Dive Conditions
Temperatures between summer and winter don't normally vary more than 5°F (1 or 2°C) in the Caribbean. The average temperature is about 80°F (27°C) year-round. Naturally, southern islands tend to be a little warmer than the northern ones. For example, Curacao’s southern location keeps its summer average at 83°F (28°C) and winter at 80°F (27°C), while the northern Bahamas are north of the Caribbean in the Atlantic and vary from a summer average of 80°F (27°C) down to a cool 69°F (20°C) average in the winter. There is a wet and dry season, with most rain falling between May/June and October/November.
However, location and topography, such as rain shadows created by mountains, can play an important role in local weather conditions. Keep in mind that those cold fronts in the U.S. that dip down from the north can keep right on dipping to most of the northern islands, bringing cooler temperatures and rough water in their wake.
Two other important factors to consider in the Caribbean are tourist season and hurricane season. The off-season for tourism is roughly mid-April to mid-December. It can mean much lower prices (up to 60 percent less) than in the busy high season for some destinations. Hurricane season runs from June through November, with September the most likely month.
Bonaire – excellent shore diving. Bonaire has a strong reputation as the world's capital of shore diving, and for good reason! Apart from having more than 60 sites accessible from the shore, and over 20 others accessible by boat at Klein Bonaire, Bonaire offers diving freedom like nowhere else in the world.
Cozumel, Mexico – beautiful corals and great drift dives. Cozumel is a great year-round dive destination with excellent yet easy drift dives, stellar visibility, colorful sponges, lots of fish, and a great variety of marine life. On a typical Cozumel dive trip, divers will see turtles, moray eels, nurse sharks, and lots of colorful tropical fish. Eagle rays and blacktip reef sharks are also commonly seen.
Cayman Islands – walls, wrecks and healthy reefs. The Cayman Islands have so much diversity to offer to scuba divers, that some locals even say that there is a different dive site for every day of the year here. Pick between the three islands: Grand Cayman, the largest, most popular and well-developed island with so many things to do; Little Cayman, the most untouched and least populated; and Cayman Brac, which is somewhat in between, not too quiet and not too crowded. Grand Cayman offers a vast number of interesting wreck and wall sites, as well as Stingray City, where the rays are fed squid by hand in 12 feet of water. Be sure to include the world-famous 251-foot (78-meter) shipwreck USS Kittiwake in your vacation. The most secluded and smallest out of three, Little Cayman offers its own charm, with over 50 dive sites to choose from, including the famous Bloody Bay Wall Marine Park, best-known for its amazing colors, steep drop-offs, and dramatic swim-throughs.
Roatan & Utila, Honduras – excellent diving in a laidback atmosphere. Roatán is the largest island among the Bay Islands off of Honduras’ east coast, which also includes the popular Utila and some other islands cays. Divers love Roatán for its inexpensive diving and laid-back atmosphere. Roatán's waters have close to 100 named dive sites, varying from wrecks, caves, and lots of excellent walls.
Turneffe Atoll, Belize – an unspoiled destination. Turneffe Atoll in Belize is the largest of the three atolls that make up the world’s second-largest barrier reef. Located southeast of Ambergris Caye, it may just be the best and most beautiful dive area in the whole country. This large offshore atoll reef offers a wide variety of easy dive sites, insanely clear visibility, and very varied marine life. Divers may expect to see white-spotted toadfish, eagle rays, tarpon, green morays, various reef sharks and nurse sharks. Watch out for spotted drumfish and flamingo tongue cowries. Belize, in general, is a place for both adventure seekers and those who are looking for a relaxing time. When you're not diving, there's a range of activities to pursue including cave tubing, waterfall rappelling, Mayan ruin tours and other tropical rainforest activities. The dive season is year-round. Visit in April-May for the best overall conditions. November-April are the most popular months. Check the weather report if you intend to visit in the summer/hurricane season from June-November.
Turks and Caicos – great shark dives and amazing wall dives. This is a British Overseas Territory consisting of 40 islands, only eight of which are inhabited. Most of the best dive sites are spread across the three main areas: Providenciales, the most popular and populated island in the country, also known as “Provo”; Salt Cay, which is a wonderful diving spot with many interesting wrecks, caverns, and walls; and Grand Turk with beautiful protected plunging reefs and interesting history and culture to discover. The dive season is year-round. Keep in mind that there are occasional showers throughout June-October. Hurricanes are not common, but check the latest weather forecast before travel.
Dominica – sperm whales. While not quite as frequented by tourists as other places in the Caribbean, Dominica is quickly gaining a reputation for being one of the best places in the world to visit. In 2017, Dominica made it to the Lonely Planet's Top Ten places to visit, and with good reason, especially for divers. One of the things that makes Dominica so amazing both above and below the surface of its waters is the topography. Rugged peaks and ridges on land, and then steep underwater volcanoes underwater, complete with pinnacles and craters galore. And there is practically little to no current in the waters, which makes exploring those crevices very easy.