The following chart shows what time of year is considered peak or "high" season for various dive sites and destinations throughout the Indonesian Archipelago. Most areas you are able to dive or visit all year-round--if there is a schedule published, it's diveable to be sure. This chart gives you a good general picture. The country covers so much area east to west so the climate various dramatically, and the Wallice Line makes it even more variable from one strait to another.
Sulawesi |
Type |
Season |
Visibility |
Current |
Temp |
Highlights |
Manado/Bunaken |
Walls, Drift Diving |
Apr - Nov |
15 - 30m |
Moderate to strong |
27º - 29ºC |
Beautiful Walls |
Bangka Islands |
Pinnacles |
Mar - Nov |
10 - 30m |
Slow to Strong |
27º - 28ºC |
Pinnacles |
Sangihe Islands |
Coral Reef |
Aug - Nov |
20 - 50m |
Moderate to Strong |
27º - 28ºC |
Pelagics, UW Volcano |
Lembeh Strait |
Black Sand |
Apr - Nov |
5 - 20m |
Mild |
24º - 27ºC |
Critters |
Wakatobi |
Coral Reef & Beach |
Apr - Nov |
30 - 50m |
None to Strong |
24º - 29ºC |
Beautiful Reefs |
Bali |
Type |
Season |
Visibility |
Current |
Temp |
Highlights |
Menjangan |
Walls & Muck
|
Apr - Nov |
5 - 25m |
Mild |
23º - 28ºC
|
Anker Wreck & Critters
|
Nusa Penida |
Drift Diving |
Jun - Oct |
15 - 20m |
Strong |
21º - 24ºC |
Pelagics |
Tulamben |
Beach Diving |
Apr - Nov |
10 - 20m |
Mild |
26º - 27ºC |
Liberty Wreck |
Bali to Komodo |
Everything |
Mar - Dec |
10 - 30m |
Slow to Strong |
23º - 30ºC |
Prolific Marine Life |
Komodo to Kupang |
Type |
Season |
Visibility |
Current |
Temp |
Highlights |
Flores |
Black Sand |
June - Sept |
15 - 20m |
Mild |
28º - 30ºC |
Fish Life |
Alor |
Walls, Drift Diving |
Sept - Dec |
20 - 25m |
Moderate to Strong |
28º - 30ºC |
Pristine Reefs |
Kupang |
Coral Walls, Slopes |
Mar - Dec |
5 - 15m |
Mild |
24º - 27ºC |
Caverns & Overhangs |
Banda Sea |
Coral Reefs, Walls |
Mar - Nov |
30 - 40m |
Slow to moderate |
27º - 30ºC |
Pristine Reefs |
West Papua |
Type |
Season |
Visibility |
Current |
Temp |
Highlights |
Raja Empat |
Coral Reefs |
Mar - Nov |
20 - 40m |
Slow to Strong |
28º - 29ºC |
Fishes & Wobbegongs |
Manokwari |
Wrecks |
Apr - Nov |
10 - 30m |
Mild |
28º - 29ºC |
WW2 Wrecks |
Kalimantan |
Type |
Season |
Visibility |
Current |
Temp |
Highlights |
Sangalaki |
Coral Reefs |
Apr - Oct |
20 - 30m |
Mild |
27º - 30ºC |
Mantas & Turtles |
View Indonesia Archipelago in a larger map
Larry and Denise Tackett are the authors of all of our Indonesian dive site and regional descriptions. They are professional photographers specializing in underwater and terrestrial natural history and travel subjects. They are represented by stock photo agencies in the US and United Kingdom and their photographs have been widely published in books and magazines worldwide. Their work has appeared in magazines such as National Wildlife, Islands, BBC Wildlife, Ocean Realm, Asian Diver, Unterwasser, Tauchen, Canadian Wildlife, Popular Science, Sport Diver, National Geographic Kids, Geo, and many others.