The seasons are beginning to change around the world in May and bring favourable dive conditions for some of the best destinations in the world.
It is a great month for visiting the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and enjoying excellent water visibility brought on by the seasonal change. May is the last month of Autumn at the reef and offers warm water and less rain as the wet season eases up. The average water temperature is around 23 degrees Celsius and the winter brings cloudless sunny days and flat seas. The reef is home to more than 1500 species of fish and the outer reef dive sites are particularly spectacular. The M/V Spoilsportliveaboard is even offering special photography safaris to encounter and photograph the ancient nautilus during May.
May also heralds the start of the southwest season in the Maldives, which is one of the best times to spot manta rays. Liveaboards tend to visit the western sides of the atolls at this time of year and large numbers of hammerheads and grey reef sharks can be seen at dive sites. Large schools of pelagic fish are also present. Divers visiting the eastern sides of the atolls also have the chance to spot whale sharks and mantas. Whilst the water visibility at this time of year is lower, encounters with large marine life are common, making it a great time of year to visit.
Another great option for May is diving the Galapagos, as the sea is calmer this month than during the peak season of July to December and the water is still warm at 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. It is a good month for those prone to sea sickness to visit and marine life sightings are still abundant. May offers a high chance of spotting manta rays and schools of hammerheads.
It also happens to be the best time of year for visiting the Komodo Islands in Indonesia. Find out more about these destinations in Best Places to Dive in May.
This article was written by divers and writers of liveaboard.com