Where to Dive in January

The best scuba diving destinations with excellent conditions this month

Excellent Diving

Annobón Island
Equatorial Guinea
27-30°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Exceptional visibility, pristine reefs, potential for large pelagics.

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

Highlights: Excellent visibility, abundant marine life

Príncipe Island
São Tomé and Príncipe
27-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, potential for humpback whale sightings.

Pemba Island
Tanzania
27-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, pristine coral reefs, potential for large pelagics.

Sodwana Bay
South Africa
26-29°C 20-30m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Excellent coral visibility, abundant reef fish

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

Highlights: Excellent visibility, calm seas, abundant reef fish

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

Highlights: Excellent visibility, calm seas, abundant reef fish and sharks

Salomon Atoll
British Indian Ocean Territory
27-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, calm seas, good chance of seeing turtles and reef sharks.

21-23°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale shark sightings further offshore.

Dahab
Egypt
21-23°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, ideal for exploring the Blue Hole and Canyon.

Marsa Alam
Egypt
22-24°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Dolphins often seen, good for macro life

Tiran Island
Egypt
21-23°C 20-30m Moderate

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

Safaga
Egypt
22-24°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for dolphin sightings.

Hamata
Egypt
22-24°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good chance of seeing dugongs.

Port Sudan
Sudan
26-28°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Hammerhead shark migrations

Sha'ab Rumi
Sudan
25-28°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for hammerhead sharks.

25-28°C 25-35m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, good for shark encounters.

Angarosh
Sudan
25-28°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good chance of seeing pelagics

Sal Island
Cabo Verde
23-25°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Whale shark sightings possible

Maio Island
Cabo Verde
23-25°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Good for reef diving, potential for turtles

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

Highlights: Dry season, good visibility, potential for pelagic sightings

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

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale sharks

Petite Côte
Senegal
22-25°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Cooler, clear waters. Good for spotting larger pelagics.

Corisco Island
Equatorial Guinea
26-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for exploring reefs and shipwrecks.

São Tomé Northern Coast
São Tomé and Príncipe
27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, abundant reef fish

São Tomé Southern Coast
São Tomé and Príncipe
27-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale shark sightings.

Pedras Tinhosas
São Tomé and Príncipe
27-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale sharks.

27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for whale shark sightings

Grande Comore
Comoros
27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for whale shark sightings

Mayotte
Comoros
28-30°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Humpback whale season begins, nesting turtles

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

Highlights: Whale shark season, good visibility

26-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Whale shark sightings possible

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

Highlights: Excellent visibility, abundant reef fish

26-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Whale shark season, good coral health

Massawa
Eritrea
26-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Wreck diving, good for pelagic sightings

Dissei Island
Eritrea
26-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale shark sightings.

26-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for exploring reefs and wrecks.

26-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale sharks

27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale sharks

27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for coral gardens and fish life

27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, vibrant coral and diverse fish

27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale shark sightings.

27-30°C 10-20m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for dolphin and whale shark sightings.

Nosy Be
Madagascar
28-30°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Warm waters, good visibility, potential for manta rays.

Nosy Tanikely
Madagascar
28-30°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Post-cyclone clarity, good for coral health assessment

Lake Malawi
Malawi
25-27°C 10-20m None Rainy

Highlights: Cichlid breeding season, good visibility

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

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale sharks passing through.

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

Highlights: Warm water, good for spotting larger pelagics.

Passe en S
Mayotte
28-30°C 15-25m Moderate Rainy

Highlights: Humpback whale sightings possible, good for pelagics

27-30°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Whale shark sightings are common, good chance of seeing humpback whales.

Tofo Beach
Mozambique
27-30°C 10-20m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Whale shark season is excellent, good chance of seeing manta rays.

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

Highlights: Good chance of seeing bull sharks and tiger sharks, whale sharks possible.

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

Highlights: Good visibility, healthy coral reefs

Saint-Gilles
Réunion
27-29°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Summer months, good visibility, potential for humpback whale sightings (early season)

Saint-Leu
Réunion
27-29°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Summer months, good visibility, potential for humpback whale sightings (early season)

Saint-Pierre
Réunion
27-29°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Humpback whale sightings begin

Etang-Salé
Réunion
27-29°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Humpback whale sightings begin, good for reef diving

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

Highlights: Whale shark sightings begin

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

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale shark sightings

Silhouette Island
Seychelles
27-29°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Post-rainy season clarity improving, good for exploring diverse reefs.

Aldabra Atoll
Seychelles
27-29°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Turtle nesting season

Zanzibar
Tanzania
27-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale sharks further north.

Mafia Island
Tanzania
27-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, ideal for exploring the marine park.

