Hello all,

I'm looking to do trip to SEA over the American thanksgiving holiday. From looking at the seasonal climate patterns, for most areas in SEA it's the transition from the rainy to dry season. From percipitation graphs it looks like, on average, there is still quite a bit of rainfall in November.

I've only been to Thailand once, so I don't have a lot of experience with SEA. I'm trying to get an idea if it's a bad time to travel, or which areas in SEA are more favourable during November. Does it rain non-stop all day, or just for a period then clear up?

My constraints are:

• I'm experienced, I do almost all of my diving in the PNW of Canada and am comfortable with almost anything

• My partner is a new diver, and wouldn't want anything with strong currents, so places like Komodo are out

• We've got a decent budget so anything but the really high end resorts would potentially be okay

• Have about 14-18 days of travel

What I've been looking at right now is the Visayas region in PH, doing Malapascua, Bohol, Moalboal, Dauin (not necessarily all of them), and potentially flying to El Nido and doing more surface side activities for a few days there before flying home.

I'm okay with muck diving, but I think my partner would perfer more reefs, I think she would be okay with some muck diving, just not entirely focused on finding macro critters and would rather see larger reefs.

Pros for Visayas:

• Direct or one layover flights from the west coast of NA

• surface side activites to do with my partner who wants to do things other than diving

Cons:

• Potentially going during the rainy season and having awful weather the whole trip

• ???

Other areas I've been looking at are doing Bali and then Raja Ampat which is supposed to be in the dry season, but getting to RA and back seems like it could be a lot of time spent traveling.

Do people have any recommendations for other areas in PH, SEA, or if it's a bad idea going during this period?

There's all sorts of options available. Things to consider include that November is in Typhoon season, which could impact the Philippines. The seasons are quite variable throughout SE Asia depending upon how the Monsoon winds impact the area. In Thailand the wind is just switching to the NE Monsoon and it's starting the dry season for the main part of Thailand and beginning the wet season for the islands further south in the gulf of Thailand for example.

In Indonesia, you've looked at Raja Ampat but there's quite the journey from NA. You could get to Lembeh Strait on Sulawaesi through a connection from Singapore on Scoot. Looks like a direct Vancouver - Singapore flight is available so that's a plus no transit in the US is probably a bonus. The diving there is always calm and not too much in the way of current. November through April with the change in winds you start to be able to access the reefs on the south side of Lembeh Island which have nice visibility and good conditions for diving around then. For example Divers lodge Lembeh goes out to sites on the south side:

Divers Lodge Lembeh

Diving in Lembeh Strait With Divers Lodge

At Divers Lodge Lembeh, we specialize in diving in the Lembeh Strait, an area known worldwide for macro photography and muck diving.

I stayed there a few years back and enjoyed the diving- though be aware some of the sites have a lot of plastic pollution and there's a lot of stuff dumped in the water as it is right by quite a large city. Alternatively you could muck dive there and transfer to Banka or Bunaken on Sulawesi for reef dives. Some sites can have currents there.

Another option might be PNG , though access is not the easiest. I dived Walindi last year and it features sea mounts in very deep water, currents not usually an issue. November is a good time there. Access via Sydney or Brisbane with a 3-4 hour flight to Port Moresby and a domestic connection to Hastings on New Britain. See:

https://indopacificimages.com/papua-new-guinea/guide-to-diving-papua-new-guinea/guide-to-diving-new-britain/the-complete-guide-to-diving-kimbe-bay/

That site has an outline of the diving and logistics you really should be qualified for 30m and Nitrox helps with bottom times on the sea mounts. You could dive in Sydney as well on the way through if you came that way - good spot for Weedy Sea dragons. Water temperature about 18-20 that time of year , but subject to swell being low enough..

Any questions - let me know.

