Where to Dive in January

The best scuba diving destinations with excellent conditions this month

Excellent Diving

Atauro Island
East Timor
28-30°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, warm waters, potential for pelagics.

27-30°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, ideal for coral reefs and diverse marine life.

27-30°C 20-30m Mild

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

Sipadan Island
Malaysia
28-30°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, potential for whale shark sightings.

North Male Atoll
Maldives
27-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Dry season, excellent visibility, manta rays and whale sharks possible

South Male Atoll
Maldives
27-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Dry season, excellent visibility, manta rays and whale sharks possible

Ari Atoll
Maldives
27-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Whale shark sightings are common, clear waters

Raa Atoll
Maldives
27-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, manta rays and whale sharks often seen

Western Rocky
Myanmar
27-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Exceptional visibility, abundant marine life, manta rays

27-30°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, abundant marine life

Apo Reef
Philippines
26-28°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, schooling fish, sharks, and turtles.

27-30°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, whale shark sightings possible

Similan Islands
Thailand
28-30°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, calm seas, whale shark sightings possible.

Surin Islands
Thailand
28-30°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, calm seas, good for whale shark sightings.

Phuket
Thailand
28-30°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, excellent visibility, good chance of seeing turtles and reef sharks.

28-30°C 20-30m Moderate

Highlights: World-class diving with strong chances of manta rays and whale sharks. Excellent visibility.

Koh Chang
Thailand
28-30°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, calm seas, good for whale shark sightings.

Koh Lipe
Thailand
28-30°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Crystal clear waters, excellent for coral reefs and macro photography.

Koh Kood
Thailand
28-30°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, excellent visibility for coral reefs and marine life.

Koh Racha
Thailand
28-30°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Dry season, exceptional visibility for exploring vibrant coral reefs and abundant marine life.

Koh Tarutao
Thailand
28-31°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Dry season, excellent visibility, calm seas. Ideal for exploring reefs.

Pelong Rocks
Brunei
26-29°C 15-20m Moderate

Highlights: Good chance of encountering larger pelagics

27-30°C 15-20m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for spotting a variety of reef fish and corals.

Koh Tang
Cambodia
27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for macro life

22-26°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for exploring pristine coral reefs. Abundant reef fish.

Dili
East Timor
28-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, warm water, potential for pelagics.

Kraken Springs
Georgia
10-12°C 15-25m None

Highlights: Consistent cool water, good visibility

26-29°C 15-20m Mild

Highlights: Post-monsoon clarity, good for spotting larger marine life around the island.

Raja Ampat
Indonesia
28-30°C 15-25m Moderate Rainy

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for manta rays and schooling fish.

Sulawesi
Indonesia
28-30°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Good visibility, diverse marine life

Alor Archipelago
Indonesia
27-29°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Whale shark sightings possible

Banda Islands
Indonesia
27-29°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for pelagics

Okinawa
Japan
18-21°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Winter, cooler water, good visibility, chance of humpback whales

Mabul Island
Malaysia
28-30°C 10-20m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Good macro life, nudibranchs

27-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Start of the season, good visibility

Lankayan Island
Malaysia
27-30°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Good chance of whale shark sightings

Mataking Island
Malaysia
27-30°C 15-25m Mild Rainy

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale shark sightings

Pom Pom Island
Malaysia
28-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good chance of seeing turtles, schooling fish

Baa Atoll
Maldives
27-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, chance of manta rays

Vaavu Atoll
Maldives
27-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for channel dives with sharks

Lhaviyani Atoll
Maldives
27-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Manta ray feeding aggregations

Meemu Atoll
Maldives
27-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility for reef exploration

Addu Atoll
Maldives
27-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Manta ray season, good for channel dives

Thaa Atoll
Maldives
27-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for manta rays and sharks

27-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Dry season, good visibility, whale shark sightings possible

27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for whale shark sightings

Black Rock
Myanmar
26-28°C 15-20m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for spotting larger pelagics

Astola Island
Pakistan
21-24°C 15-20m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for exploring reefs

Anilao
Philippines
26-28°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good macro photography opportunities, clear waters.

Malapascua Island
Philippines
26-28°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good chances for thresher shark sightings at Monad Shoal.

Coron
Philippines
27-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for wreck diving

Moalboal
Philippines
27-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Sardine run in full swing, incredible bait ball action

Dauin
Philippines
27-29°C 10-20m Mild

Highlights: Excellent muck diving, abundant macro life

Puerto Galera
Philippines
26-29°C 15-25m Mild

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

Verde Island Passage
Philippines
26-29°C 20-30m Moderate

Highlights: Excellent visibility, strong currents can bring pelagics. Known for its biodiversity.

Panglao Island
Philippines
27-29°C 20-30m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, chance of whale sharks offshore.

