Where to dive in May 2026
In season this month: 71 curated locations, 9 bucket-list encounters and the top dive sites where May’s conditions and wildlife align. Rankings come from documented seasonality and operator continuity — not marketing calendars.
In-season locations
Anse Chastanet
Saint Lucia
Apo Reef
Philippines
Aqaba
Jordan
Arraial do Cabo
Brazil
Beqa Lagoon
Fiji
Bianca C Wreck
Grenada
Bloody Bay Wall
Cayman Islands
Bonaire National Marine Park
Bonaire
Bonegi Wrecks
Solomon Islands
Brothers Islands
Egypt
Bunaken
Indonesia
Catalina Islands
Costa Rica
Cozumel
Mexico
Daymaniyat Islands
Oman
Exuma Cays
Bahamas
Florida Keys
United States
Fujairah
United Arab Emirates
Gozo
Malta
Great Blue Hole
Belize
Green Island
Taiwan
Jardines de la Reina
Cuba
Jeddah Reefs
Saudi Arabia
Kimbe Bay
Papua New Guinea
Koh Rong
Cambodia
Koh Tao
Thailand
Komodo National Park
Indonesia
Kona Coast
United States
La Restinga
Spain
Larnaca
Cyprus
Layang Layang
Malaysia
Los Roques
Venezuela
Mabul
Malaysia
Mahé
Seychelles
Malapascua
Philippines
Milne Bay
Papua New Guinea
Mitsamiouli
Comoros
Moalboal
Philippines
Nha Trang
Vietnam
Ningaloo Reef
Australia
Niue Reef
Niue
Nosy Be
Madagascar
Ogasawara
Japan
Osprey Reef
Australia
Poor Knights Islands
New Zealand
Providencia
Colombia
Ras Mohammed
Egypt
Richelieu Rock
Thailand
Riviera Maya Cenotes
Mexico
Roatán
Honduras
Saba Marine Park
Saba
Sal
Cape Verde
Salt Island
British Virgin Islands
Sanya
China
Shaab Rumi
Sudan
Similan Islands
Thailand
Sipadan
Malaysia
Socorro Islands
Mexico
Sodwana Bay
South Africa
Speyside
Trinidad and Tobago
SS President Coolidge
Vanuatu
St. Eustatius Marine Park
Sint Eustatius
Stingray City
Cayman Islands
The Pit
Belize
Tiger Beach
Bahamas
Tiputa Pass
French Polynesia
Trincomalee
Sri Lanka
Tubbataha Reefs
Philippines
Tulamben
Indonesia
Turneffe Atoll
Belize
Utila
Honduras
Westpunt
Curaçao
In-season encounters
Filter by certification
Thermal stress this month
Some reefs are currently under NOAA Coral Reef Watch bleaching alert. If you’re flexible, skip stressed reefs and steer toward locations whose latest survey looks better. See in-season sites with current reef condition →
Methodology
How we picked “in season”
A location, encounter or site is “in season” for May when its curated bestMonths array includes month 5. Best-months come from operator calendars, climatological reanalysis, and (where applicable) the sighting-occurrence-cluster methodology for species. Reef condition framing follows reef-health-aims-noaa.