Where to Dive in December

The best scuba diving destinations with excellent conditions this month

Excellent Diving

Petite Côte
Senegal
23-26°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Best diving conditions of the year, very clear water, potential for large pelagics.

Ilhéu das Rolas
São Tomé and Príncipe
27-30°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Manta ray season continues, start of turtle nesting

Dissei Island
Eritrea
26-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Excellent conditions continue, potential for whale sharks.

26-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Continued excellent visibility, ideal for all types of diving.

Sodwana Bay
South Africa
25-28°C 20-30m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Manta ray season, excellent coral visibility

Chagos Archipelago
British Indian Ocean Territory
28-30°C 20-30m+ Mild

Highlights: Continued excellent conditions, very little rain

Peros Banhos
British Indian Ocean Territory
28-30°C 20-30m+ Mild

Highlights: Continued excellent conditions, very little rain

Salomon Atoll
British Indian Ocean Territory
27-29°C 25-35m Mild

Highlights: Peak manta ray season, crystal clear waters.

22-24°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Cooler water, but still great for diving. Potential for hammerhead sharks.

Hurghada
Egypt
22-24°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Cooler water, but still great for diving. Good chance to see dugongs.

Dahab
Egypt
22-24°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Cooler water, but still great for diving. Less crowded.

Marsa Alam
Egypt
23-25°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Dolphins often seen, good for macro life

Tiran Island
Egypt
22-24°C 20-30m Moderate

Highlights: Good for pelagic sightings, strong currents can bring nutrients

Safaga
Egypt
23-25°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, less crowded.

Hamata
Egypt
23-25°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, less crowded.

Port Sudan
Sudan
25-27°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Hammerhead shark migrations begin

Sha'ab Rumi
Sudan
26-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Manta ray season continues, good for shark sightings.

26-29°C 25-35m Mild

Highlights: Manta ray season continues, good for shark sightings.

26-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Manta ray season continues, good for diverse reef and wreck diving.

Angarosh
Sudan
25-28°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale sharks

Sal Island
Cabo Verde
24-26°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Whale shark sightings possible

Boa Vista
Cabo Verde
24-26°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Loggerhead turtle nesting season begins

Sao Vicente
Cabo Verde
23-25°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Humpback whale migration possible

Maio Island
Cabo Verde
24-26°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Good for reef diving, potential for turtles

Sassandra
Côte d'Ivoire
27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Continued excellent conditions for pelagic encounters and reef diving.

Cape Point
Gambia
24-27°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Continued excellent conditions for pelagic encounters and exploring shipwrecks.

Fajara Beach
Gambia
24-27°C 12-22m Mild

Highlights: Continued excellent conditions, ideal for exploring the diverse marine life around Fajara Beach.

24-27°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Prime diving conditions, high chance of seeing diverse marine life.

24-27°C 15-22m Mild

Highlights: Prime diving conditions, high chance of seeing diverse marine life around the historical structures.

24-27°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Prime diving conditions, high chance of seeing a variety of marine life and observing the rich bird ecosystem.

Loos Islands
Guinea
25-28°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Manta ray season continues, good visibility

Sangareya Bay
Guinea
25-28°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, continued marine life activity

Bijagos Archipelago
Guinea-Bissau
24-27°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Manta ray season continues, good visibility

Lagos Lagoon
Nigeria
27-30°C 8-15m Mild

Highlights: Best visibility of the year, ideal for exploring the lagoon.

Tarkwa Bay
Nigeria
26-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Peak dry season, best visibility of the year.

23-26°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, start of humpback whale season offshore

Casamance Coast
Senegal
23-26°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, start of humpback whale season offshore

26-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Manta ray season continues, start of humpback whale migration

São Tomé Northern Coast
São Tomé and Príncipe
27-30°C 18-28m Mild

Highlights: End of manta ray season, start of turtle nesting

Príncipe Island
São Tomé and Príncipe
27-29°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Start of rainy season, good for macro life.

Gulf of Tadjoura
Djibouti
25-27°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Whale shark season, good visibility

26-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Continued manta ray sightings, potential for whale sharks

Moucha Island
Djibouti
26-29°C 12-22m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, potential for pelagic life

Maskali Island
Djibouti
26-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, potential for whale sharks

27-30°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Whale shark season, good coral health

Massawa
Eritrea
27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Wreck diving, good for pelagic sightings

Flic en Flac
Mauritius
27-30°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Warm water, good for diving, but occasional rain showers.

Grand Bay
Mauritius
27-30°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Warm water, good for diving, but expect occasional rain.

Trou aux Biches
Mauritius
27-30°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Warm water, good for diving, but expect occasional rain.

27-30°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Continued manta ray and whale shark sightings.

Tofo Beach
Mozambique
27-30°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Continued manta ray and whale shark sightings.

Ponta do Ouro
Mozambique
27-30°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Good for shark diving and general reef exploration.

Pemba
Mozambique
28-30°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Warming waters, good visibility

Saint-Gilles
Réunion
26-28°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Summer, good visibility, potential for early humpback whale sightings

Saint-Leu
Réunion
26-28°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Summer, good visibility, potential for early humpback whale sightings

La Possession
Réunion
27-29°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Good marine life activity, potential for early whale shark sightings

Mahe
Seychelles
27-29°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Good marine life activity, potential for early whale shark sightings

Pemba Island
Tanzania
27-29°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Short rains continue, visibility can be variable.

