When to dive
Diving in October
Ranked by our documented month ratings — water, visibility and what each place is actually like in October. Destinations without verified monthly data are listed separately rather than guessed at.
| Destination | Rating | Water | Visibility | What October is like there |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns & the Ribbon ReefsAustralia | 5/5 | 24–27 °C / 75–81 °F | 20–35 m | Glassy spells and long calm days |
| Sharm El Sheikh & Ras MohammedEgypt | 5/5 | 26–28 °C / 79–82 °F | 20–30 m | Many regulars' favorite month. |
| Bali & Nusa PenidaIndonesia | 5/5 | 24–29 °C / 75–84 °F | 15–30 m | Mola sightings continue; seas stay friendly. |
| KomodoIndonesia | 5/5 | 23–28 °C / 73–82 °F | 15–25 m | Trades ease; often a sweet spot of calm seas and fish action park-wide. |
| Galápagos IslandsEcuador | 5/5 | 18–23 °C / 64–73 °F | 10–20 m | Late whale shark window; hammerheads thick. |
| Brothers, Daedalus & St John'sEgypt | 5/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 20–40 m | Oceanic whitetip peak at the Brothers. |
| Kona, HawaiʻiUnited States | 5/5 | 26–28 °C / 79–82 °F | 20–40 m | Late-season calm. |
| DahabEgypt | 5/5 | 25–28 °C / 77–82 °F | 15–30 m | Still warm, with superbly calm spells. |
| Marsa Alam & the Deep SouthEgypt | 5/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 20–30 m | Oceanic whitetip season opens at Elphinstone. |
| Lembeh StraitIndonesia | 5/5 | 26–29 °C / 79–84 °F | 10–20 m | Excellent month as water begins warming again. |
| Sea of Cortez & Cabo PulmoMexico | 5/5 | 26–29 °C / 79–84 °F | 20–30 m | Whale sharks return to La Paz Bay. |
| Hurghada & El GounaEgypt | 5/5 | 26–28 °C / 79–82 °F | 15–30 m | A favorite month for the wreck run. |
| Cocos IslandCosta Rica | 5/5 | 24–28 °C / 75–82 °F | 12–25 m | |
| AqabaJordan | 5/5 | 25–27 °C / 77–81 °F | 15–30 m | Prime month on both land and sea. |
| Bunaken & ManadoIndonesia | 5/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 15–30 m | Late-season calm; often outstanding. |
| British ColumbiaCanada | 5/5 | 10–13 °C / 50–55 °F | 12–25 m | Bloom dies back; visibility opens. |
| California Channel IslandsUnited States | 5/5 | 16–20 °C / 61–68 °F | 15–25 m | |
| Daymaniyat IslandsOman | 5/5 | 27–30 °C / 81–86 °F | 10–25 m | Prime month; whale sharks still passing. |
| Banda Sea & AmbonIndonesia | 5/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 20–40 m | Prime crossing month; calm seas and peak schedules. |
| WakatobiIndonesia | 5/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 20–40 m | Warm, clear, and quiet. |
| Maui & MolokiniUnited States | 5/5 | 26–27 °C / 79–81 °F | 25–45 m | Late-season reliability. |
| Mafia IslandTanzania | 5/5 | 26–28 °C / 79–82 °F | 15–30 m | Calm season begins; first surface whale sharks. |
| Canary IslandsSpain | 5/5 | 23–24 °C / 73–75 °F | 20–30 m | |
| SeychellesSeychelles | 5/5 | 26–29 °C / 79–84 °F | 15–30 m | Second calm window; historically the whale shark month. |
| Fernando de NoronhaBrazil | 5/5 | 26–28 °C / 79–82 °F | 25–40 m | |
| Townsville & the YongalaAustralia | 5/5 | 24–27 °C / 75–81 °F | 15–30 m | Calm seas; the Yongala at its best |
| MauritiusMauritius | 5/5 | 24–27 °C / 75–81 °F | 15–30 m | Spring calm; excellent all-around conditions. |
| Coral Sea & Osprey ReefAustralia | 5/5 | 25–27 °C / 77–81 °F | 30–60 m | Calm seas and long horizons |
| AlorIndonesia | 5/5 | 23–28 °C / 73–82 °F | 15–30 m | Often the best all-around window; liveaboard traffic peaks. |
| Musandam PeninsulaOman | 5/5 | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 10–20 m | Warm water and returning comfort - the best of both. |
| Izu PeninsulaJapan | 5/5 | 20–23 °C / 68–73 °F | 8–18 m | Warm water, cleaner visibility, fewer crowds |
| Nosy BeMadagascar | 5/5 | 26–29 °C / 79–84 °F | 12–25 m | Whale shark season builds; Omura's whales about. |
| BonaireBonaire | 4/5 | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 15–30 m | Showers begin; brief runoff after heavy rain. |
