Diving in Phuket: season and dive sites

Why these months

The dry months are not about staying dry. Rain washes sediment down rivers and into the sea, and visibility drops with it. The wet season also coincides with the monsoon, so wind and swell decide whether boats reach the exposed sites at all. Water temperature barely moves across the year in the tropics and is rarely the deciding factor.

One caveat worth knowing: the dry season means convenient, not necessarily the best diving. The plankton blooms that draw in manta rays and whale sharks come with nutrient-rich, cooler water, which is often the opposite of calm, clear conditions. If a particular animal is the reason for the trip, its own season matters more than the weather.