Lake Kariba
Zambia
24-27°C 10-20m Mild

Highlights: Post-rainy season clarity, good for exploring submerged structures

Chinhoyi Caves
Zimbabwe
22-24°C 15-25m None Rainy

Highlights: Rainy season, water levels can be higher, creating a unique atmosphere in the caves. Visibility generally good.

Aliwal Shoal
South Africa
24-27°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Good chance of seeing ragged-tooth sharks

Protea Banks
South Africa
24-27°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Sardine run begins, good chance of seeing sharks

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

Highlights: Warm water, good for coral reefs

Good Diving

Hurghada
Egypt
23°C 15-25m
El Gouna
Egypt
23°C 15-25m
Ain El Ghazala
Libya
17°C 10-20m
Susah
Libya
17°C 10-20m
Suakin Archipelago
Sudan
28°C 15-25m
Tabarka
Tunisia
17°C 10-20m
Boa Vista
Cabo Verde
25°C 10-20m
Sao Vicente
Cabo Verde
24°C 10-20m
Santiago Island
Cabo Verde
25°C 15-25m
Fogo Island
Cabo Verde
25°C 10-20m
Grand-Béréby
Côte d'Ivoire
30°C 10-20m
San Pédro
Côte d'Ivoire
30°C 10-20m
Assinie
Côte d'Ivoire
30°C 8-18m
Sassandra
Côte d'Ivoire
30°C 10-20m
Cape Point
Gambia
27°C 10-20m
Fajara Beach
Gambia
27°C 8-18m
Bijilo Underwater Park
Gambia
27°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
Sangareya Bay
Guinea
28°C 10-20m
Boulbinet Peninsula
Guinea
28°C 10-20m
Kakossa Marine Park
Guinea
28°C 10-20m
Orango Islands
Guinea-Bissau
28°C 10-20m
Tarkwa Bay
Nigeria
29°C 8-15m
Cap-Vert Peninsula
Senegal
25°C 10-20m
Casamance Coast
Senegal
25°C 10-20m
Joal-Fadiouth
Senegal
26°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 10-20m
Freetown Peninsula
Sierra Leone
28°C 10-20m
Benguela
Angola
28°C 10-20m
Lobito
Angola
28°C 10-15m
Namibe
Angola
27°C 10-15m
Bioko Island
Equatorial Guinea
29°C 10-20m
Elobey Grande and Elobey Chico
Equatorial Guinea
30°C 10-20m
Loango National Park
Gabon
29°C 10-20m
Port-Gentil
Gabon
29°C 10-20m
Mayumba National Park
Gabon
28°C 10-20m
Lake Tanganyika
Burundi
28°C 10-20m
Anjouan
Comoros
30°C 10-20m
Moucha Island
Djibouti
29°C 10-20m
Lake Assal
Djibouti
28°C 10-20m
Île Sainte-Marie
Madagascar
30°C 10-20m
Nosy Mitsio
Madagascar
30°C 10-20m
Anakao
Madagascar
30°C 10-20m
Toliara
Madagascar
30°C 10-20m
Ifaty
Madagascar
30°C 10-20m
Andavadoaka
Madagascar
30°C 10-20m
Cape Maclear
Malawi
29°C 10-20m
Nkhata Bay
Malawi
29°C 10-18m
Likoma Island
Malawi
29°C 10-20m
Grand Bay
Mauritius
30°C 10-20m
Belle Mare
Mauritius
30°C 10-20m
Le Morne
Mauritius
30°C 15-25m
Blue Bay Marine Park
Mauritius
30°C 10-20m
N'Gouja Reef
Mayotte
30°C 10-20m
M'Bouzi Island
Mayotte
30°C 10-20m
Sada Pass
Mayotte
30°C 10-20m
Banc Vailheu
Mayotte
30°C 10-20m
Ilot Mtsamboro
Mayotte
30°C 10-20m
Quirimbas Archipelago
Mozambique
30°C 10-20m
Nacala
Mozambique
30°C 10-15m
Inhaca Island
Mozambique
29°C 10-15m
Le Port
Réunion
29°C 10-20m
Praslin
Seychelles
29°C 10-20m
La Digue
Seychelles
29°C 10-20m
Inner Islands
Seychelles
29°C 10-20m
Outer Islands
Seychelles
29°C 15-25m
Lake Tanganyika
Tanzania
29°C 10-20m
Lake Bunyonyi
Uganda
23°C 8-15m
Ssese Islands, Lake Victoria
Uganda
28°C 8-15m
Lake Tanganyika
Zambia
29°C 10-20m
Swakopmund and Walvis Bay
Namibia
17°C 10-20m
False Bay
South Africa
17°C 10-20m
Mossel Bay
South Africa
21°C 10-20m
The Garden Route
South Africa
20°C 10-20m
Cape Peninsula
South Africa
18°C 10-20m
Plettenberg Bay
South Africa
22°C 10-20m