Siquijor
Philippines
27-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale sharks.

Camiguin
Philippines
27-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, chance of seeing pelagics.

Balicasag Island
Philippines
27-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Whale shark sightings possible

27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, calm seas, potential for whale sharks.

Hikkaduwa
Sri Lanka
27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, chance of seeing turtles and reef fish.

Trincomalee
Sri Lanka
27-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, ideal for exploring Pigeon Island National Park.

Kalpitiya
Sri Lanka
27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale sharks

Mirissa
Sri Lanka
27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, possibility of blue whales

Unawatuna
Sri Lanka
27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale shark sightings offshore

Koh Tao
Thailand
28-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, calm seas, ideal for learning to dive.

Koh Lanta
Thailand
28-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good visibility. Ideal for exploring reefs and spotting a variety of marine life.

Krabi
Thailand
28-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, ideal for exploring reefs and islands.

Koh Phi Phi
Thailand
28-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Excellent visibility, ideal for exploring iconic dive sites like Hin Muang and Hin Daeng.

Koh Samui
Thailand
27-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for exploring reefs.

Koh Phangan
Thailand
27-29°C 15-20m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for exploring dive sites around the island.

Koh Samet
Thailand
28-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Dry season, good visibility for exploring coral gardens.

27-30°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for spotting macro life.

Koh Phayam
Thailand
28-31°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Dry season, good visibility. Popular for spotting nudibranchs.

Nha Trang
Vietnam
24-27°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, calm seas, potential for whale sharks offshore.

Phu Quoc
Vietnam
27-30°C 15-20m Mild

Highlights: Dry season, good visibility, calm seas, ideal for beginners.

Con Dao
Vietnam
26-29°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Dry season, excellent visibility, abundant coral and reef fish.

Whale Island
Vietnam
24-27°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Clear waters, good for spotting reef fish and corals

25-28°C 15-25m Mild

Highlights: Good visibility, potential for whale shark sightings.

Good Diving

Saint Martin's Island
Bangladesh
27°C 10-20m
Cox's Bazar
Bangladesh
27°C 10-20m
Maheshkhali Island
Bangladesh
27°C 8-15m
Brunei Bay
Brunei
30°C 10-15m
Muara
Brunei
30°C 10-15m
Labuan Shipwrecks
Brunei
30°C 8-12m
Koh Prins
Cambodia
30°C 10-20m
Sihanoukville
Cambodia
30°C 10-15m
Sanya
China
24°C 10-20m
Com
East Timor
30°C 10-20m
Jacó Island
East Timor
30°C 10-15m
K41 - Dive Site near Dili
East Timor
30°C 10-15m
Sai Kung
Hong Kong
20°C 8-15m
Sharp Island
Hong Kong
20°C 10-18m
Hoi Ha Wan
Hong Kong
20°C 10-15m
Ninepin Islands
Hong Kong
20°C 15-20m
Tung Ping Chau
Hong Kong
20°C 10-15m
Basalt Island
Hong Kong
20°C 10-15m
Goa
India
29°C 10-15m
Pondicherry
India
29°C 10-20m
Bali
Indonesia
30°C 10-20m
Komodo National Park
Indonesia
29°C 10-20m
Lombok and the Gili Islands
Indonesia
29°C 10-15m
Bangka and Belitung Islands
Indonesia
30°C 10-15m
Cendrawasih Bay
Indonesia
31°C 10-15m
Izu Peninsula
Japan
18°C 10-15m
Miyako Islands
Japan
23°C 15-20m
Ishigaki
Japan
23°C 15-20m
Kushimoto
Japan
19°C 10-20m
Hachijo-jima
Japan
20°C 15-25m
Ogasawara Islands
Japan
22°C 20-30m
Tioman Island
Malaysia
29°C 10-15m
Redang Island
Malaysia
29°C 10-20m
Perhentian Islands
Malaysia
29°C 10-20m
Tenggol Island
Malaysia
29°C 10-20m
Kapalai Island
Malaysia
30°C 10-20m
Karachi Coast
Pakistan
23°C 10-15m
Ormara Coast
Pakistan
25°C 10-15m
Padre Burgos
Philippines
29°C 10-20m
Ulleungdo Island
South Korea
11°C 10-15m
Weligama
Sri Lanka
29°C 10-20m
Negombo
Sri Lanka
30°C 10-15m
Green Island
Taiwan
22°C 10-20m
Orchid Island (Lanyu)
Taiwan
23°C 10-20m
Xiaoliuqiu (Lambai Island)
Taiwan
23°C 15-20m
Pattaya
Thailand
30°C 10-20m
Hoi An
Vietnam
26°C 10-20m
Da Nang
Vietnam
26°C 10-20m