November is one of the most underrated months in the diver's calendar. The northern-hemisphere summer crowds have gone home, monsoons are switching direction across Asia, hurricane season is winding down in the Caribbean, and in a handful of places the big seasonal events are just getting started: whale sharks gathering in the Sea of Cortez, mantas returning to Indonesian cleaning stations, oceanic whitetips cruising Red Sea reefs and corals spawning en masse on the Great Barrier Reef.
To make this list, we shortlisted destinations scoring 4/5 or 5/5 for November in the month-by-month seasonality data behind WikiBubbles destination pages, cross-checked them against what divers report on the ground, and picked ten covering every major dive region. Each section links to the destination and dive-site pages on WikiBubbles, so you can check out photos, reviews and conditions before you book.
November at a glance
| Destination | Water | Nov score | Why go now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raja Ampat | ~29 °C | 5/5 | Reef mantas, the richest reefs on Earth |
| Komodo | ~28 °C | 5/5 | Mantas and current-fed pinnacles |
| La Paz & Cabo Pulmo (Sea of Cortez) | ~26 °C | 5/5 | Whale sharks and playful sea lions |
| Similan Islands | ~28 °C | 4/5 | Opening-season liveaboards |
| Red Sea, Egypt | ~25 °C | 4/5 | Oceanic whitetip sharks |
| Palau | ~29 °C | 4/5 | Sharks on the reef hook |
| Visayas, Philippines | ~27 °C | 4/5 | Thresher sharks and world-class macro |
| Cozumel | ~27 °C | 4/5 | Effortless drift diving |
| Great Barrier Reef | ~26 °C* | 4/5* | Mass coral spawning |
| Galápagos | ~22 °C | 4/5 | Hammerhead schools |
Nov score is the WikiBubbles seasonality rating for November. Water temperatures are typical surface averages; expect cooler water below thermoclines. Great Barrier Reef figures (marked *) are the Australia-wide WikiBubbles values.
1. Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Photo: Blue Magic on WikiBubbles
If you only make one November trip, make it this one. The season in Raja Ampat runs roughly October to April, and by November the liveaboards are in full swing, seas are generally calm and the plankton that keeps these reefs so absurdly fishy is also drawing reef mantas back to the cleaning stations of the Dampier Strait.
- Water temperature: around 29 °C at the surface in November.
- Visibility: typically 15–30 m, lower around plankton-rich manta sites.
- Marine life: reef mantas, wobbegong sharks, schooling sweetlips, barracuda and jacks, pygmy seahorses on the fans.
- Good to know: currents are the engine of this ecosystem — reef hooks and negative entries are part of the toolkit at the best sites.
- Explore: Raja Ampat on WikiBubbles.
Top dive sites
- Cape Kri (Advanced): Famous for one of the highest fish counts ever recorded on a single dive — a current-swept point where the fish simply never stop.
- Blue Magic (Intermediate): A submerged pinnacle in the Dampier Strait where oceanic mantas and big schools patrol the blue.
- Manta Ridge (Advanced): A cleaning-station ridge near Arborek where reef mantas queue up for service.
- Melissa's Garden (Intermediate): A shallow, sunlit hard-coral garden in the Fam Islands — gentle and gorgeous.
2. Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Photo: Manta Point Komodo on WikiBubbles
November is Komodo's sweet spot: the tail of the dry season overlaps with the start of the wet, so both the warm northern sites and the cooler, plankton-rich south are on the menu, and the crowds of the European summer have gone home.
- Water temperature: around 28 °C at the surface in November.
- Visibility: 15–25 m in the north; lower and greener in the south, where thermoclines can drop well below the surface temperature.
- Marine life: reef mantas, white-tip and grey reef sharks, giant trevally, frogfish and nudibranchs in the south.
- Good to know: currents here are serious. Dive with operators who plan around tides, and carry an SMB.
- Explore: Komodo National Park on WikiBubbles.
Top dive sites
- Manta Point Komodo (All levels): A shallow drift over rubble where mantas feed and clean — suitable for most levels on the right tide.
- Batu Bolong (Advanced): A tiny rock with a ridiculously dense reef, sheltered behind it from currents that rip past on both sides.
- Castle Rock (Advanced): A submerged seamount where sharks and trevally hunt schooling fusiliers.
- Cannibal Rock (Intermediate): The south's macro showpiece, carpeted in sea apples, frogfish and nudibranchs.
3. La Paz & Cabo Pulmo, Mexico
Photo: Los Islotes on WikiBubbles
Every autumn juvenile whale sharks gather to feed in the shallow bay just off La Paz, and November is one of the most dependable months to swim with them. Pair it with sea-lion encounters and seamount dives and you have one of the best-value big-animal trips in the world. Around three hours' drive south, the protected reefs of Cabo Pulmo National Park are also at their best in November, with clear water, huge fish schools and the first bull sharks of the season.
- Water temperature: around 26 °C at the surface in November.
- Visibility: 10–20 m around the islands; the whale-shark area of the bay is green and plankton-rich by nature.
