Reef Explorers
ENFR
Menu
DestinationsDive sitesWhen to goMarine lifeLearn to dive
World mapHidden gemsLevel upDiving glossaryFind my dive trip

Where to learn to dive in March

51 destinations with plenty of calm, shallow sites that are open in March, ranked for a first dive or an Open Water course. Seasons come from published sources.

Best places to learn in March

  1. 1Koh Samui & Koh PhanganThailandBest Mar–Apr, Jun–Aug10 Open Water sitesWarm water, 28–30 °C4 easy shore divesBest season in March95/ 100
  2. 2BonaireBest Dec–Jun13 Open Water sitesWarm water, 26–29 °C9 easy shore divesBest season in March88/ 100
  3. 3Kona (Big Island)United StatesGood all year8 Open Water sitesWarm water, 24–28 °C5 easy shore divesMostly calm waterBest season in March87/ 100
  4. 4Phuket & Koh LantaThailandBest Nov–Apr9 Open Water sitesWarm water, 26–30 °C2 easy shore divesStrong current at 38% of sitesBest season in March85/ 100
  5. 5Cayman IslandsBest Dec–Apr10 Open Water sitesWarm water, 25–29 °CMostly calm waterBest season in March83/ 100
  6. 6Koh TaoThailandBest Mar–May, Sep–Oct10 Open Water sitesWarm water, 26–30 °CBest season in March82/ 100
  7. 7DahabEgyptBest Sep–Dec, Mar–Jun9 Open Water sitesWater 22–30 °C8 easy shore divesBest season in March80/ 100
  8. 8WakatobiIndonesiaBest Mar–Dec17 Open Water sitesWarm water, 25–30 °CBest season in March78/ 100
  9. 9BahamasBest Jun–Mar10 Open Water sitesWater 22–28 °CMostly calm waterBest season in March77/ 100
  10. 10CuraçaoBest Jan–Sep6 Open Water sitesWarm water, 26–29 °C4 easy shore divesBest season in March77/ 100
  11. 11MalapascuaPhilippinesBest Dec–May9 Open Water sitesWarm water, 25–30 °CMostly calm waterBest season in March76/ 100
  12. 12Riviera Maya & CenotesMexicoBest Nov–Apr11 Open Water sitesWater 23–29 °CMostly calm waterBest season in March75/ 100
  13. 13Great Barrier Reef (Cairns & Port Douglas)AustraliaBest May–Aug9 Open Water sitesWarm water, 24–30 °CMostly calm waterGood season in March74/ 100
  14. 14Puerto GaleraPhilippinesBest Dec–May9 Open Water sitesWarm water, 26–30 °CBest season in March72/ 100
  15. 15Marsa Alam & the BrothersEgyptBest Jun–Oct8 Open Water sitesWater 23–30 °C5 easy shore divesGood season in March72/ 100
  16. 16Trincomalee & East Sri LankaSri LankaBest Mar–Sep7 Open Water sitesWarm water, 27–30 °CMostly calm waterBest season in March72/ 100
  17. 17MauiUnited StatesBest Mar–Oct6 Open Water sitesWater 23–27 °C4 easy shore divesMostly calm waterBest season in March72/ 100
  18. 18AnilaoPhilippinesBest Nov–Dec, Apr–May13 Open Water sitesWater 22–30 °CGood season in March71/ 100
  19. 19UtilaHondurasBest Mar–May6 Open Water sitesWarm water, 26–30 °CMostly calm waterBest season in March70/ 100
  20. 20Bohol & PanglaoPhilippinesBest Jan–May5 Open Water sitesWarm water, 26–29 °C3 easy shore divesBest season in March69/ 100
  21. 21Dumaguete, Dauin & Apo IslandPhilippinesBest Jan–May5 Open Water sitesWarm water, 25–30 °C2 easy shore divesMostly calm waterBest season in March69/ 100
  22. 22Phú QuốcVietnamBest Nov–Apr6 Open Water sitesWarm water, 28–31 °CMostly calm waterBest season in March68/ 100
  23. 23Bali & Nusa PenidaIndonesiaBest Apr–Oct10 Open Water sites4 easy shore divesStrong current at 54% of sitesGood season in March65/ 100
  24. 24Gili IslandsIndonesiaBest Apr–Oct7 Open Water sitesWarm water, 26–30 °CGood season in March65/ 100
  25. 25Florida KeysUnited StatesBest May–Aug8 Open Water sitesWater 22–29 °CGood season in March64/ 100
  26. 26Farne Islands & St AbbsUnited KingdomBest Aug–Oct7 Open Water sites3 easy shore divesGood season in March63/ 100
