Find your next dive trip
Four questions. We rank the destinations that fit, and show you why, with the sources.
Not certified yet · October
51 destinations fit
Not certified yet? You can try diving with an instructor (a discovery dive) or take your Open Water course on the spot. These destinations are ranked on the sites an Open Water diver can do and on how good they are for learning: calm, shallow, warm water. The full ranking is on where to learn to dive.
Showing the best 12.
- #1
Kona (Big Island)
United States
94% match
- Learning score 87/100: calm, shallow sites and warm water
- October is one of the best months to dive here. Source: dive-the-world.com
- 8 dive sites suited to Open Water divers (8 with a published source for the level).
- 3 sites here need a higher level than yours.
#2Koh Tao
Thailand
91% match
- Learning score 82/100: calm, shallow sites and warm water
- October is one of the best months to dive here. Source: bigbluediving.com
- 10 dive sites suited to Open Water divers (10 with a published source for the level).
- 6 sites here need a higher level than yours.
#3Dahab
Egypt
90% match
- Learning score 80/100: calm, shallow sites and warm water
- October is one of the best months to dive here. Source: divessi.com
- 9 dive sites suited to Open Water divers (9 with a published source for the level).
- 7 sites here need a higher level than yours.
#4Wakatobi
Indonesia
89% match
- Learning score 78/100: calm, shallow sites and warm water
- October is one of the best months to dive here. Source: wakatobi.com
- 17 dive sites suited to Open Water divers (17 with a published source for the level).
- 28 sites here need a higher level than yours.
#589% match
- Learning score 77/100: calm, shallow sites and warm water
- October is one of the best months to dive here. Source: liveaboard.com
- 10 dive sites suited to Open Water divers (10 with a published source for the level).
- 5 sites here need a higher level than yours.
#689% match
- Learning score 77/100: calm, shallow sites and warm water
- October is one of the best months to dive here. Source: liveaboard.com
- 8 dive sites suited to Open Water divers (8 with a published source for the level).
- 5 sites here need a higher level than yours.
- #7
Koh Samui & Koh Phangan
Thailand
87% match
- Learning score 91/100: calm, shallow sites and warm water
- October is a good month to dive here. Source: thainationalparks.com
- 10 dive sites suited to Open Water divers (10 with a published source for the level).
- 2 sites here need a higher level than yours.
- #8
Maui
United States
86% match
- Learning score 72/100: calm, shallow sites and warm water
- October is one of the best months to dive here. Source: bluewaterdivetravel.com
- 6 dive sites suited to Open Water divers (6 with a published source for the level).
- 4 sites here need a higher level than yours.
#9Bali & Nusa Penida
Indonesia
85% match
- Learning score 70/100: calm, shallow sites and warm water
- October is one of the best months to dive here. Source: zubludiving.com
- 10 dive sites suited to Open Water divers (10 with a published source for the level).
- 18 sites here need a higher level than yours.
- #10
Gili Islands
Indonesia
85% match
- Learning score 69/100: calm, shallow sites and warm water
- October is one of the best months to dive here. Source: manta-dive.com
- 7 dive sites suited to Open Water divers (7 with a published source for the level).
- 5 sites here need a higher level than yours.
- #11
Farne Islands & St Abbs
United Kingdom
84% match
- Learning score 67/100: calm, shallow sites and warm water
- October is one of the best months to dive here. Source: divessi.com
- 7 dive sites suited to Open Water divers (7 with a published source for the level).
- 4 sites here need a higher level than yours.
#1284% match
- Learning score 84/100: calm, shallow sites and warm water
- October is a good month to dive here. Source: zubludiving.com
- 13 dive sites suited to Open Water divers (13 with a published source for the level).
- 16 sites here need a higher level than yours.
Why some destinations aren't listed (40)
- Abrolhos Marine Park: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Aliwal Shoal & Protea Banks: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Argyll Sea Lochs (Loch Fyne & Loch Long): too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Belize: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon: No documented dive site for Open Water divers yet.
- Cocos Island: No documented dive site for Open Water divers yet.
- Côn Đảo: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Conception Bay & Bell Island (Newfoundland): too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- El Nido: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Fakarava & Rangiroa: No documented dive site for Open Water divers yet.
- Finistère (Brest, Crozon & Glénan): too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Florida Springs: No documented dive site for Open Water divers yet.
- Galápagos: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Grenada: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Gulen (Western Norway): too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Lembeh Strait: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Lundy Island: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Maldives: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Netrani Island (Murudeshwar): too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Ningaloo Reef: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Oahu: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Palau: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Pondicherry: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Poor Knights Islands: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Port Hardy & God's Pocket: No documented dive site for Open Water divers yet.
- Raja Ampat: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Recife & Pernambuco Wrecks: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Roatán & Bay Islands: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Romblon: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Salish Sea (Vancouver, Victoria & Nanaimo): too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Scapa Flow (Orkney): too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Sipadan & Semporna: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Siquijor: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Socorro (Revillagigedo): Closed or not dived in October.
- Southern Leyte (Sogod Bay): too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Stockholm Archipelago & Dalarö: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Subic Bay: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Taveuni & Rainbow Reef: No documented dive site for Open Water divers yet.
- Tofo: too few calm, shallow sites documented to learn there
- Tubbataha: Closed or not dived in October.
How the match works
Out of 100: up to 35 points for the season in your month, 25 for the number of dive sites at your level, and 40 for what you want to see in that month (without a wish, season and level count for everything). A destination closed that month, without any site at your level, or where what you want to see isn't documented, is left out and listed with the reason. Nothing is paid for: no destination can buy its place.
Everything comes from the data shown on each destination page. Some site levels are still estimates; the destination pages say which ones. Always confirm conditions with a local dive centre.
Photo credits
- Mango Bay, Koh Tao, ScorpioZZ, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Desert mountains meeting the Red Sea at Dahab's Blue Hole, Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Beach in Wakatobi National Park, Jenny from Taipei, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Goat Cay, Exuma, Bahamas, DrGvago, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Elphinstone Reef dive site, Marsa Alam, Dereck Keats, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Broken Bay sea arch, Nusa Penida, Georgi Kovachev, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Andrea II dive site, Bonaire, LASZLO ILYES from Cleveland, Ohio, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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