Like Chris Ross mentioned, flying into Manado on SQ/TR (AC/DL/UA/AA all fly from west coast direct to SIN) suits your requirement of flights quite well. Only thing is some flights arrive in the evening and thus require overnight before connection. TR SIN-MDC departs 9 am. I would probably pick Banka or Bunaken instead of Lembeh (you can do daytrips to Lembeh from there).

Going to Raja is bit more tricky, but can be done if planned right. Flights to SOQ depart CGK midnight-2am, so arriving with onestop from westcoast around 8-11pm is actually no less time than going to MDC with one stop. Still might be a bit rough with flights. In November the season is just starting in Raja.

Plenty of options from westcoast (YVR/SEA/SFO/LAX) to CGK with stops in TYO/HKG/TPE being most popular.

Bali is similar but you can get onestop from west coast via most Asian cities.

Maybe Mabul/Sipadan might be an option also? Flights very similar like to Raja, but instead of Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur. Not too much other things to do than diving tho.

Fiji maybe?

Or as a bonus, Okinawa. Clear water, nice diving and easy flights through Tokyo.

52 minutes ago, Sokrates said:

Like Chris Ross mentioned, flying into Manado on SQ/TR (AC/DL/UA/AA all fly from west coast direct to SIN) suits your requirement of flights quite well. Only thing is some flights arrive in the evening and thus require overnight before connection. TR SIN-MDC departs 9 am. I would probably pick Banka or Bunaken instead of Lembeh (you can do daytrips to Lembeh from there).

Going to Raja is bit more tricky, but can be done if planned right. Flights to SOQ depart CGK midnight-2am, so arriving with onestop from westcoast around 8-11pm is actually no less time than going to MDC with one stop. Still might be a bit rough with flights. In November the season is just starting in Raja.

Plenty of options from westcoast (YVR/SEA/SFO/LAX) to CGK with stops in TYO/HKG/TPE being most popular.

Bali is similar but you can get onestop from west coast via most Asian cities.

Maybe Mabul/Sipadan might be an option also? Flights very similar like to Raja, but instead of Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur. Not too much other things to do than diving tho.

Fiji maybe?

Or as a bonus, Okinawa. Clear water, nice diving and easy flights through Tokyo.

The changeover is relatively easy in Singapore and there is a transit hotel inside security - kind of beats staying up to meet the 2:00 am flight out of Jakarta and trying to sleep on the 3-4 hour plane flight to Sorong. You could even spend a day or two in Singapore shopping and trying out the local food. Very easy to get around there.

10 minutes ago, Chris Ross said:

The changeover is relatively easy in Singapore and there is a transit hotel inside security - kind of beats staying up to meet the 2:00 am flight out of Jakarta and trying to sleep on the 3-4 hour plane flight to Sorong. You could even spend a day or two in Singapore shopping and trying out the local food. Very easy to get around there.

Yes, there is the option of course to stay overnight at the airport. Or do few days in Singapore, always a great choice. Also good place to buy gear now ;)

Im just trying to see how to optimise the time spent somewhere else than diving. 14-18 days isnt that long if making stopovers.

Specially if wanting to fly from YVR or SEA, even those direct to SIN are 16-17h flights (YVR has block time of 16h40min and SEA 17h) and then add 4h to MDC. With a 12-16h layover its already almost 2 days of travelling.

Edited April 17Apr 17 by Sokrates

@Chris Ross Thanks for the suggestion for the Sulawesi region of Indonesia. Ill do some research on that area and see how it compares to PH.

On 4/16/2025 at 10:06 PM, Sokrates said:

Maybe Mabul/Sipadan might be an option also? Flights very similar like to Raja, but instead of Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur. Not too much other things to do than diving tho.

Fiji maybe?

Or as a bonus, Okinawa. Clear water, nice diving and easy flights through Tokyo.

I haven't done much research on Sipadan, I've only done some research on the permiting system, but it worries me that I could be staying at a hotel there and not get a permit and wasting days not diving. Do you have experience with the system and how readily available the permits are if you're staying at a dive hotel?

