Top Places to go Diving in November
November 23, 2022
Fall has come and gone in the blink of an eye for the northern hemisphere, and winter is starting to creep in. However, as North America, Europe, and Asia get set for long, cold nights, the southern hemisphere is just warming up. No matter where you are in the world, November is an excellent time to go diving, especially in certain areas where changing weather patterns and ocean currents bring in exciting marine life.
One of the best things about diving in November is the official end of hurricane season in the Atlantic and Caribbean regions. With a relatively active hurricane season this year, many divers have had to postpone or cancel dive vacations. Since November is still relatively warm in the Caribbean, it is an excellent month to make up for those lost diving days.
November is also a time of seasonal transition in many touristy parts of the world, causing a lull in foreign visitors, making this month an appealing time to visit for many.
Here are our top picks for diving in November:
Costa Rica
550 km off the southwest coast of Costa Rica lies the small majestic island of Cocos Island. This gem in the middle of the Pacific Ocean has become a ‘bucket list’ destination for avid divers worldwide. Cocos Island is uninhabited and protected as a National Park by the Costa Rican government, boasting a highly diverse array of pelagic animals. Thanks to its protected status, commercial fishing is banned in the waters surrounding Cocos Island, making it one of the best places in the world to encounter large schools of tuna, mantas, and sharks.
Diving Cocos Island in November is particularly enticing. Even though it is the wet season, this is the time of year that hammerhead sharks are the most plentiful. There is nothing like diving around one of the seamounts while watching hundreds of hammerheads silhouetted above you. The only way to dive Cocos Island is via liveaboard, so start planning your next dive vacation to these amazing waters today.
If you love diving with sharks, check out our blog on where to see 7 Interesting Species of Sharks here.
Djibouti
Are you looking to get off the beaten path? Then the small country of Djibouti may be one of your best bets for diving this November. Sitting right on the Horn of Africa, Djibouti is neither a popular tourist nor dive destination but boasts some spectacular underwater sights. Diving here occurs at the narrow opening between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean; therefore, currents can be strong, as should your diving skills. These same strong currents act as an invisible highway for large marine life, including sharks, dolphins, manta rays, and the most popular, whale sharks.
In fact, diving Djibouti in November makes it one of the best locations on the planet for whale shark encounters. While diving alongside these gentle giants, you will also see healthy coral reefs, amazing wrecks, and jaw-dropping caves. You can dive in Djibouti via liveaboard and daily outings with local dive centers.
Although diving in Palau is excellent any time of year, the month of November lands right in the middle of peak diving season. Every year, October to April brings divers from around the world to experience Palau’s beautiful weather, warm, clear waters, and fantastic marine life. Diving in November not only allows you to enjoy all Palau has to offer, but is the only time of year you can witness parrotfish gathering by the dozens to spawn.
Liveaboards are available with specific itineraries to dive alongside the spawning parrotfish, as well as traditional Palau itineraries. No matter how you choose to dive this magnificent island nation, you will see amazing marine life, from manta rays, sharks, and sea turtles to coral reefs filled with macro life. Check out SSI’s MyDiveGuide ‘Diving in Palau’ page to learn more about diving in Palau.
Bermuda
The end of hurricane season means Bermuda is ready for diving. November is an excellent time of year to dive in Bermuda before the drier, busy season gets going. Divers worldwide flock to Bermuda to experience its warm, clear waters, unique pink-sand beaches, and premier diving. Diving in November allows underwater enthusiasts to enjoy Bermuda with fewer crowds than most other times of the year while the water and air temperatures are still very warm.
Diving in Bermuda is a wreck diver’s paradise as the treacherous reefs were the demise of many ships sailing through the region from the 1600s until just recently. These reefs are home to more than 300 known wrecks, many of which are still diveable. Don’t miss the popular wrecks of L’Herminie, a French 60-gun warship grounded in 1838, and the WWII wreck Hermes, which still sits upright on a sandy bottom. The Cristobal Colon is also one of Bermuda’s most popular and longest shipwrecks at 499 feet.
On the other side of the Caribbean sits the Cayman Islands, one of the world’s top diving destinations. Diving Cayman in November is an excellent choice for many of the same reasons as Bermuda. November marks the end of hurricane season and is usually less busy than other times of the year. However, we suggest visiting in early November, as Grand Cayman can be a popular cruise ship port of call for many Americans choosing a cruise vacation during their Thanksgiving Holiday.
When diving Cayman, it can be hard to decide which of the three islands to choose. You can relax and forget your worries on the quiet island of Little Cayman, explore the limestone cliffs and caves of the remote Cayman Brac, or admire the vibrant coral reefs while diving on the largest island, Grand Cayman. All three boast clear water, warm ocean and air temperatures, dramatic drop-offs, and wrecks galore. Explore dive sites throughout the Cayman Islands here.
No matter where in the world you choose to go diving in November, this month usually marks the transition of seasons, creating a lull in the number of tourists. So, if the party scene is not for you and you are looking for a quieter time to travel, not many months are better than November.
To explore fantastic dive destinations all around the world, visit SSI’s MyDiveGuide today and start planning!