Country

Diving in the Bahamas

11 dive destinations in the Bahamas, up to 570 km apart. Water temperature across them runs 23–30 °C. 10 of 11 are in season in Dec–Apr. 54 named dive sites have their own pages.

Bimini · photo mattk1979

Destinations: 11
Dive sites: 54
Water: 23–30°C
Most in season: Dec–Apr

RegionCaribbean

How do they compare?

Conditions at each dive destination in the Bahamas
#	Destination	Best months	Water	Visibility	Depth	Level	Access	Sites
1	Tiger BeachKneel on open sand in 6 meters of water while tiger sharks cruise past at arm's length	Jan–Mar	24–30°C	20–30 m	6–9 m	Intermediate	Liveaboard, Day boat	1
2	South Abaco Blue HolesFull-cave-only diving through ice-age passages hiding extinct-crocodile fossils	Jan–Apr	24–24°C	15–40 m	23–47 m	Advanced	Shore	2
3	BiminiGreat hammerhead sharks patrol sandy shallows within sight of shore each winter	Jan–Mar	24–30°C	5–35 m	6–20 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced	Day boat, Liveaboard	15
4	Eleuthera — Harbour Island & Spanish WellsShallow shipwrecks layered along the reef that wrecked them	Nov–Apr	24–29°C	25–30 m	5–18 m	Beginnersites from beginner to advanced	Day boat	4
5	Nassau & New ProvidenceTwo dozen reef sharks circle a baited arena in 12 m of water	Nov–May	23–29°C	10–35 m	10–30 m	Beginnersites from beginner to advanced	Day boat	8
6	Eleuthera — Cape Eleuthera & Rock SoundDeep wall drifts and a shark-feeding site off Cape Eleuthera	Nov–Apr	24–29°C	25–30 m	9–37 m	Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced	Day boat	2
7	AndrosA 200 km barrier reef with a wall that drops into the Tongue of the Ocean	Dec–May	23–30°C	—	3–37 m	Intermediate	Day boat	1
8	Exuma CaysDescend into Angelfish Blue Hole, a vertical shaft opening onto a coral-rimmed cavern	Jan–Mar	24–28°C	10–25 m	6–25 m	Beginnersites from intermediate to advanced	Day boat, Liveaboard	8
9	Cat IslandOne of the few reliable places on earth to dive with oceanic whitetips	Apr–Jun	24–29°C	25–40 m	10–30 m	Advanced	Day boat, Liveaboard	2
10	San SalvadorSheer lee-side walls with hammerheads passing in the cooler winter months	Dec–Feb	23–29°C	—	6–40 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced	Day boat	10
11	Long Island, BahamasDean's Blue Hole, the world's freediving capital and third-deepest blue hole	Mar–Apr	25–30°C	20–30 m	9–30 m	Intermediate	Shore, Day boat	1

When is the best time to dive the Bahamas?

The most destinations are rated good or prime at the same time in Dec–Apr: 10 of 11. Each row is one destination's own season rating.

Season rating by month for each dive destination in the Bahamas
Destination	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
1Tiger Beach	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Good	Fair	Fair	Fair	Off-season	Good	Good	Good
2South Abaco Blue Holes	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Good	Fair	Fair	Off-season	Off-season	Fair	Good
3Bimini	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Good	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good	Good
4Eleuthera — Harbour Island & Spanish Wells	Good	Good	Good	Good	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good	Good
5Nassau & New Providence	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Good	Fair	Fair	Good	Prime	Prime
6Eleuthera — Cape Eleuthera & Rock Sound	Good	Good	Good	Good	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good	Good
7Andros	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good
8Exuma Cays	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Good	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good	Good
9Cat Island	Fair	Fair	Good	Prime	Prime	Prime	Fair	Fair	Off-season	Off-season	Fair	Fair
10San Salvador	Good	Good	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good
11Long Island, Bahamas	Good	Good	Prime	Prime	Good	Fair	Fair	Fair	Off-season	Fair	Good	Good
Good or prime	10	10	10	10	8	3	1	0	0	2	7	10

Which destinations combine into one trip?

Destinations that fit within 200 km of each other end to end and share at least one month rated good or prime. Distances are straight lines between destinations, not travel routes.

149 km end to end

In season together: Dec–Apr