Is Fiji okay to do in november? I'm reading that it says november is the start of the tropical cyclone season for that region.

Okinawa would be a nice one though. Japan is great, and Ill have to look more into that.

For things to do for a less intense diver, Bali is probably a great choice. Diving all over the island is great and you can set up a pretty nice dive Safari that will pick you up and deliver you to dive sites all over. Dive with the Tribe in Bali (started by Mike Veitch, a Canadian) is awesome.

Bill

7 hours ago, rafiqd said:

@Chris Ross Thanks for the suggestion for the Sulawesi region of Indonesia. Ill do some research on that area and see how it compares to PH.

I haven't done much research on Sipadan, I've only done some research on the permiting system, but it worries me that I could be staying at a hotel there and not get a permit and wasting days not diving. Do you have experience with the system and how readily available the permits are if you're staying at a dive hotel?

Is Fiji okay to do in november? I'm reading that it says november is the start of the tropical cyclone season for that region.

Okinawa would be a nice one though. Japan is great, and Ill have to look more into that.

No problem. On the topic of cyclones they are more likely at the end of the season than the beginning as water temperatures are lower then. The Water could still be cool in Fiji in November, though Thanksgiving is closer to December, cyclones south of the Equator are rarer then, but not unknown. Heard good things about Okinawa, however they do have a maximum age limit for diving, a potential issue for me, perhaps not for you. When I visited Lembeh it was second week of November and rain had just started, but it didn't impact us at all. Being close to the Equator you just have the wet and dry seasons and cyclones are not an issue.

Late November should be ok for Okinawa (it normally gets rough, with northern winds blowing in December), but even with island hopping, 14-18 days of travel is too long for the area I think (unless you're planning on combining this with non-diving land travel).
November is a shoulder month, it should also be just the start of rainy season in many places in Indonesia, including Bali, which can affect diving but could still be ok, however northern Indonesia should be a safe bet.

On 4/17/2025 at 5:34 AM, rafiqd said:

I'm looking to do trip to SEA over the American thanksgiving holiday. From looking at the seasonal climate patterns, for most areas in SEA it's the transition from the rainy to dry season. From percipitation graphs it looks like, on average, there is still quite a bit of rainfall in November.

A lot of the indonesian archipelago is diveable early november, actually October to mid november is probably the best season for diving some parts of Indonesia.

• Nusa Tenggara islands of Komodo and Alor should be great at this time of year (that's even the blue whale season for Alor).

• Bali for flat seas and North Sulawesi should also good until mid november before the turn of the season

I know that seen from far away Komodo seems like the big bad currents spot.

After 5 trips to Komodo either resort or liveaboard diving I can testify there are lot of kind of people diving Komodo, some of them very inexperimented, Komodo is not currents everywhere, many divers get certified there : I've been on a liveboard where some of the divers where just out of their OW certification. So if you mention that you don't want currents, the guides will make sure not to bring you on currenty spots. Funnily enough, you seem attracted to Raja Ampat whereas I find that are more tricky currents in Raja Ampat than in Komodo.

IMO the most spectacular sample you could get of diving SEA In 14 to 18 days, would be to spend a week to 10 days in Bali for diving and sightseeing plus a another week either staying in Alor or a short liveaboard in Komodo. With the combination of Both Bali (Tulamben) and Komodo or Alor you'd get some of the best reef and muck dives in Indonesia.

North sulawesi is alos an option however and even though I find Sahaung on Bangka one of the most beautiful coral spots, don't expect to find corals/fish schools/big fish like you would have in Komodo, Alor or even Bali.

As for the Visayas and generally the Phils, august to november is not the best season to travel since you would have chances to hit a typhoon or rainstorms which are not uncommon at that time of the year. (I even bumped into a typhoon alert until late december, that is why I tend to favor Feb to May for diving the Phils).

