Kenya
Best Time to Dive in Watamu
3.35°S 40.05°E
The best conditions run November to March for the calmest water — seas top 1.5 m on 8% of days, against 68% the rest of the year. The marine life holds steady all year, so the weather picks the month. The full season runs October to March.
- Best time
- Nov–Mar
- Water
- 26–29 °C
- Visibility
- 10–30 m
- Season runs
- Oct–Mar
- Dived from
- day boat
- Tidal range
- 1.4–3.4 m
- Species logged
- 4
Worth knowing: 28% of days see seas over 1.5 m.
Where it is
111 km across · coastline from Natural Earth 10m
Diving in Watamu — 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 | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Excellent | Excellent |
| Water temp (°C) | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 |
| Visibility (m) | 10–20 | 10–20 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 20–30 |
| Marine life | Busy | Steady | Steady | Busy | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady | Busy | Busy | Busy | Busy |
| Best time | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorPeak season Nov–Mar
Long-term averages, 2016–2025. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a. Water temperature is the surface mean; it is cooler at depth.
The Watamu diving season
April · Shoulder season
1 monthJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 29–29 °C
- Visibility
- 15–25 m
- Rain
- 25 days a month
Diving conditionsExpect some swell. It rains more. The wind eases.
May to July · Off season
3 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 26–28 °C
- Visibility
- 15–25 m
- Rain
- 20 days a month
Diving conditionsThis is the wet season topside. The wind is up. The sea is rougher.
August to September · Shoulder season
2 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 26–26 °C
- Visibility
- 15–25 m
- Rain
- 19 days a month
Diving conditionsRain is frequent topside. The wind eases. The sea is rougher.
October to March · Peak season
6 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 27–29 °C
- Visibility
- 15–25 m
- Rain
- 13 days a month
Diving conditionsExpect some swell. The wind eases. It rains less.
- Spring tides run 3.4 m against 1.4 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.
Watamu water temperature and weather
330 underwater observation records · 16 surveyed years of ocean data · 10 years of sea temperature
Water & weather
Watamu 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
13
rough days a month
Seas top 1.5 m on 43% 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
17
wet days a month
2 of them bring heavy rain
| Month | Swell | Gusts over 40 km/h | Wet days | Heavy rain | Air | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1.6 m | 0% | 6 | 0 | 31 °C | 12.2 h |
| February | 1.6 m | 0% | 4 | 0 | 31 °C | 12.1 h |
| March | 1.3 m | 0% | 12 | 1 | 31 °C | 12.0 h |
| April | 2.0 m | 0% | 25 | 6 | 29 °C | 11.9 h |
| May | 2.4 m | 0% | 22 | 8 | 28 °C | 11.8 h |
| June | 2.5 m | 0% | 20 | 3 | 27 °C | 11.8 h |
| July | 2.4 m | 0% | 19 | 1 | 27 °C | 11.8 h |
| August | 2.3 m | 0% | 19 | 1 | 27 °C | 11.9 h |
| September | 2.0 m | 0% | 19 | 1 | 27 °C | 12.0 h |
| October | 1.8 m | 0% | 17 | 2 | 28 °C | 12.1 h |
| November | 1.3 m | 0% | 20 | 3 | 29 °C | 12.2 h |
| December | 1.4 m | 0% | 16 | 2 | 30 °C | 12.2 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: Excellent | February week 1: Excellent | March week 1: Excellent | April week 1: Good | May week 1: Poor | June week 1: Poor | July week 1: Poor | August week 1: Poor | September week 1: Poor | October week 1: Moderate | November week 1: Excellent | December week 1: Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | January week 2: Excellent | February week 2: Excellent | March week 2: Excellent | April week 2: Good | May week 2: Poor | June week 2: Poor | July week 2: Poor | August week 2: Moderate | September week 2: Moderate | October week 2: Good | November week 2: Excellent | December week 2: Excellent |
| Week 3 | January week 3: Excellent | February week 3: Excellent | March week 3: Excellent | April week 3: Poor | May week 3: Poor | June week 3: Poor | July week 3: Poor | August week 3: Moderate | September week 3: Moderate | October week 3: Good | November week 3: Excellent | December week 3: Excellent |
| Week 4 | January week 4: Excellent | February week 4: Excellent | March week 4: Good | April week 4: Poor | May week 4: Poor | June week 4: Poor | July week 4: Moderate | August week 4: Moderate | September week 4: Moderate | October week 4: Excellent | November week 4: Excellent | December week 4: Excellent |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorBest week to go: first of March
January, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.5 m | 19 km/h | 25% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.6 m | 21 km/h | 20% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.8 m | 22 km/h | 15% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.7 m | 21 km/h | 14% |
February, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.6 m | 21 km/h | 14% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.6 m | 21 km/h | 13% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.6 m | 20 km/h | 15% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.5 m | 20 km/h | 19% |
March, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.4 m | 20 km/h | 22% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 29 °C | 1.3 m | 19 km/h | 29% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 29 °C | 1.2 m | 18 km/h | 41% |
| Week 4 | Good | 29 °C | 1.1 m | 18 km/h | 58% |
April, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 29 °C | 1.1 m | 18 km/h | 75% |
| Week 2 | Good | 29 °C | 1.6 m | 21 km/h | 84% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.0 m | 23 km/h | 86% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.1 m | 23 km/h | 86% |
May, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.4 m | 25 km/h | 85% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.3 m | 26 km/h | 74% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.4 m | 26 km/h | 64% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.4 m | 26 km/h | 66% |
June, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 27 °C | 2.4 m | 27 km/h | 68% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 27 °C | 2.6 m | 28 km/h | 62% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 27 °C | 2.5 m | 28 km/h | 61% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 27 °C | 2.5 m | 27 km/h | 67% |
July, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 26 °C | 2.5 m | 27 km/h | 67% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 26 °C | 2.4 m | 27 km/h | 65% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 26 °C | 2.4 m | 27 km/h | 63% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 26 °C | 2.3 m | 26 km/h | 59% |
August, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 26 °C | 2.3 m | 25 km/h | 57% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 26 °C | 2.3 m | 24 km/h | 58% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 26 °C | 2.3 m | 24 km/h | 63% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 26 °C | 2.3 m | 24 km/h | 65% |
September, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 26 °C | 2.2 m | 24 km/h | 66% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 26 °C | 2.0 m | 23 km/h | 65% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 26 °C | 2.0 m | 23 km/h | 62% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 26 °C | 1.9 m | 22 km/h | 61% |
October, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 26 °C | 1.9 m | 22 km/h | 59% |
| Week 2 | Good | 27 °C | 1.9 m | 21 km/h | 53% |
| Week 3 | Good | 27 °C | 1.8 m | 21 km/h | 52% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.6 m | 19 km/h | 61% |
November, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.4 m | 18 km/h | 63% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.3 m | 17 km/h | 62% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.2 m | 16 km/h | 68% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.3 m | 16 km/h | 72% |
December, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.3 m | 16 km/h | 65% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.4 m | 16 km/h | 57% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.5 m | 17 km/h | 53% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.4 m | 18 km/h | 42% |
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
1 of the last 30 Mays saw a tropical storm pass within 250 km. May is the only month with a recorded pass.
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
Watamu marine life — what you'll see diving
| Species | When | Observed window | Reliability | Evidence | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green turtle | Apr–May | Likely | 247 | ||
| Blacktip reef shark | Oct, Dec | Likely | 22 | ||
| Bluespotted ribbontail ray | Jan, Sep–Oct | Likely | 29 | ||
| Hawksbill turtle | Apr, Aug, Nov | Likely | 10 |
Peak Present
- 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 Watamu — common questions
- When is the best time to dive Watamu?
- The best conditions run November to March for the calmest water — seas top 1.5 m on 8% of days, against 68% the rest of the year. The marine life holds steady all year, so the weather picks the month. The full season runs October to March.
- When is the diving season in Watamu?
- The diving season in Watamu runs October to March, and it is at its best November to March.
- Is the diving in Watamu good for beginners?
- Yes. It suits Open Water divers, so it works for a first trip after certification.
- How warm is the water in Watamu?
- Between 26 and 29 °C at the surface across the year, coldest in August and warmest in April. It runs cooler below the thermocline.
- What wetsuit do I need in Watamu?
- 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 Watamu?
- 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 Watamu?
- The most consistently recorded species are Green turtle (likely), Blacktip reef shark (likely) and Bluespotted ribbontail ray (likely), from 330 records within 60 km.
- Does Watamu get tropical storms?
- Yes. Over 30 years of records a storm passed within 250 km in May, most often in May at 1 of 30 years.
- Is there current in Watamu?
- The tide rises and falls 3.4 m around the full and new moon, against 1.4 m in between. How much of that becomes current depends on the shape of the channel.
- When should I avoid Watamu?
- May–June are the weakest months for conditions.
- How do you dive Watamu?
- Mostly from day boats. Trips run through the season, Oct–Mar.