The Dominican Republic offers warm waters with good visibility for diving year-round. The average air temperature is 74-84F/23-29C, with the warmest months from June to October. However, the best time to dive, avoiding the hurricane season, is December to July. On average, the water temperature ranges from 77F/25C to 84F/29C, with relatively calm conditions throughout the year. Water clarity is influenced by the rivers but is generally quite high, visibility typically being 60-90ft/18-27m.
What to see
The East Coast is famous for its unique underwater landscape of caverns, lagoon caves and natural wrecks full of nurse sharks, stingrays and squirrelfish. The South Coast is distinguished by astonishing walls, national parks and plenty of fish reserves, as fishing is not allowed there. The southwest is surprising for its intact coastline and pristine flora and fauna, quite unaffected by humans. Abounding in hard corals, the northwest offers a variety of larger species such as barracudas, eels, enormous manta rays and even turtles. Humpback whale season, from January to March, is when divers can observe these mammals gathering to mate and give birth off the northeast coast.
Open Water Courses