When is the best time to visit Palau for the best Palau scuba diving?

One question almost every diver and traveler planning to go diving Palau is concerned with is: “When is the best time to visit Palau?”

One fact, however, is, that the best time to visit Palau or any place in the world, does not only depend on the weather conditions, but many other factors and this is definitely true for Palau!

To make sure you can experience Palau scuba diving at its best, you should have a look at various factors, one of which is undoubtedly the weather in Palau.

Other considerations also play a significant role, like the price of accommodations and number of divers on the dive sites.

After reading this article, you should have enough information to decide what for you would be the best time to visit Palau.

Table of contents

To get you in the mood for Palau scuba diving have a quick look at the video below. In this video, you will see what you can expect when you come diving Palau. All the footage used in this video is shot on regular daily dives.

What is the weather like in Palau?

As you probably know Palau is located in the tropics, meaning, it gets a lot of rain year round. The good news is that about 70% of that rain falls at night and will not have an adverse impact on your Palau scuba diving holiday.

The bottom line is there is no real Palau diving season. Palau scuba diving is excellent year-round, and you may expect good dive conditions whenever you visit Palau.

As mentioned a minute ago Palau scuba diving is excellent year-round. But let’s have a look at some of the Palau weather averages

Palau average water and air temperatures

The average air temperature in Palau is 28°C all year round, with 29-30° during the day and 24-25° during the day.
The water temperature in Palau is a balmy 28° most of the year, which makes diving Palau comfortable year round.

The yearly rainfall in Palau averages around 3760 mm, which is quite a lot, and very typical for this part of the world.

The Palau rainy season is between:

June
July
August

During these months, the trade winds shift, bringing more rain than normal. Of course, even during these months we still get some very nice weather. On the flip side, we can still get a lot of rain during the “dry” season.

February and March are the driest (with an average 80% humidity throughout the year) although rain can strike at any time.

As Palauan President Tommy Remengesau Jr said

“In Palau you can guarantee that you can catch a fish if you go fishing, but you can never guarantee what the weather will be.’

Although Palau lies outside the main typhoon tracks, it does occasionally get hit. We recommend bringing a good quality rain jacket when you visit Palau since it sometimes can get a little chilly in the evenings and on the dive boat.

Palau Diving Season

While diving Palau is nice all year round, different Palau diving Seasons can be determined. Let’s break down the 3 Palau diving Seasons.

The High Season
The best Palau Diving Season is from December to March. During these months, diving Palau is usually at its best, with calm, warm water and less rain. But every upside has a downside, during these months, hotels are usually a little pricier and dive sites a bit busier.

When you are planning to visit Palau during these months, make sure to book your accommodation in Palau well in advance.

Transitional months (April, July, and August, October and November)
You can expect more rain during these months, and the sea might get a little bit choppy. During these months, accommodation in Palau is usually easier to find, and some hotels are offering better prices.

Check out this infographic about How to get to Palau?

The Low Season (May, June, September)
These are the months with the most rain and wind, but on the upside, airfares and accommodation in Palau tend to be cheaper as well as.
The dive sites will be less busy due to the fact fewer people decide to visit Palau during this time. But diving is still excellent, and the majority of dive sites can be reached most of the time!

When is the best time to visit Palau: Conclusion?

As you can see, while diving Palau is not only possible but great all year-round, there is no real best time to visit Palau. Although we think the best time to visit Palau is between September and May.

Whenever you decide to come, we hope this information has helped you when booking your holiday to Palau!