Aliwal Shoal
South Africa
23-26°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Manta ray season

The Garden Route
South Africa
17-20°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Summer diving, good visibility

Cape Peninsula
South Africa
16-19°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Summer diving, abundant seals and fish

Durban
South Africa
26-29°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Summer diving, warm waters and excellent visibility

Plettenberg Bay
South Africa
18-22°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Peak summer diving, warm water, great visibility, abundant marine life

Good Diving

El Gouna
Egypt
24°C 15-25m
Ain El Ghazala
Libya
19°C 10-20m
Susah
Libya
19°C 10-20m
Tabarka
Tunisia
18°C 10-20m
Santiago Island
Cabo Verde
26°C 15-25m
Fogo Island
Cabo Verde
26°C 10-20m
Grand-Béréby
Côte d'Ivoire
30°C 12-22m
San Pédro
Côte d'Ivoire
30°C 12-22m
Assinie
Côte d'Ivoire
30°C 10-20m
Busua and Dixcove
Ghana
29°C 10-20m
Anomabo
Ghana
29°C 10-20m
Cape Three Points
Ghana
29°C 10-20m
Boulbinet Peninsula
Guinea
28°C 12-22m
Kakossa Marine Park
Guinea
28°C 12-22m
Orango Islands
Guinea-Bissau
28°C 15-20m
Saloum Delta
Senegal
25°C 8-15m
Joal-Fadiouth
Senegal
27°C 10-20m
Banana Islands
Sierra Leone
28°C 10-20m
Turtle Islands
Sierra Leone
28°C 10-20m
Sherbro Island
Sierra Leone
28°C 12-22m
Freetown Peninsula
Sierra Leone
28°C 12-22m
Benguela
Angola
28°C 10-20m
Lobito
Angola
28°C 10-15m
Namibe
Angola
27°C 10-15m
Bioko Island
Equatorial Guinea
29°C 10-15m
Corisco Island
Equatorial Guinea
29°C 10-15m
Annobón Island
Equatorial Guinea
30°C 15-20m
Elobey Grande and Elobey Chico
Equatorial Guinea
30°C 8-18m
Loango National Park
Gabon
29°C 8-18m
Port-Gentil
Gabon
29°C 8-18m
São Tomé Southern Coast
São Tomé and Príncipe
29°C 10-20m
Pedras Tinhosas
São Tomé and Príncipe
29°C 10-20m
Lake Tanganyika
Burundi
28°C 8-15m
Moheli Marine Park
Comoros
30°C 10-18m
Grande Comore
Comoros
30°C 10-18m
Mayotte
Comoros
30°C 10-20m
Anjouan
Comoros
30°C 10-20m
Lake Assal
Djibouti
29°C 10-20m
Watamu Marine National Park
Kenya
29°C 12-22m
Kiunga Marine National Reserve
Kenya
31°C 10-20m
Nosy Be
Madagascar
30°C 8-18m
Nosy Tanikely
Madagascar
30°C 10-20m
Île Sainte-Marie
Madagascar
30°C 10-20m
Nosy Mitsio
Madagascar
30°C 10-20m
Anakao
Madagascar
30°C 8-18m
Toliara
Madagascar
30°C 8-18m
Ifaty
Madagascar
30°C 10-20m
Andavadoaka
Madagascar
30°C 10-20m
Lake Malawi
Malawi
27°C 10-20m
Cape Maclear
Malawi
29°C 12-22m
Nkhata Bay
Malawi
29°C 12-22m
Likoma Island
Malawi
29°C 12-22m
Belle Mare
Mauritius
29°C 10-15m
Le Morne
Mauritius
29°C 10-15m
Blue Bay Marine Park
Mauritius
29°C 10-15m
Passe en S
Mayotte
30°C 10-20m
N'Gouja Reef
Mayotte
30°C 10-15m
M'Bouzi Island
Mayotte
30°C 10-20m
Sada Pass
Mayotte
30°C 8-18m
Banc Vailheu
Mayotte
30°C 8-18m
Ilot Mtsamboro
Mayotte
30°C 8-18m
Quirimbas Archipelago
Mozambique
29°C 10-20m
Nacala
Mozambique
29°C 10-15m
Inhaca Island
Mozambique
28°C 10-15m
Saint-Pierre
Réunion
29°C 10-20m
Le Port
Réunion
29°C 10-20m
Etang-Salé
Réunion
29°C 10-20m
Praslin
Seychelles
29°C 10-20m
La Digue
Seychelles
29°C 10-20m
Silhouette Island
Seychelles
29°C 10-20m
Aldabra Atoll
Seychelles
29°C 15-25m
Inner Islands
Seychelles
29°C 10-20m
Outer Islands
Seychelles
29°C 15-25m
Zanzibar
Tanzania
29°C 10-20m
Mafia Island
Tanzania
29°C 10-20m
Chinhoyi Caves
Zimbabwe
24°C 10-15m
Swakopmund and Walvis Bay
Namibia
17°C 10-20m
Protea Banks
South Africa
27°C 10-20m
False Bay
South Africa
18°C 10-20m
Mossel Bay
South Africa
22°C 10-20m