  27. 27MoalboalPhilippinesBest Jan–May5 Open Water sitesWarm water, 25–30 °CBest season in March63/ 100
  28. 28HurghadaEgyptBest Apr–May, Oct–Nov8 Open Water sitesWater 21–28 °CGood season in March62/ 100
  29. 29Similan Islands & Khao LakThailandBest Feb–Apr6 Open Water sitesWarm water, 26–29 °CBest season in March62/ 100
  30. 30Fernando de NoronhaBrazilBest Mar–Jul, Oct5 Open Water sitesWarm water, 26–27 °CMostly calm waterBest season in March62/ 100
  31. 31Sri Lanka West & South (Colombo to Unawatuna)Sri LankaBest Nov–Mar5 Open Water sitesWarm water, 27–30 °CBest season in March61/ 100
  32. 32Okinawa & YonaguniJapanBest Apr–May6 Open Water sitesWater 21–30 °C2 easy shore divesStrong current at 38% of sitesGood season in March60/ 100
  33. 33Dorset (Portland & Swanage)United KingdomBest May–Oct6 Open Water sites3 easy shore divesMostly calm waterGood season in March59/ 100
  34. 34Sharm El Sheikh & Ras MohammedEgyptBest Sep–Nov8 Open Water sitesWater 20–28 °CGood season in March57/ 100
  35. 35Cancún & Isla MujeresMexicoBest Nov–Feb, Jun–Sep5 Open Water sitesWarm water, 24–30 °CMostly calm waterGood season in March57/ 100
  36. 36Pembrokeshire & SkomerUnited KingdomBest Jun–Sep5 Open Water sites5 easy shore divesMostly calm waterGood season in March57/ 100
  37. 37Mactan (Cebu)PhilippinesBest Feb–May5 Open Water sitesWarm water, 26.5–29.5 °CStrong current at 47% of sitesBest season in March56/ 100
  38. 38Sodwana BaySouth AfricaBest Apr–Sep5 Open Water sitesWater 20–29 °CMostly calm waterGood season in March55/ 100
  39. 39CozumelMexicoBest May–Aug6 Open Water sitesWarm water, 25–28 °CStrong current at 50% of sitesGood season in March54/ 100
  40. 40Andaman Islands (Havelock & Neil)IndiaBest Dec–Mar4 Open Water sitesWarm water, 26–29 °CStrong current at 36% of sitesBest season in March54/ 100
  41. 41CoronPhilippinesBest Dec–Apr4 Open Water sitesWarm water, 27–30 °CMostly calm waterBest season in March54/ 100
  42. 42Southeast Florida (Palm Beach to Miami)United StatesBest May–Sep5 Open Water sitesWater 20–29 °CMostly calm waterGood season in March51/ 100
  43. 43Nha TrangVietnamBest Apr–Aug4 Open Water sitesWater 22–30 °CMostly calm waterGood season in March49/ 100
  44. 44CreteGreeceBest Jul–Sep7 Open Water sitesMostly calm waterOff-season in March48/ 100
  45. 45Tobermory (Fathom Five)CanadaBest Jul–Aug7 Open Water sitesMostly calm waterOff-season in March48/ 100
  46. 46Malta, Gozo & CominoMaltaBest Apr–Oct6 Open Water sites4 easy shore divesMostly calm waterOff-season in March44/ 100
  47. 47MallorcaSpainGood May–Oct6 Open Water sitesMostly calm waterOff-season in March43/ 100
  48. 48KomodoIndonesiaBest Apr–Oct5 Open Water sitesWater 20–30 °CStrong current at 65% of sitesGood season in March42/ 100
  49. 49AzoresPortugalBest Jul–Oct4 Open Water sitesStrong current at 45% of sitesGood season in March32/ 100
  50. 50Narvik & LofotenNorwayBest Jul–Aug4 Open Water sitesMostly calm waterOff-season in March32/ 100
  51. 51Plymouth & South CornwallUnited KingdomBest Jul–Oct4 Open Water sitesOff-season in March31/ 100

How the score works: number of dive sites whose usual dive suits Open Water divers (up to 40 points), share of the destination's sites that are Open Water friendly (20), water temperature (15), easy sites you can dive from the shore (10), calm water (10, minus the share of sites with strong current) and, for a given month, the season (15). Only destinations with at least 4 documented Open Water sites are ranked. Always learn with a certified instructor, who decides the actual dive plan.

Already certified? See where to dive in March for every level.

Find a beginner-friendly trip in March
Photo credits