Edited April 21Apr 21 by Luko

On 4/20/2025 at 8:30 PM, rafiqd said:

@Chris Ross Thanks for the suggestion for the Sulawesi region of Indonesia. Ill do some research on that area and see how it compares to PH.

I haven't done much research on Sipadan, I've only done some research on the permiting system, but it worries me that I could be staying at a hotel there and not get a permit and wasting days not diving. Do you have experience with the system and how readily available the permits are if you're staying at a dive hotel?

Is Fiji okay to do in november? I'm reading that it says november is the start of the tropical cyclone season for that region.

Okinawa would be a nice one though. Japan is great, and Ill have to look more into that.

Regarding Sipadan, i think if you book like 5 days diving you get 3 days guaranteed Sipadan or something like that ratio.

Mabul has great muck diving for the days you cant get to Sipadan. Also world class muck diving in Semporna (the gateway city), but accommodations are bit on the "meh" side.

What Luko suggests with Bali-Komodo combo is really good, specially flight-wise since theres direct flights to Bali from all main hubs in Asia and Bali - Komodo has numerous flights per day.

Alor is also a great place to dive (actually my favourite place in Indonesia) but combining it with Bali eats up alot from you days just in flights. There would be many overnights/redeyes and connections.

If longer flying isnt too much, maybe Triton Bay could be an options also.

You didnt specify would you holiday be 14-18 days including flights from West Coast, or 14-18 days in South East Asia. 14 days including flights is not that long, if thinking something else than North Sulawesi or Bali.

@rafiqd

Couple of things... November is not normally typhoon season in the Philippines, that's July to October (with August being the most active month). I've dives the Philippines many times in November - esp, late November, no issues. Water is still relatively warm, and the air temp is comfortably in the 80's. They did have a large Typhoon in Nov. in 2024, but that impacted the very north of the country, and that's the only one in November in many years.

Diving Malapascua would be interesting for both of you (given the thresher sharks) as would Bohol and Moalboal. Dain offers an interesting mix of macro critters and the opportunity to dive Apo Island, one of the healthest reef systems in SE Asia - turtles on evey dive. If you are looking for a nice resort, Atmosphere Resort has a good dive operation and is very comfortable. You can either fly direct to Manila and then take a local flight (1 hour) to Dumaguette, or if you want start your trip elsewhere, fly direct to HKG then take the ~2 hour flight direct to Cebu.

Another option to consider, given your partner is still early in their diving career - Wakatobi is one of the nicest dive resorts in all of Asia. The diving is very good (you won't be bored) and then coral is pristine (with many, many fish), and not much current at all. Food is very good and the resort is very well run... It's one extra flight - get to Bali the night before, then they run their own charter flights from Bali to the resort (it's very easy). If you did this you could add on time either before or after in Bali which is very good for non-diving activities as well.

58 minutes ago, OneYellowTang said:

November is not normally typhoon season in the Philippines, that's July to October (with August being the most active month). ...

...

They did have a large Typhoon in Nov. in 2024, but that impacted the very north of the country, and that's the only one in November in many years.

Well you probaby forgot the past years before : many people living in the Phils will tell you that in the recent years, typhoons have frequently been hitting the Phils in the last quarter of the year, and most this violently.

This is the link to the data of the main typhoons hitting the Phils since 2018: https://www.worlddata.info/asia/philippines/typhoons.php

You'll notice that within the past years 2024 (to be complete : 6 rainstorms or typhoons hit the Phils in October november 2024), 2022, 2021 and 2020 have all had typhoons from end of october to late december . You probably have heard about Rai aka. Odette ,the most devastating typhoon that hit the central Visayas mid december 2021, which wiped out many of the shallow coral gardens in all parts of the Visayas.