| PalauPalau | 4/5 | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 15–35 m | Weather begins to settle. |
| Sipadan & MabulMalaysia | 4/5 | 27–30 °C / 81–86 °F | 12–30 m | Transition month; conditions usually fine. |
| Raja AmpatIndonesia | 4/5 | 27–30 °C / 81–86 °F | 10–25 m | Season reopens; seas settle and manta activity picks up. |
| Riviera Maya & the CenotesMexico | 4/5 | 24–26 °C / 75–79 °F | 25–80 m | Tannic surface layers in some pools. |
| North & South Malé AtollsMaldives | 4/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 15–25 m | Monsoon eases; visibility recovering. |
| Tiger Beach & Grand BahamaThe Bahamas | 4/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 15–35 m | Season restarts as storms taper. |
| Silfra & IcelandIceland | 4/5 | 2–4 °C / 36–39 °F | 70–100 m | Aurora season begins in earnest. |
| Taveuni & Rainbow ReefFiji | 4/5 | 26–28 °C / 79–82 °F | 15–35 m | Warming; still generally clear. |
| The AzoresPortugal | 4/5 | 20–22 °C / 68–72 °F | 15–30 m | Good diving until the first autumn systems arrive. |
| AnilaoPhilippines | 4/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 10–20 m | Transition month; seas settle and visibility recovers. |
| Ari AtollMaldives | 4/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 15–25 m | Conditions improve; fewer boats than high season. |
| Florida KeysUnited States | 4/5 | 26–29 °C / 79–84 °F | 12–25 m | |
| Baa Atoll & Hanifaru BayMaldives | 4/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 10–20 m | Still strong around the right moons. |
| FakaravaFrench Polynesia | 4/5 | 26–28 °C / 79–82 °F | 25–45 m | Winds easing, water warming. |
| Chuuk (Truk) LagoonFederated States of Micronesia | 4/5 | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 12–25 m | Improving windows. |
| Ningaloo ReefAustralia | 4/5 | 22–24 °C / 72–75 °F | 10–20 m | Humpback season winds down |
| RangiroaFrench Polynesia | 4/5 | 26–28 °C / 79–82 °F | 25–45 m | Warming; excellent clarity. |
| Malta & GozoMalta | 4/5 | 21–24 °C / 70–75 °F | 20–40 m | Water stays warm long after the crowds thin. |
| Sodwana BaySouth Africa | 4/5 | 22–25 °C / 72–77 °F | 10–25 m | Warming; wind windows matter. |
| Larnaca & the ZenobiaCyprus | 4/5 | 22–25 °C / 72–77 °F | 20–35 m | Sea stays warm well into autumn. |
| CuraçaoCuraçao | 4/5 | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 15–25 m | Rainy season showers begin. |
| Espiritu SantoVanuatu | 4/5 | 25–27 °C / 77–81 °F | 15–30 m | Warming; still settled. |
| Aliwal Shoal & UmkomaasSouth Africa | 4/5 | 20–24 °C / 68–75 °F | 8–20 m | Raggies begin dispersing; spring winds. |
| Dumaguete, Dauin & Apo IslandPhilippines | 4/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 10–20 m | Transition; often underrated and quiet. |
| Tofo BeachMozambique | 4/5 | 24–27 °C / 75–81 °F | 10–25 m | Warming; whale shark encounters pick up. |
| Beqa Lagoon & Pacific HarbourFiji | 4/5 | 26–28 °C / 79–82 °F | 10–25 m | Some females begin to leave. |
| OʻahuUnited States | 4/5 | 26–27 °C / 79–81 °F | 15–30 m | First north swells arrive. |
| Zanzibar & MnembaTanzania | 4/5 | 26–28 °C / 79–82 °F | 15–30 m | Warming and calm. |
| Okinawa & the Kerama IslandsJapan | 4/5 | 25–27 °C / 77–81 °F | 20–35 m | Stable autumn diving |
| BermudaBermuda | 4/5 | 23–25 °C / 73–77 °F | 20–40 m | |
| Costa Rica Pacific CoastCosta Rica | 4/5 | 26–29 °C / 79–84 °F | 10–18 m | Rainiest month; afternoon downpours. |
| VavaʻuTonga | 4/5 | 24–26 °C / 75–79 °F | 18–35 m | Late season; whales departing. |
| Medes IslandsSpain | 4/5 | 18–21 °C / 64–70 °F | 15–30 m | Autumn clarity as the water column mixes. |
| MadeiraPortugal | 4/5 | 22–24 °C / 72–75 °F | 15–30 m | |
| Port Sudan & SanganebSudan | 4/5 | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 15–40 m | The fleet traditionally returned; fine conditions. |
| CozumelMexico | 3/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 15–35 m | Storm risk lingers; rainier weeks. |
