Reef Explorers

Where to dive in July

48 destinations are at their best in July, and 40 more are good. Seasons come from published sources, month by month.

Best in July

Destinations rated as their best season in July.

Beach in Wakatobi National Park

Wakatobi

Indonesia

Best Mar–Dec

17 Open Water, 24 Advanced, 4 Experienced+

Cliffs of Dwejra Bay, Gozo

Malta, Gozo & Comino

Malta

Best Apr–Oct

6 Open Water, 20 Advanced, 13 Experienced+

Broken Bay sea arch, Nusa Penida

Bali & Nusa Penida

Indonesia

Best Apr–Oct

10 Open Water, 15 Advanced, 3 Experienced+

Beach on the east coast of Cozumel

Cozumel

Mexico

Best May–Aug

6 Open Water, 11 Advanced, 5 Experienced+

Coastline of Faial island, Azores

Azores

Portugal

Best Jul–Oct

4 Open Water, 8 Advanced, 8 Experienced+

Pink Beach on Padar Island, Komodo National Park

Komodo

Indonesia

Best Apr–Oct

5 Open Water, 10 Advanced, 5 Experienced+

Sipadan Island seen from the sea

Sipadan & Semporna

Malaysia

Best Apr–Oct

3 Open Water, 14 Advanced, 1 Experienced+

Goat Cay, Exuma, Bahamas

Bahamas

Best Jun–Mar

10 Open Water, 5 Advanced

Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef

Great Barrier Reef (Cairns & Port Douglas)

Australia

Best May–Aug

9 Open Water, 8 Advanced

Hanauma Bay, Oahu

Oahu

United States

Best May–Oct

2 Open Water, 13 Advanced, 1 Experienced+

West Bay beach, Roatán

Roatán & Bay Islands

Honduras

Best Mar–Sep

2 Open Water, 10 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Elphinstone Reef dive site, Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam & the Brothers

Egypt

Best Jun–Oct

8 Open Water, 3 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Umkomaas river mouth and coast from the air, launch point for Aliwal Shoal

Aliwal Shoal & Protea Banks

South Africa

Best May–Nov

3 Open Water, 9 Advanced

Crete

Greece

Best Jul–Sep

7 Open Water, 1 Advanced, 4 Experienced+

Fernando de Noronha

Brazil

Best Mar–Jul, Oct

5 Open Water, 5 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Finistère (Brest, Crozon & Glénan)

France

Best Jun–Sep

3 Open Water, 7 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Florida Keys

United States

Best May–Aug

8 Open Water, 2 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Gili Islands

Indonesia

Best Apr–Oct

7 Open Water, 5 Advanced

Koh Samui & Koh Phangan

Thailand

Best Mar–Apr, Jun–Aug

10 Open Water, 2 Advanced

Narvik & Lofoten

Norway

Best Jul–Aug

4 Open Water, 3 Advanced, 5 Experienced+

Plymouth & South Cornwall

United Kingdom

Best Jul–Oct

4 Open Water, 7 Advanced, 1 Experienced+

Scapa Flow (Orkney)

United Kingdom

Best Jun–Sep

3 Open Water, 3 Advanced, 6 Experienced+

Tobermory (Fathom Five)

Canada

Best Jul–Aug

7 Open Water, 4 Advanced, 1 Experienced+

Trincomalee & East Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Best Mar–Sep

7 Open Water, 3 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Cancún & Isla Mujeres

Mexico

Best Nov–Feb, Jun–Sep

5 Open Water, 4 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Kicker Rock (León Dormido) rising from the sea, Galápagos

Galápagos

Ecuador

Best Jun–Nov

1 Open Water, 8 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Kona (Big Island)

United States

Good all year

8 Open Water, 3 Advanced

Southeast Florida (Palm Beach to Miami)

United States

Best May–Sep

5 Open Water, 5 Advanced, 1 Experienced+

Tofo beach, Mozambique

Tofo

Mozambique

Best Apr–Nov

2 Open Water, 6 Advanced, 3 Experienced+

Dorset (Portland & Swanage)

United Kingdom

Best May–Oct

6 Open Water, 3 Advanced, 1 Experienced+

Maui

United States

Best Mar–Oct

6 Open Water, 4 Advanced

Small island off the coast of Taveuni, Fiji

Taveuni & Rainbow Reef

Fiji

Best Apr–Oct

4 Advanced

Rocky islet off Cocos Island, Costa Rica

Cocos Island

Costa Rica

Best Jun–Nov

7 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Curaçao

Best Jan–Sep

6 Open Water, 2 Advanced, 1 Experienced+

Jetty over the lagoon at Rotoava, Fakarava

Fakarava & Rangiroa

French Polynesia

Best Jun–Jul

5 Advanced, 4 Experienced+

Pembrokeshire & Skomer

United Kingdom

Best Jun–Sep

5 Open Water, 1 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Sodwana Bay beach with a humpback whale offshore

Sodwana Bay

South Africa

Best Apr–Sep

5 Open Water, 3 Advanced

Nha Trang

Vietnam

Best Apr–Aug

4 Open Water, 2 Advanced, 1 Experienced+

Lundy Island

United Kingdom

Best May–Sep

3 Open Water, 3 Advanced

Conception Bay & Bell Island (Newfoundland)

Canada

Best Jun–Sep

1 Open Water, 1 Advanced, 3 Experienced+

Coast and reef at Ningaloo, Western Australia

Ningaloo Reef

Australia

Best Mar–Oct

2 Open Water, 3 Advanced

Clear spring water at Ginnie Springs, Florida

Florida Springs

United States

Good all year

4 Advanced

Baia (Bay of Naples)

Italy

Best Jun–Jul, Sep

1 Open Water

Rummu Quarry

Estonia

Best Jun–Aug

1 Open Water

Yongala dive site, Australia

SS Yongala (Townsville)

Australia

Best Jun–Sep

1 Advanced

Sundhäuser See

Germany

Best Jun–Aug

1 Open Water

Verzasca River (Lavertezzo)

Switzerland

Best Jul–Aug

1 Advanced

Orda Cave

Russia

Best May–Sep

What you can see in July

Marine life with a documented season this month.