FWIW the last trip I planned end of the year in the Phils was for Xmas 2014, we had to cut our stay on Panglao short because of a typhoon coming in. Marine coast guards had locked all boats at deck and prohibited trips from/to Cebu. We eventually had to charter a bangka in Cabilao to cross the channel to Argao in 2m waves and heavy rain falls hours before the Typhoon landed.

For the record, a year before in 2013 the deadliest typhoon recorded in the Phils known as Yolanda had hit Bohol mid november, I thought that was happening once in a while... huh... from now on I only travel the Phils from Feb to May.

So from the theoritical POV November might not be the heart of the typhoon season, real figures have shown, filipinos will also tell you that since the last 10 years, november-december are more frequently hit by rainstorms and typhoons. Since this is quite impredictable, you may go and find decent weather in November, however you should know that there is a risk you may want to play with or not.

3 hours ago, Luko said:

So from the theoritical POV November might not be the heart of the typhoon season, real figures have shown, filipinos will also tell you that since the last 10 years, november-december are more frequently hit by rainstorms and typhoons. Since this is quite impredictable, you may go and find decent weather in November, however you should know that there is a risk you may want to play with or not.

The typhoon season is extended if the waters stay warm, this is what drives them , so not unexpected that late season typhoons are becoming common with warming oceans.

All great advice above. I would add the following:
1. You can consider a liveaboard in Raja Ampat. I think even a relatively new diver, or one who wants to do fewer dives a day and/or skip some day can easily enjoy life on a boat away from wifi. Also, Misool area you can kayak around the nearby Islands where the mother ship anchors.

2. I love Malapascua diving, but note that every day you will do one hour out and one hour back in a possibly bumpy banka boat.

3. Love Bali. Has plenty of reef, macro, wall, wreck (or what remains of it). Also has other topside activities, if you do a safari.

4. If Philippines, I would say (despite the town being what it is), diving in Puerto Galera, Verde Island, and then moving across the channel to stay in Anilao few days can be rather nice.

5. Similar experience (combo of wall/reef and macro) could be to split few days each in Bunaken and Lambeh. Both places have nice resorts and good food.

6. Personally, I would wait for fresh divers to get a bit more experience before going to Sipadan: mainly because it opens the possibility of diving turtle cave.

Kind regards,

Ajay

@Luko

Actually, the list you linked to I had already looked at to verfiy what I had remembered. I went back farther (10 years) to look at more data.

The Philippines has had exactly 1 typhoon in Dec. (Rai) in the last 10 years, and other than the unprecedented series of storms in November 2024, exactly 1 typhoon in that month as well.

You (conveniently) lump together October, November, & December to claim this is a fairly stormy time in the Philippines. I've been there in December for 4 of the last 5 years (always for diving). I did manage to miss Rai, but other than that, no issues.

I appreciate you providing your view here, but the data doesn't really support your position.

To the comment (by @Chris Ross ) that as the water is staying warmer longer in the year, extending (or even shifting) the typhoon season that is absolutely correct. July and August remain the month with the most highest propensity for typhoons, but it is shifting.

I was last year end of november/begining december in Cebu (Moaboal, Dauin , Anda) It was a little bit windy in Dauin but that's it. Diving trip report in the Philippines from 16/11/2024 to 10/12/2024 - Travel

This year we will probably stay in Malapascua and Sogod in the midle of november... I cross the finger that we will have good weater. Last year the wind was comming from the nortth Anda was very quite... Hope it will be the same in Sogod.

I'll put a plug in here for a resort group in Sulawesi area. Check out Murex Dive resorts. They have a great package deal called "Passport to Paradise" that we've done a few times. It includes 3 different resorts with different diving conditions that you set the amount of time at each based on your dive preferences and they do the transfer between resorts while you dive! (Have to say the reefs at Bangka are our favorite diving and the Lembeh resort is our favorite resort) I'll also put a plug in for the hotel in terminal 1 at the Singapore airport. What a great idea! You don't pay for entry into Singapore unless you want to leave the airport and I think they charged us by the half day or something like that.