Best places to dive in January
Guadeloupe rates highest in January, and 8 of the top 10 are in the Americas and the Asia-Pacific. Manatee season starts at Key Largo, Florida Keys.
At the ten best-rated destinations
At their peak somewhere this month
Of 144 rated destinations
Destinations with a 1 in 10 storm chance or more
The top ten in January
| # | Destination | Region | Water | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guadeloupe | Caribbean | 27 °C | Jan–May |
| 2 | Martinique | Caribbean | 27 °C | Jan–May |
| 3 | Guanacaste / Catalinas | Americas | 28 °C | Dec–Apr |
| 4 | Coiba | Americas | 29 °C | Jan–Mar |
| 5 | Western (Isabela/Fernandina), Galapagos | Americas | 24 °C | Oct–Jan |
| 6 | Oslob | Asia-Pacific | 28 °C | Feb–Jun |
| 7 | Dampier Strait, Raja AmpatThe reef fish diversity of Cape Kri | Asia-Pacific | 29 °C | Jan–Mar |
| 8 | Cabo San Lucas | Americas | 23 °C | Nov–Mar |
| 9 | Cano Island / Drake Bay | Americas | 29 °C | Dec–Apr |
| 10 | Koh Tao | Asia-Pacific | 28 °C | Feb–Jun |
Region by region
Red Sea & Middle East
7 of 7 at their best
The whole region is in season. Dry weather, with the sea at 23–24 °C.
Americas
13 of 27 at their best
Seas are rough, with the bigger days over 2.0 m of swell. It is humpback whale season at Puerto Vallarta / Banderas.
Caribbean
10 of 30 at their best
Silver Bank reopens after the closed season. It is manatee season at Key Largo, Florida Keys.
Indian Ocean
4 of 15 at their best
The season is opening, up from 1 at their best in December. 3 destinations are in storm season, with up to a 30% chance of a storm passing nearby. Rain falls on about 15 days of the month. Tofo is in potato cod season.
Asia-Pacific
12 of 49 at their best
The season is opening, up from 4 at their best in December. 9 destinations are in storm season, with up to a 50% chance of a storm passing nearby. Rowley Shoals closes for the season. Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat is in reef manta season.
Europe & Atlantic
1 of 21 at their best
Off season for most of the region. Seas are rough, with the bigger days over 2.9 m of swell. The water is cold, around 14 °C at the cooler sites. Madeira is in common dolphin season.
Wildlife in season in January
Manatee
Key Largo, Florida KeysPeak Jan–Feb
Humpback whale
Puerto Vallarta / BanderasPeak Dec–Feb
Grey whale
La Jolla / San DiegoPeak Jan–Feb
Sperm whale
DominicaPeak Jan–Mar
Common dolphin
MadeiraPeak Jan–Apr
Bull shark
CozumelPeak Jan–Feb, Nov
Orca
Narvik wrecksPeak Nov–Jan
Reef manta
Dampier Strait, Raja AmpatPeak Jan–Mar, Nov
Also in season: oceanic manta, ocean sunfish, Napoleon wrasse, bigeye trevally, bumphead parrotfish, blue whale, goliath grouper, California sea lion, blue shark, bronze whaler, harbour seal, camouflage grouper, blackfin barracuda, great hammerhead, lemon shark, scalloped hammerhead, Atlantic spotted dolphin, potato cod, short-finned pilot whale, silky shark, silvertip shark, zebra shark, grey reef shark.
Diving in January: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive in January?
- Guadeloupe, followed by Martinique and Guanacaste / Catalinas. The Americas and the Asia-Pacific hold 8 of the top ten.
- Where is the warmest water for diving in January?
- Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat at 29 °C, Coiba at 29 °C and Cano Island / Drake Bay at 29 °C, all with good conditions that month.
- What marine life is in season in January?
- Manatee at Key Largo, Florida Keys, humpback whale at Puerto Vallarta / Banderas, grey whale at La Jolla / San Diego, sperm whale at Dominica and common dolphin at Madeira. 31 animals with a season are at their peak somewhere in January.
- Where should you avoid diving in January?
- Rowley Shoals, Mauritius and Reunion and 14 more destinations are in storm season, with up to a 50% chance of a storm passing nearby. Measured from NOAA storm tracks since 1980.