Best places to dive in August
Nosy Be rates highest in August, and 8 of the top 10 are in the Asia-Pacific and Europe & Atlantic. Blue shark season starts at Channel Islands.
At the ten best-rated destinations
At their peak somewhere this month
Of 145 rated destinations
Destinations with a 1 in 10 storm chance or more
The top ten in August
| # | Destination | Region | Water | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nosy Be | Indian Ocean | 27 °C | May–Sep |
| 2 | Komodo North | Asia-Pacific | 28 °C | Jun–Oct |
| 3 | Tulamben / AmedThe USAT Liberty wreck and the black-sand muck alongside it | Asia-Pacific | 28 °C | May–Sep |
| 4 | Gili Islands | Asia-Pacific | 28 °C | May–Sep |
| 5 | Elba | Europe & Atlantic | 27 °C | May–Sep |
| 6 | Greece | Europe & Atlantic | 27 °C | May–Sep |
| 7 | Channel Islands | Americas | 20 °C | Jun–Oct |
| 8 | MenorcaThe caves and rocky reefs of the north coast | Europe & Atlantic | 27 °C | Jul |
| 9 | Ibiza / Formentera | Europe & Atlantic | 27 °C | May–Sep |
| 10 | Oslob | Asia-Pacific | 29 °C | Feb–Jun |
Region by region
Red Sea & Middle East
4 of 7 at their best
The season is closing, down from 7 in July. The water is 29–30 °C, and it barely rains. Nuweiba / Ras Abu Galum is in bluespotted ribbontail ray season.
Europe & Atlantic
12 of 21 at their best
The sea sits at 11–27 °C. It is minke whale season at Farne Islands.
Asia-Pacific
18 of 49 at their best
The season is opening, up from 11 at their best in July. 4 destinations are in storm season, with up to a 60% chance of a storm passing nearby. Rowley Shoals reopens after the closed season. It is Napoleon wrasse season at Ribbon Reefs.
Americas
8 of 27 at their best
9 destinations are in storm season, with up to an 80% chance of a storm passing nearby. Cano Island / Drake Bay is in humpback whale season.
Indian Ocean
2 of 15 at their best
Off season for most of the region. Sardine Run closes for the season. Seas are rough, with the bigger days over 2.8 m of swell. It is blacktip reef shark season at East (Trincomalee), Sri Lanka.
Wildlife in season in August
Humpback whale
Cano Island / Drake BayPeak Jul–Sep
Minke whale
Farne IslandsPeak Jun–Aug
Ocean sunfish
CornwallPeak Jul–Aug
Blue shark
Channel IslandsPeak Aug–Oct
Nassau grouper
Key Largo, Florida KeysPeak Jun–Aug
Sardine
Channel IslandsPeak Aug–Oct
Common thresher
Channel IslandsPeak Aug–Sep
Basking shark
Scapa FlowPeak Jul–Sep
Also in season: Napoleon wrasse, whale shark, sperm whale, grey seal, Atlantic spotted dolphin, orca, bluespotted ribbontail ray, bump-head sunfish, loggerhead turtle, harbour seal, blacktip reef shark, sand tiger shark, silky shark, short-finned pilot whale, yellowfin tuna, bigeye trevally, grey reef shark, scalloped hammerhead, oceanic manta.
Diving in August: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive in August?
- Nosy Be, followed by Komodo North and Tulamben / Amed. The Asia-Pacific and Europe & Atlantic hold 8 of the top ten.
- Where is the warmest water for diving in August?
- Perhentian at 30 °C, Marsa Alam at 30 °C and Redang at 30 °C, all with good conditions that month.
- What marine life is in season in August?
- Humpback whale at Cano Island / Drake Bay, minke whale at Farne Islands, ocean sunfish at Cornwall, blue shark at Channel Islands and Nassau grouper at Key Largo, Florida Keys. 27 animals with a season are at their peak somewhere in August.
- Where should you avoid diving in August?
- Socorro / Revillagigedo, Roca Partida, Socorro / Revillagigedo and Okinawa and 53 more destinations are in storm season, with up to a 80% chance of a storm passing nearby. Measured from NOAA storm tracks since 1980.