\n| December<\/td>\n | \u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>\n | 10\u201315 m<\/td>\n | 28\u00b0C<\/td>\n | \ud83e\udd88 Possible<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n The three diving seasons in Koh Tao<\/h2>\n\ud83c\udf1e January to May \u2014 The best time to dive Koh Tao<\/h3>\nVisibility up to 30 metres, flat seas, water at 28\u201331\u00b0C. This is peak season, and it earns it. Whale sharks show up most here \u2014 at Sail Rock and Chumphon Pinnacle especially. We had two appear on the same dive in April, which is the kind of thing you don’t really forget. Not guaranteed, but your odds are as good as they get. Downside: it’s the busiest period on the island. Book ahead.<\/p>\n \u2601\ufe0f June to August \u2014 Decent conditions, fewer people<\/h3>\nVisibility drops slightly to 15\u201320 metres, but the water is still 30\u00b0C and the sites are quieter. Whale sharks still pass through, just less often. It’s an honest window \u2014 not the most spectacular, but you won’t be sharing the Sail Rock chimney with three other boats. Good time for an Open Water course or Divemaster training.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udf27\ufe0f September to December \u2014 Rainy season<\/h3>\nSeptember is the most unpredictable month. Rain, some wind, occasionally reduced visibility. Still diveable \u2014 we still go out. From October things settle, and whale sharks come back for a second peak in October\u2013November. December trends back toward good. Fewer tourists, lower accommodation prices, and the east coast sites hold up nicely throughout.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udca1 Our take<\/strong>
\nWant a whale shark? Go March\u2013May or October\u2013November. Want good conditions without the crowds? June\u2013August. Have fixed dates and no choice? Come anyway \u2014 we dive year-round and we’ve rarely been disappointed.<\/div>\n<\/p>\n When to see whale sharks in Koh Tao?<\/h2>\nThe whale shark is the world’s largest fish \u2014 and honestly, one of the few underwater encounters that genuinely stops you in your tracks. At Koh Tao, sightings happen year-round<\/strong>, but two windows concentrate most of the reports:<\/p>\n\n \n \ud83e\udd88\ud83e\udd88 March to May \u2014 Main peak<\/div>\n Warming waters attract plankton, which in turn draws whale sharks into the Gulf. This is the best period to try your luck, particularly at Sail Rock and Chumphon Pinnacle.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n \ud83e\udd88\ud83e\udd88 October to November \u2014 Secondary peak<\/div>\n Following the monsoon, a second plankton bloom brings whale sharks back into the Gulf. Sightings at Sail Rock are regular during this period.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n Frequently asked questions about the best time to dive Koh Tao<\/h2>\n\n \n Is there really no off-season in Koh Tao?<\/div>\n No \u2014 unlike many other dive destinations, Koh Tao has no true off-season. The water is warm year-round and we go out to sea practically every day, including in September and December. Conditions vary, but diving never fully stops.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n What wetsuit do I need for Koh Tao?<\/div>\n A light 3mm wetsuit is sufficient year-round. Water temperature stays between 28\u00b0C and 31\u00b0C. All equipment \u2014 including wetsuits \u2014 is stored on board our boats and included in every trip price.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n What happens if the weather is bad on the day of my dive?<\/div>\n We always adapt the programme to the day’s conditions. Thanks to our 27+ sites spread all around the island \u2014 including several naturally sheltered east coast sites \u2014 we almost always find a solution. In the rare cases where conditions make any outing impossible, we reschedule at no charge.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n When is Koh Tao the busiest?<\/div>\n The busiest periods are December\u2013January (end of year holidays) and July\u2013August (European summer holidays). March\u2013May also concentrates divers hoping to maximise their chances with whale sharks. If you want to avoid the crowds, September\u2013October offers good conditions with significantly fewer visitors.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n We dive when you arrive.<\/div>\n Tell us your dates and we’ll tell you what’s likely. And if you’re lucky, a whale shark will decide to show up too.<\/p>\n |