The Scuba Diving Seasons in Samoa
Unlike many places in the world, Samoa doesn’t have a “bad” time for scuba diving. The visibility is pretty darn good all year round, averaging around 30 m (100 ft) in both the dry and wet seasons. However, if you want the conditions a little bit clearer or you perhaps are more enticed by having a whole dive boat to yourself, then there will be better times to scuba dive in Samoa than others. Get more advice on Samoa’s diving seasons in this guide to the best time to dive in Samoa.
Before we “dive” into the guide to the best time to dive in Samoa, be sure to compare other variables, such as tourist season, weather and events, in The Best Time to Visit Samoa: A Month-by-Month Guide.
5 Facts About Scuba Diving in Samoa
- The water temperature in Samoa averages 29°C (84.2°F) year-round for comfortable diving
- The visibility is rarely less than 20 m (65 ft) but more commonly 30-60 m (100-200 ft)
- Samoa has limited dive shops, so book your spot well in advance! Check them out in The Best Dive Shops & Operators in Samoa.
- Upolu and Savai’i have an array of amazing dive sites, which you can check out in The Best Scuba Diving in Samoa: Top 10 Places to Scuba Dive.
- Sights on dives can include turtles, reef sharks and nudibranchs and more than 200 types of coral and around 900 species of fish.
© SamoaPocketGuide.comDry Season Diving in Samoa
Samoa’s dry season runs between May and October. With sea temperatures typically around 28°C (82°F) and air temperatures between 23 and 29°C (73-84°F), the dry season is certainly a comfortable time for diving in Samoa. A 3 mm full-length or shortie wetsuit is usually comfortable for these tropical conditions.
Water Visibility in the Dry Season
This time of year in Samoa gets its name due to the less precipitation that the country receives during the months of May to October compared to the rest of the year.
The average rainfall is around 133 to 257 mm (5.2 to 10.1″) per month and sees less surface run-off into the ocean. This often results in some of the clearest waters Samoa experiences, often being 30 m (100 ft) up to as much as 85 m (279 ft) on really good days!
The prevailing swells during the dry season in Samoa come from the south. As most of Samoa’s top dive sites are off the northern shores, swells impact water visibility less during the dry season compared to the wet season.
Can You Dive with Whales in Samoa?
Between August and October is when humpback whales migrate from Antarctica to the South Pacific to breed. You may be lucky to see or hear humpback whales on dives, or at least topside by boat, during this time of the year. However, whales do not frequent Samoa in the same high numbers as some of the other South Pacific islands. Therefore, if the purpose of your dive trip this to swim with whales, you might want to look elsewhere. For more on whales, check out Can You See Whales & Dolphins in Samoa?
More About the Dry Season Climate
Learn more about the seasons in Samoa in Samoa Weather, Seasons & Climate + Samoa Weather by Month. Plus, get more advice on planning a scuba trip to the islands with The Best Scuba Diving in Samoa: Top 10 Places to Scuba Dive.
© PexelsWet Season Diving in Samoa
The wet season in Samoa runs from November to April. This time is usually much more humid in Samoa, making scuba diving a pretty relieving experience from the heat. Sea temperatures are typically around 29°C (84°F), while air temperatures are between 24 and 30°C (75-86°F). A 3 mm full-length or a shortie wetsuit is usually suitable for these months.
Water Visibility in the Wet Season
November to April also falls into the cyclone season in the South Pacific, where the average precipitation per month is 270-419 mm (10.6-16.5″). Not only does surface run-off from heavy rain impact water visibility but higher winds and larger swells prevailing from the North Pacific also decrease water visibility at Samoa’s popular dive sites around the northern coasts of the islands. Although water visibility is less likely to be crystal clear, it still averages around 30 m (100 ft) and rarely drops below 20 m (66 ft).
Tourist Low Season
An advantage of a scuba diving trip during the wet season in Samoa, however, is that the islands are much less busy than in the dry season. This means that you’ll likely have your first choice of accommodation, there are usually discounts on accommodations and sometimes even flights, and having entire dive sites to yourself (and your buddy/dive instructor, of course).
More advantages for travelling at this time of the year can be found in the 10 Reasons to Travel in the Low Season in Samoa.
More About the Best Time to Dive in Samoa
That’s it for the best time to dive in Samoa but not the end of our scuba diving advice! Check out the following guides for bubbles of fun!
- Learn to Dive in Samoa: Where to Get Your Scuba Diving Certification
- The Best Dive Shops & Operators in Samoa
- The Best Scuba Diving in Samoa: Top 10 Places to Scuba Dive
Finally, plan the rest of the logistics of your scuba diving trip to Samoa by using The Best Samoa Travel Guide, as well as our Trip Ideas category full of itineraries.
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across Samoa and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Samoa Tourism Authority (General travel advice - Updated [2024])
- Samoa Tourism Authority Corporate (Tourism news - Updated [2024])
- SPTO (Pacific tourism advice - Updated [2024])
- Samoa Hotels Association (Tourism trade association - Updated [2024])
- Samoa Meteorological Division (Weather forecast and warnings - Updated [2024])
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [2024])
- Ministry of Customs & Revenue (Border restrictions advice - Updated [2024])
- Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries (Biosecurity advice - Updated [2024])
- Samoa Bureau of Statistics (Statistics and travel data - Updated [2024])
- Land Transport Authority (Tourist driver’s license info - Updated [2024])
- Safe Travel (New Zealand travel advisory for Samoa - Updated [2024])
- Smart Traveller (Australia travel advisory for Samoa - Updated [2024])
- Travel.State.Gov (U.S. travel advisory for Samoa - Updated [2024])
Our editorial standards: At Samoa Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
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