Manatee season starts at Key Largo, Florida Keys.
Where to dive, every month
Pick the month you can travel. Each one ranks the 149 destinations we rate, with the water temperature, the animals in season and the places in storm season.
This month: September →64 destinations at their best
66 destinations in storm season
Every month, on conditions and wildlife
The year at a glance
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia-Pacific | January: 12 of 49 at their best | February: 18 of 49 at their best | March: 24 of 49 at their best | April: 22 of 49 at their best | May: 17 of 49 at their best | June: 15 of 49 at their best | July: 11 of 49 at their best | August: 18 of 49 at their best | September: 18 of 49 at their best | October: 14 of 49 at their best | November: 14 of 49 at their best | December: 4 of 49 at their best |
| Indian Ocean | January: 4 of 15 at their best | February: 4 of 15 at their best | March: 5 of 15 at their best | April: 4 of 15 at their best | May: 2 of 15 at their best | June: 3 of 15 at their best | July: 1 of 15 at their best | August: 2 of 15 at their best | September: 3 of 15 at their best | October: 2 of 15 at their best | November: 4 of 15 at their best | December: 1 of 15 at their best |
| Red Sea & Middle East | January: 7 of 7 at their best | February: 7 of 7 at their best | March: 7 of 7 at their best | April: 7 of 7 at their best | May: 7 of 7 at their best | June: 5 of 7 at their best | July: 7 of 7 at their best | August: 4 of 7 at their best | September: 6 of 7 at their best | October: 7 of 7 at their best | November: 7 of 7 at their best | December: 7 of 7 at their best |
| Europe & Atlantic | January: 1 of 21 at their best | February: 2 of 21 at their best | March: 1 of 21 at their best | April: 2 of 21 at their best | May: 9 of 21 at their best | June: 11 of 21 at their best | July: 10 of 21 at their best | August: 12 of 21 at their best | September: 10 of 21 at their best | October: 5 of 21 at their best | November: 3 of 21 at their best | December: 3 of 21 at their best |
| Caribbean | January: 10 of 30 at their best | February: 14 of 30 at their best | March: 15 of 30 at their best | April: 18 of 30 at their best | May: 20 of 30 at their best | June: 13 of 30 at their best | July: 10 of 30 at their best | August: 0 of 30 at their best | September: 0 of 30 at their best | October: 2 of 30 at their best | November: 4 of 30 at their best | December: 8 of 30 at their best |
| Americas | January: 13 of 27 at their best | February: 13 of 27 at their best | March: 12 of 27 at their best | April: 9 of 27 at their best | May: 6 of 27 at their best | June: 6 of 27 at their best | July: 11 of 27 at their best | August: 8 of 27 at their best | September: 4 of 27 at their best | October: 4 of 27 at their best | November: 8 of 27 at their best | December: 12 of 27 at their best |
January February California sea lion season starts at Loreto / Sea of Cortez North.
March Blue whale season starts at Loreto / Sea of Cortez North.
April Orca season starts at Scapa Flow.
May Basking shark season starts at Cornwall.
June Minke whale season starts at Farne Islands.
July Humpback whale season starts at Cano Island / Drake Bay.
August Blue shark season starts at Channel Islands.
SeptemberThis month Nassau grouper season starts at Key West, Florida Keys.
October Napoleon wrasse season starts at Ribbon Reefs.
November Bull shark season starts at Cozumel.
December Humpback whale season starts at Puerto Vallarta / Banderas.
Diving through the year: common questions
- What is the best month to go scuba diving?
- March, when 64 of the 149 destinations we rate are at their best. Koh Tao tops the list that month.
- What is the worst month for diving?
- October, with 34 destinations at their best. You can still dive well: Komodo North and Nosy Be rate highest that month.
- When is hurricane and cyclone season for divers?
- It peaks in September, when 66 destinations have a 1 in 10 chance or more of a storm passing nearby. April is the calmest month, with 7 destinations at that risk. Measured from NOAA storm tracks since 1980.
- Which month has the most marine life in season?
- March, with 37 animals at their peak somewhere.