What is the best month to dive in Palau?

Many divers choose a month between December and April for the calmest seas. That said, Palau has good diving every month, and the quieter wetter season has its own advantages.

Can you dive in Palau in the rainy season?

Yes. Diving runs all year. Rain usually comes in showers, and boats choose sheltered sites when the wind is up.

How warm is the water in Palau?

Warm all year, usually in the high 20s Celsius. A 3 mm wetsuit is enough for most divers.

Best Time to Dive Palau: Seasons, Water Temperature and Tides

The best time to dive Palau is usually the drier season, from about November or December to April, when seas on the outer reef tend to be calmest. But Palau is a year-round destination: the water is warm every month and the famous sites are dived all year.

Palau's two seasons

Palau lies just north of the equator, so it's hot and humid all year, with little change in air or water temperature between months. What changes is the wind and the rain.

Drier season: roughly November or December to April

Northeasterly trade winds bring more settled weather, less rain and generally calmer conditions on the southwestern outer reef, where Blue Corner and most of the famous sites are. This is the most popular time, so liveaboards and good hotels book up early, especially around Christmas, New Year and Lunar New Year.

Wetter season: roughly June to October

Southwesterly winds bring more rain, often in heavy showers rather than all-day downpours, and rougher seas on some days, especially on the western side. Boats sometimes switch to more sheltered sites. In return there are fewer divers, more availability and sometimes lower prices. May and November are changeover months.

Water temperature and what to wear

Palau's water is warm all year, usually in the high 20s Celsius (the low to mid 80s Fahrenheit). A 3 mm full wetsuit suits most divers; some wear a shortie, while divers who feel the cold or plan four or five dives a day on a liveaboard often prefer 5 mm, especially for deeper dives where cooler water can well up from below. Bring a hood or vest if you chill easily.

Visibility

On the outer reef, visibility is often excellent, and incoming tides bring the clearest ocean water. Inside the lagoon, around the wrecks and the Rock Islands, the water is greener and visibility lower, especially after heavy rain. Visibility varies with tides and weather more than with the calendar.

Tides, moon and marine life

Tides matter more than months for many Palau dives. Strong tides around the full and new moon bring the most powerful currents, which mean more fish action at Blue Corner and in the channels but harder diving. Guides plan each day's sites around the tide table.

Sharks and big schools are seen all year on the outer reef when the current runs.
Manta rays visit German Channel year-round; ask operators about recent sightings.
Spawning events, such as fish aggregations and coral spawning, happen at particular moon phases in certain months. Local operators know the dates and sometimes run special trips.

Typhoons

Palau lies on the southern edge of the western Pacific typhoon belt, so it's hit less often than places further north, but storms can still pass nearby, mostly in the second half of the year, and bring days of wind and rough seas. Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 and Typhoon Bopha in 2012 both affected Palau. If you travel in the wetter months, buy travel insurance that covers weather disruption and keep a spare day or two in your plans.

Month-by-month summary

December to April: usually the calmest and driest. Peak season; book early.
May and November: changeover months, often good conditions and fewer crowds.
June to October: wetter, windier days, fewer divers. Diving continues; some sites depend on the weather.

Whatever month you choose, plan the practical side with the Palau dive trip planning guide.

Best Time to Dive Palau