26 and 29 °C at the surface across the year, coldest in August and warmest in March. It runs cooler below the thermocline.
- What wetsuit do I need in Sao Tome?
- A 3 mm full suit covers the coldest water of the year. In the warmest months a skin or 3 mm shorty is enough.
- What is the visibility like in Sao Tome?
- Roughly 5 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 Sao Tome?
- The most consistently recorded species are Humpback whale (likely), from 36 records within 60 km.
- Does Sao Tome get tropical storms?
- No. None has passed within 250 km in 30 years of records.
- Is there current in Sao Tome?
- The tide rises and falls 1.6 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 Sao Tome?
- October–November are the weakest months for conditions.
- How do you dive Sao Tome?
- Mostly from day boats. Trips run through the season, Feb–Jul.