Best Diving Destinations for Each Month of 2024
February 26, 2024
Are you trying to decide when to take your diving vacation this year? There are countless incredible dive sites scattered across our beautiful planet, each offering unique dive experiences at different times of the year. Fancy a winter dive trip to the Cayman Islands? Or a mid-summer escape to explore the underwater world of Cyprus? We have the best diving destinations for every month of 2024 to help you decide where to go, and when!
Discover the best diving destinations for 2024:
1.January: Grand Cayman, the Cayman Islands.
Grand Cayman is a tourist hotspot that is perfect for both scuba divers as well as beach dwellers who like to stay dry. If you are a diver looking for one of the best diving destinations in January that offers sunny skies and warm waters, look no further.
There are 14 dive sites to enjoy when you go diving in Grand Cayman, offering a mix of ocean dives, wreck dives, wall dives, and reef dives to keep things interesting. The most photographed spot in Grand Cayman has to be Stingray City, where southern stingrays gather in large numbers and are not shy to get up close and personal for a selfie!
2. February: Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Located in the West Papua province of eastern Indonesia, Raja Ampat is famous in diving circles for its incredible marine diversity, and February is considered the best time to go. If diving in Indonesia is on your bucket list, Raja Ampat is one of the best diving destinations to explore.
From muck diving to large pelagic life, there is something for everyone when you go diving in Raja Ampat. Barracuda, tuna, nudibranchs, crustaceans, and various species of shark are all regularly spotted on dives in the area, and carpets of pristine, colorful corals will take your breath away.
3. March: Hawaii, USA.
Natural lava tubes, rock formations, fascinating underwater topography… the list goes on. Scuba diving in Hawaii offers unique opportunities in March, as well as beautiful beaches and warm weather.
Galapagos sharks, tiger sharks, white tip reef sharks, and manta rays are just some of the impressive marine life that can be spotted on a dive in Hawaii’s waters, and if you are really lucky, you might even get to see migrating humpback whales passing through.
4. April: Fuvahmulah, Maldives.
This archipelago in the Indian Ocean is on most divers’ bucket lists and rightly so. Renowned for its glistening blue waters, white sand beaches, and exquisite marine life, diving in the Maldives is hard to beat.
Fuvahmulah is part of the Gnaviyani Atoll in the Southern Atolls of the Maldives and offers one of the best diving destinations for encounters with large pelagic species. Most famous for the huge number of oceanic manta rays that frequent the island’s cleaning station.
Fuvahmulah is also home to tiger sharks and whale sharks, which can be seen more often than not. April is considered the best time to visit Fuvahmulah if you want to spot all three of these amazing creatures.
5. May: Great Barrier Reef, Australia.
Although the famous Great Barrier Reef of Australia offers great scuba diving year-round, May is considered the perfect time of year for both comfortable water and air temperatures.
Stretching more than 2500 kilometers (1553 miles) down the east coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef boasts amazing marine biodiversity and has 144 dive sites to choose from! Some regular sightings include whales, turtles, dolphins, and various species of shark, not to mention the stunning corals.
6. June: Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.
The Galapagos Islands are considered one of the best diving destinations on the planet. This is due to their unique biodiversity and the opportunity to spot incredible marine life. When you go diving in the Galapagos Islands, you can encounter whale sharks, manta rays, marine iguanas, penguins, and sea lions.
There are 16 dive sites to explore, which sit in the heart of the Pacific Ocean. Twelve of the dive sites are open-ocean dives, eight are sandy bottom dives, and eight are wall dives, so you will be spoilt for choice this June.
7. July: Malta and Gozo.
Malta and Gozo are arguably two of the best diving destinations in the Mediterranean. With 81 dive sites in Malta alone, and many exciting wreck diving and cave diving opportunities, there is something for every scuba diver.
If you go diving in Malta in July, you will be welcomed with sunny skies and warm waters. You will get the chance to explore some famous dive sites including the Blue Hole and the Madonna Statue.
8. August: Cyprus.
If you like the heat, August is the perfect time to head to the island of Cyprus, where you will not only find buzzing nightlife, but fantastic diving, too. Ideal for both beginners and more experienced divers, diving in Cyprus boasts shallow shore dives and deeper wreck dives.
Cyprus’s most famous wreck, the Zenobia wreck, is just a five-minute boat ride from the Larnaca coast. This dive is one of the most impressive wreck dives in the world and hosts some exciting marine life including huge grouper and loggerhead turtles.
9. September: Fiji.
Fiji is world famous for its vibrant soft corals and also has around 1200 fish species to spot while scuba diving. Both of these make Fiji one of your best diving destinations in September if you like colorful reefs teeming with life.
Abundant marine life and warm waters await when you go diving in Fiji this September. Wall dives, caverns, canyons, and exciting marine life including bull sharks, whale sharks, and manta rays will keep every diver entertained. Whether you love macro life or large pelagic life, Fiji has it all.
10. October: Dahab, Egypt.
The small desert town of Dahab can be extremely hot in the summer months of July and August. Most tourists like to head there around October time to miss the extreme heat but still enjoy the warm waters.
Dahab is renowned for its shore diving, with the most famous dive site being the Blue Hole; a 93-meter (305-foot) natural hole in the reef that is surrounded by pristine corals. It is one of the most peaceful places to go diving in Egypt, allowing you to experience the incredible marine life of the Red Sea without any crowds.
11. November: Cenotes, Mexico.
When it comes to the best diving in Mexico, the cenotes of Yucatan are a must-visit destination for scuba divers. These unique underwater cave systems are stunning and offer a choice of diving options depending on your experience level.
Cenote diving in Mexico is ideal for technical divers who love deep penetration, as well as beginners who want to explore the shallows. Underwater pictures of the cenotes are often featured on Instagram for their special natural light that beams through the water.
12. December: The Western Gulf Islands, Thailand.
Thailand is one of the best diving destinations in the world for new divers, offering calm, clear waters and abundant marine life. There are numerous places to go diving in Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand is particularly popular; including the famous islands of Koh Tao, Koh Samui, and Koh Phangan.
Offering a mix of shore dives and boat dives, the Western Gulf Islands have excellent diving for all experience levels. Whale sharks are seen there, as well as grouper, triggerfish, batfish, and barracuda… just to name a few!
If you need help finding the perfect dive center at one of these fantastic dive spots, try the SSI Center Locator.
Now you have a full calendar of amazing dive sites this year. Enjoy!