| Similan Islands & Richelieu RockThailand | 3/5 | 28–29 °C / 82–84 °F | 10–25 m | Park reopens around mid-month; seas still settling. |
| Grand CaymanCayman Islands | 3/5 | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 15–30 m | Storm season winds down late month. |
| Isla Mujeres & CancúnMexico | 3/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 10–25 m | Hurricane tail; rainier weeks. |
| Koh TaoThailand | 3/5 | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 8–20 m | Transition month with building rain. |
| RoatánHonduras | 3/5 | 28–29 °C / 82–84 °F | 10–25 m | Rains arrive in earnest. |
| CoronPhilippines | 3/5 | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 5–15 m | Transition month with improving stretches. |
| Belize Barrier ReefBelize | 3/5 | 28–29 °C / 82–84 °F | 10–25 m | Wettest month on the cayes. |
| MalapascuaPhilippines | 3/5 | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 10–20 m | Typhoon season peaks; monitor storm tracks. |
| Turks and CaicosTurks and Caicos Islands | 3/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 15–30 m | |
| Jardines de la ReinaCuba | 3/5 | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 15–30 m | Unsettled; season restarts late. |
| Little CaymanCayman Islands | 3/5 | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 15–30 m | Unsettled; season restarts late month. |
| YapFederated States of Micronesia | 3/5 | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 8–25 m | Unsettled spells. |
| Scapa FlowUnited Kingdom | 3/5 | 10–12 °C / 50–54 °F | 6–12 m | |
| Saint LuciaSaint Lucia | 3/5 | 28–29 °C / 82–84 °F | 12–25 m | |
| MoalboalPhilippines | 3/5 | 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F | 8–25 m | Transition; watch the typhoon outlook. |
| UtilaHonduras | 3/5 | 28–29 °C / 82–84 °F | 10–25 m | Rains build. |
| British Virgin IslandsBritish Virgin Islands | 3/5 | 28–29 °C / 82–84 °F | 15–25 m | |
| North Carolina Outer BanksUnited States | 3/5 | 21–25 °C / 70–77 °F | 12–25 m | |
| GrenadaGrenada | 3/5 | 28–29 °C / 82–84 °F | 12–25 m | |
| Poor Knights IslandsNew Zealand | 3/5 | 15–17 °C / 59–63 °F | 8–18 m | Plankton feeds the reserve at a cost to visibility |
| Nassau & New ProvidenceThe Bahamas | 3/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 15–35 m | |
| DominicaDominica | 3/5 | 28–29 °C / 82–84 °F | 10–25 m | |
| YonaguniJapan | 3/5 | 26–28 °C / 79–82 °F | 20–40 m | Autumn stability returns |
| South AustraliaAustralia | 3/5 | 14–17 °C / 57–63 °F | 4–12 m | Improving weather windows |
| Arctic NorwayNorway | 3/5 | 7–10 °C / 45–50 °F | 10–25 m | Water clears as it cools; whales not yet reliable. |
| Green IslandTaiwan | 3/5 | 26–28 °C / 79–82 °F | 15–35 m | Monsoon transition |
| CoibaPanama | 3/5 | 25–29 °C / 77–84 °F | 8–18 m | |
| Mergui ArchipelagoMyanmar | 2/5 | 27–29 °C / 81–84 °F | 8–20 m | Some seasons open late this month; confirm sailings. |
| Tubbataha ReefsPhilippines | 1/5 | — | — | Seas can flatten between monsoons, but no trips run. |
| The Sardine Run (Wild Coast)South Africa | 1/5 | 19–23 °C / 66–73 °F | 5–15 m | No run. |
Wildlife calendar
In the water in October
Blacktip Reef Shark
e.g. Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock
Blue Shark
e.g. The Azores
Blue-Spotted Ribbontail Ray
e.g. Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock
Bull Shark
e.g. Costa Rica Pacific Coast
California Sea Lion
e.g. Sea of Cortez & Cabo Pulmo
Hawksbill Turtle
e.g. Seychelles
Humpback Whale
e.g. Vavaʻu
Leopard (Zebra) Shark
e.g. Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock
Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish)
e.g. Bali & Nusa Penida
Oceanic Manta Ray
e.g. Raja Ampat
Oceanic Whitetip Shark
e.g. Marsa Alam & the Deep South
Olive Ridley Turtle
e.g. Costa Rica Pacific Coast
Make it a trip
The planner crosses this month with your level and interests, and shows its reasons for every match.
Plan a October trip