- Marine life: whale sharks (snorkel-only, with licensed operators), California sea lions, mobula rays, and at Cabo Pulmo, bull sharks and swirling schools of jacks.
- Good to know: whale-shark swims are regulated — small groups, limited time in the water and no scuba with the sharks.
- Explore: La Paz · Cabo Pulmo on WikiBubbles.
Photo: Matthew T Rader, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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Top dive sites
- Los Islotes (All levels): A sea-lion colony where curious youngsters zoom in for a close look at your mask.
- El Bajo Sea Mounts (Advanced): Deep, current-swept seamounts known for pelagic encounters — an advanced dive.
- C-59 Wreck (All levels): A scuttled navy vessel turned artificial reef, easy and full of fish.
- El Vencedor wreck (Cabo Pulmo) (All levels): A shallow tuna-boat wreck in Cabo Pulmo that draws sharks and schooling fish.
- Abrigo Wall (Cabo Pulmo) (Intermediate): A wall dive known for massive, swirling schools of jacks.
4. Similan Islands & the Andaman Sea, Thailand
Photo: Richelieu Rock on WikiBubbles
The Similan Islands National Park reopens to visitors in mid-October and November is the start of the Andaman season proper. The southwest monsoon has blown itself out, visibility is climbing and the dive sites haven't yet seen the peak-season crowds.
- Water temperature: around 28 °C at the surface in November.
- Visibility: 15–30 m and improving through the month.
- Marine life: reef mantas at Koh Bon, turtles, leopard sharks, seahorses and harlequin shrimp — and the chance of a whale shark at Richelieu Rock.
- Good to know: most of the best sites are reached by liveaboard from Khao Lak or Phuket; national-park fees apply.
- Explore: Similan Islands on WikiBubbles.
Top dive sites
- Richelieu Rock (Advanced): A horseshoe-shaped pinnacle in the Surin Islands, smothered in purple soft coral and famous for whale-shark sightings and macro.
- Koh Bon (Intermediate): A wall and ridge where reef mantas sweep by on the current.
- Koh Tachai (All levels): An offshore pinnacle that draws schooling fish and the occasional big visitor.
5. The Egyptian Red Sea
Photo: Big Brother on WikiBubbles
The water is still warm from summer, the air has cooled off and visibility is excellent. Most importantly for shark fans, October to December is oceanic whitetip season at the offshore reefs of the southern Red Sea.
- Water temperature: around 25 °C at the surface in November.
- Visibility: often 25–40 m.
- Marine life: oceanic whitetips, grey reef sharks, the occasional hammerhead at dawn, Napoleon wrasse, dolphins and turtles.
- Good to know: Brothers and Daedalus are protected, liveaboard-only and exposed — you will usually need advanced certification and a logged minimum of dives.
- Explore: Marsa Alam · Sharm El Sheikh on WikiBubbles.
Photo: Alexander Vasenin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Top dive sites
- Elphinstone Reef (Advanced): A long offshore reef near Marsa Alam and one of the most reliable places in the world to meet oceanic whitetips.
- Daedalus Reef (Advanced): A remote reef with a lighthouse, sheer walls and a reputation for hammerheads.
- Big Brother (Advanced): Two wrecks, soft-coral walls and sharks in the blue — the classic Red Sea liveaboard highlight.
- SS Thistlegorm (Advanced): The legendary WWII cargo wreck, still holding motorbikes, trucks and rifles, dived from Sharm and Hurghada.
6. Palau
Photo: Ulong Channel on WikiBubbles
As the dry season returns in November, the seas around Palau calm down and its channels and walls are back at their best. This is big-current, big-animal diving on some of the most dramatic drop-offs in Micronesia.
- Water temperature: around 29 °C at the surface in November.
- Visibility: often 20–30 m or more on the outer walls.
- Marine life: grey reef and white-tip sharks, Napoleon wrasse, schooling barracuda and jacks, mantas in the channels.
- Good to know: a reef hook is essential kit at Blue Corner. Jellyfish Lake is a snorkel-only experience — scuba is not allowed.
- Explore: Palau on WikiBubbles.
Top dive sites
- Blue Corner (Advanced): Hook in on the edge of the plateau and watch sharks hang in the current in front of you.
- Ulong Channel (Intermediate): A fast, exhilarating channel drift over giant lettuce coral.
- Jellyfish Lake (Beginner): A marine lake full of golden jellyfish — a surreal snorkel between dives.
7. Malapascua & Negros Oriental, Philippines
Photo: Monad Shoal on WikiBubbles
November brings the start of the amihan (northeast monsoon) to the Visayas. Crossings can get choppy and late-season typhoons are still possible, so keep your plans flexible. Underwater, though, it's prime time: Malapascua's thresher sharks are present year-round, and the dry season returning to Negros Oriental sets up months of excellent macro diving.
- Water temperature: around 27 °C at the surface in November.
- Visibility: 15–25 m at Malapascua; variable on the black-sand slopes of Dauin.