Also good in July

Muelle harbour, Puerto Galera

Puerto Galera

Philippines

Best Dec–May

9 Open Water, 16 Advanced, 11 Experienced+

Andrea II dive site, Bonaire

Bonaire

Best Dec–Jun

13 Open Water, 12 Advanced, 4 Experienced+

Hawksbill turtle on the reef at Ras Mohammed National Park

Sharm El Sheikh & Ras Mohammed

Egypt

Best Sep–Nov

8 Open Water, 15 Advanced, 3 Experienced+

Entrance to the Dos Ojos cenote

Riviera Maya & Cenotes

Mexico

Best Nov–Apr

11 Open Water, 10 Advanced, 3 Experienced+

Beach and lagoon on Malapascua Island

Malapascua

Philippines

Best Dec–May

9 Open Water, 9 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Aerial view of Guraidhoo island and reef, Maldives

Maldives

Best Dec–May

2 Open Water, 11 Advanced, 5 Experienced+

Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands

Best Dec–Apr

10 Open Water, 7 Advanced

Lembeh Island across the strait from Bitung

Lembeh Strait

Indonesia

Best Aug–Dec

1 Open Water, 15 Advanced, 1 Experienced+

Desert mountains meeting the Red Sea at Dahab's Blue Hole

Dahab

Egypt

Best Sep–Dec, Mar–Jun

9 Open Water, 7 Advanced

Mango Bay, Koh Tao

Koh Tao

Thailand

Best Mar–May, Sep–Oct

10 Open Water, 6 Advanced

Furuzamami Beach, Zamami Island, Kerama Islands

Okinawa & Yonaguni

Japan

Best Apr–May

6 Open Water, 8 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Giftun Island seen across the sea off Hurghada

Hurghada

Egypt

Best Apr–May, Oct–Nov

8 Open Water, 6 Advanced, 1 Experienced+

Mactan (Cebu)

Philippines

Best Feb–May

5 Open Water, 5 Advanced, 5 Experienced+

Panglao Island from the air

Bohol & Panglao

Philippines

Best Jan–May

5 Open Water, 7 Advanced

Mallorca

Spain

Good May–Oct

6 Open Water, 5 Advanced, 1 Experienced+

Aerial view of a pass into Chuuk Lagoon

Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon

Micronesia

Best Oct–Apr

6 Advanced, 5 Experienced+

Farne Islands & St Abbs

United Kingdom

Best Aug–Oct

7 Open Water, 3 Advanced, 1 Experienced+

Gulen (Western Norway)

Norway

Diveable all year

3 Open Water, 3 Advanced, 5 Experienced+

Southern Leyte (Sogod Bay)

Philippines

Best Apr–May, Oct

1 Open Water, 8 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Green sea turtle on the reef at Moalboal

Moalboal

Philippines

Best Jan–May

5 Open Water, 4 Advanced

Archway Island, Poor Knights Islands

Poor Knights Islands

New Zealand

Best Dec–Apr

3 Open Water, 2 Advanced, 4 Experienced+

Romblon

Philippines

Diveable all year

3 Open Water, 4 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Siquijor

Philippines

Best Feb–May

3 Open Water, 4 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Utila

Honduras

Best Mar–May

6 Open Water, 3 Advanced

Argyll Sea Lochs (Loch Fyne & Loch Long)

United Kingdom

Diveable all year

1 Open Water, 7 Advanced

Aerial view of the Great Blue Hole, Belize

Belize

Best Mar–Jun

2 Open Water, 5 Advanced, 1 Experienced+

Grand Anse Beach, Grenada

Grenada

Best Dec–May

2 Open Water, 3 Advanced, 3 Experienced+

Côn Đảo

Vietnam

Best Mar–May

2 Open Water, 3 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Salish Sea (Vancouver, Victoria & Nanaimo)

Canada

Best Sep–May

3 Open Water, 3 Advanced, 1 Experienced+

Abrolhos Marine Park

Brazil

Best Dec–Mar

1 Open Water, 2 Advanced, 1 Experienced+

Port Hardy & God's Pocket

Canada

Best Apr–May, Sep–Oct

2 Advanced, 2 Experienced+

Utah inland dives (Bonneville Seabase & Homestead Crater)

United States

Diveable all year

2 Open Water, 1 Advanced

Bonne Terre Mine dive site, Missouri

Bonne Terre Mine

United States

Diveable all year

1 Advanced

Eyjafjörður (Strýtan)

Iceland

Diveable all year

1 Advanced

Diver above a shark sculpture in Kreidesee Hemmoor

Hemmoor Chalk Lake

Germany

Diveable all year

1 Advanced

Lago di Capo d'Acqua

Italy

Diveable all year

1 Advanced

Drowned spruce trunks rising from Lake Kaindy, Kazakhstan

Lake Kaindy

Kazakhstan

Best Jun

1 Experienced+

Plura Cave (Pluragrotta)

Norway

Diveable all year

1 Experienced+

The Christ of the Abyss statue, San Fruttuoso

Portofino & San Fruttuoso

Italy

Diveable all year

1 Open Water

Susami Bay

Japan

Diveable all year

1 Open Water

Photo credits