Best places to dive in October
Komodo North rates highest in October, and 7 of the top 10 are in the Red Sea & Middle East and the Asia-Pacific. Napoleon wrasse season starts at Ribbon Reefs.
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 October
| # | Destination | Region | Water | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Komodo North | Asia-Pacific | 29 °C | Jun–Oct |
| 2 | Nosy Be | Indian Ocean | 27 °C | May–Sep |
| 3 | Tulamben / AmedThe USAT Liberty wreck and the black-sand muck alongside it | Asia-Pacific | 29 °C | May–Sep |
| 4 | Lanzarote, Canary Islands | Europe & Atlantic | 23 °C | Sep–Oct |
| 5 | Rowley ShoalsThe untouched hard coral of the outer atolls and the drift through the lagoon entrances | Asia-Pacific | 28 °C | Aug–Nov |
| 6 | Sharm el-Sheikh / Ras MohammedRas Mohammed's reef walls, Shark and Yolanda, and the Thistlegorm | Red Sea & Middle East | 28 °C | Oct–Dec |
| 7 | Channel Islands | Americas | 19 °C | Jun–Oct |
| 8 | HurghadaThe Thistlegorm and the Giftun reefs | Red Sea & Middle East | 28 °C | Oct–Dec |
| 9 | Marsa AlamElphinstone reef and the offshore pinnacles | Red Sea & Middle East | 28 °C | Oct–Feb |
| 10 | Strait of Gubal / Thistlegorm | Red Sea & Middle East | 27 °C | Oct–Dec |
Region by region
Red Sea & Middle East
7 of 7 at their best
The whole region is in season. Expect 27–28 °C water and dry weather. It is oceanic whitetip season at Daedalus Reef.
Asia-Pacific
14 of 49 at their best
7 destinations are in storm season, with up to a 37% chance of a storm passing nearby. Kauai / Niihau closes for the season. Ribbon Reefs is in Napoleon wrasse season.
Europe & Atlantic
5 of 21 at their best
The season is closing, down from 10 in September. Seas are rough, with the bigger days over 2.4 m of swell. Silfra is in harbour seal season.
Americas
4 of 27 at their best
Off season for most of the region. 9 destinations are in storm season, with up to a 40% chance of a storm passing nearby. It is ocean sunfish season at Channel Islands.
Indian Ocean
2 of 15 at their best
Off season for most of the region. Rain falls on about 14 days of the month. Seas are rough, with the bigger days over 2.3 m of swell. Baa / Hanifaru, Maldives is in reef manta season.
Wildlife in season in October
Ocean sunfish
Channel IslandsPeak Aug–Oct
Blue shark
Channel IslandsPeak Aug–Oct
Sardine
Channel IslandsPeak Aug–Oct
Common thresher
MontereyPeak Aug–Oct
Napoleon wrasse
Ribbon ReefsPeak Jul–Aug, Oct, Dec
Nassau grouper
St. CroixPeak Jun, Sep–Oct
Southern elephant seal
Peninsula ValdesPeak Oct–Nov
Great white shark
Guadalupe IslandPeak Sep–Nov
Also in season: zebra shark, bump-head sunfish, harbour seal, blacktip reef shark, reef manta, bumphead parrotfish, bigeye trevally, blue whale, short-finned pilot whale, lemon shark, oceanic manta, oceanic whitetip, yellowfin tuna, blackfin barracuda, scalloped hammerhead, grey reef shark.
Diving in October: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive in October?
- Komodo North, followed by Nosy Be and Tulamben / Amed. The Red Sea & Middle East and the Asia-Pacific hold 7 of the top ten.
- Where is the warmest water for diving in October?
- Bonaire at 29 °C, Curacao at 29 °C and Misool, Raja Ampat at 29 °C, all with good conditions that month.
- What marine life is in season in October?
- Ocean sunfish at Channel Islands, blue shark at Channel Islands, sardine at Channel Islands, common thresher at Monterey and Napoleon wrasse at Ribbon Reefs. 24 animals with a season are at their peak somewhere in October.
- Where should you avoid diving in October?
- Roca Partida, Socorro / Revillagigedo, Puerto Vallarta / Banderas and Socorro / Revillagigedo and 59 more destinations are in storm season, with up to a 47% chance of a storm passing nearby. Measured from NOAA storm tracks since 1980.