- Marine life: pelagic thresher sharks, frogfish, seahorses, nudibranchs, and the green turtles of Apo Island.
- Good to know: thresher dives start at dawn — set the alarm.
- Explore: Malapascua · Dauin on WikiBubbles.
Top dive sites
- Monad Shoal (Intermediate): A sunken island where thresher sharks rise from deep water at first light to visit cleaning stations.
- Kimud Shoal (Advanced): Monad's wilder neighbour: more current, more threshers, occasional hammerheads.
- Apo Island (All levels): A pioneering community-run marine sanctuary off Dauin with healthy hard coral and resident turtles.
8. Cozumel, Mexico
Photo: Santa Rosa on WikiBubbles
Hurricane season officially ends on 30 November, the weather is settling down, and the first spotted eagle rays of winter are starting to show up. Cozumel's signature is the gentle-to-brisk drift along the island's west-side reefs.
- Water temperature: around 27 °C at the surface in November.
- Visibility: frequently 25–30 m or more.
- Marine life: spotted eagle rays, hawksbill and green turtles, splendid toadfish (found almost nowhere else), nurse sharks.
- Good to know: a passing cold front (a "norte") can occasionally close the port for a day, so build a spare day into your trip.
- Explore: Cozumel on WikiBubbles.
Top dive sites
- Palancar Horseshoe (All levels): Part of the famous Palancar reef system: towering coral buttresses, canyons and swim-throughs on a relaxed drift.
- Santa Rosa (Advanced): A classic wall drift with overhangs, tunnels and turtles.
- Colombia Shallows (Beginner): Shallow, bright and fishy — perfect for new divers and long, easy bottom times.
- Punta Sur - Cathedral (Advanced): Deep caverns at the island's southern tip, for experienced divers only.
9. Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Photo: The Cod Hole on WikiBubbles
A few nights after the full moon in late spring (often November), many corals on the Great Barrier Reef release their eggs and sperm at once, in an event that looks like an upside-down snowstorm. Night dives timed for the spawning are some of the most memorable dives you can do in Australia, and the days are warm and long.
- Water temperature: around 26 °C at the surface in November (WikiBubbles figure for Australia as a whole).
- Visibility: 15–30 m on the outer reefs.
- Marine life: coral spawning, potato cod, turtles starting to nest, reef sharks, giant Queensland groupers and sea snakes on the Yongala.
- Good to know: stinger season starts in November, so wear a full-length stinger suit. Spawning dates shift each year with the moon, so check with operators.
- Explore: Great Barrier Reef on WikiBubbles.
Top dive sites
- The Cod Hole (All levels): On the Ribbon Reefs, where huge, friendly potato cod come right up to divers.
- Steve's Bommie (Intermediate): A single coral bommie swarming with life from top to bottom — a favourite liveaboard dive.
- Moore Reef (All levels): An easy day trip from Cairns with sheltered reef for every level.
- Yongala Wreck (Advanced): A century-old shipwreck off Townsville, crowded with rays, sea snakes and giant groupers.
10. Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Photo: North Seymour Island on WikiBubbles
November is a transition month in the Galápagos. The cool garúa season is ending, the seas are beginning to calm and the hammerhead schools are still thick at the classic sites. Expect cooler water than anywhere else on this list: it is the Humboldt Current's upwelling that feeds all this life.
- Water temperature: around 22 °C at the surface in November.
- Visibility: 10–20 m, with colder water below the thermoclines.
- Marine life: scalloped hammerheads, Galápagos sea lions, marine iguanas, eagle rays and white-tip reef sharks.
- Good to know: pack a 7 mm wetsuit and hood. Currents can be strong, so experience is strongly recommended for the outer sites.
- Explore: Galapagos Islands on WikiBubbles.
Photo: kdaniel20816, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Top dive sites
- Gordon Rocks (Advanced): A collapsed volcanic crater near Santa Cruz, nicknamed the "washing machine" — hammerheads and serious current.
- North Seymour Island (All levels): White-tip reef sharks resting on the sand, eagle rays and garden eels.
- Caamaño - la Loberia (All levels): A sea-lion playground a short ride from Puerto Ayora, great for newer divers.
Liveaboards to the far-northern islands of Darwin and Wolf are where the season's last whale sharks are most often seen, so book well ahead if they are on your list.
Plan your November dive trip
Whichever ocean you choose, November rewards divers who plan ahead: liveaboards for Raja Ampat, Komodo, the Similans and the Red Sea fill months in advance, and whale-shark and spawning trips depend on permits and the moon. A few final tips:
- Check conditions month by month. Many WikiBubbles destination pages show seasonality, water temperature and the animals you are most likely to see each month.
- Read recent reviews. Divers rate visibility, marine life and difficulty on each dive-site page, so you know what to expect before you get wet.
- Log your dives. When you're back, add your dives to your WikiBubbles logbook. Your notes on conditions and sightings help the next diver plan their trip.
Ready to start? Explore the dive map, browse more dive destinations and log your dives on WikiBubbles. See you in the blue!