Where are the best places to scuba dive in June? School holidays are beginning, temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere are rising, and it's a great time to head on a dive holiday before the peak season of July and August. None of the world's dive destinations are "best" in a single month, but to help you get some ideas, Bluewater’s team of dive travel experts has rounded up our top three places to scuba dive in June.
Are you ready to plan your June diving trip? Read on to learn more about our top 3 destinations to dive in June.
1. Tubbataha Reef, Philippines
The Philippines has exceptional diving throughout the country; however, Tubbataha Reef – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – is famous for its spectacular biodiversity and large marine species. We love Tubbataha diving in June, although the options are slim, with the park only open to divers for four months of the year.
Diving in Tubbataha offers incredible wide-angle photography opportunities, with healthy reefs attracting numerous species of sharks, including silkies, guitar sharks, and hammerheads. You can also spot whale sharks, giant trevally, manta rays, barracuda, and turtles. Macro lovers will also find nudibranchs, seahorses, and crustaceans at some sites; however, if you want to focus on macro photography, consider visiting macro hotspots in the Philippines, including Dumaguete and Anilao.
Liveaboards are the only option for diving this remote and pristine marine environment, so you need to fly from Manila’s international airport to the departure point of Puerto Princessa. The crossing to Tubbataha takes roughly ten hours, giving you time to rest before you dive. Plan your trip to the famed Tubbataha Reefs National Park well in advance, as it is only open to divers from March through June.
2. Fakarava, French Polynesia
Another great place to visit for scuba diving in June is Fakarava in French Polynesia. Known for its sharky waters, Fakarava boasts an even greater population of reef sharks in June and July during grouper spawning events. If you want to dive with a wall of sharks - and capture some epic wide-angle photos and video footage - Fakarava is the place to go.
Join Bluewater’s Fakarava Grouper Spawning Group Trip in June 2024 or June 2025 to experience this spectacle with an expert trip leader to handle the logistics! This 8-night trip is timed to fall on the expected spawning date and includes 20 dives. Learn photography tips from a professional underwater photographer to ensure you capture photos worthy of more than just bragging rights.
One of our favorite easy-to-reach destinations from the US, Fakarava is typically dived from charming land-based accommodation in the traditional Tahitian style. Expect options ranging from very basic pensions offering a rustic, barefoot, off-the-grid experience to more comfortable lodge-style with more amenities – all of which provide access to some of the most incredible scuba diving in the world.
3. Cocos Island, Costa Rica
Cocos Island in Costa Rica is a top choice if you love big animal diving and want to get away for some diving in June. We love this remote and rocky region for its cleaning stations frequented by hammerheads looking to be cleaned by barberfish. Cocos’ dives are done in the open ocean and are suitable for experienced advanced divers. If you are looking for healthy coral reefs in June, we recommend visiting Tubbataha or Fakarava.
Cocos Island is home to many species of shark, marble rays, manta rays, large schools of jacks and tuna, and occasional whale sharks. With at least twenty-seven endemic species commonly seen in the Galapagos, it’s no wonder divers struggle to choose between the most popular big animal destinations. Read our guide to Socorro, Cocos, or Galapagos to help you decide!
Costa Rica is an adventure-lover’s paradise, so you should consider combining a trip to Cocos with some land-based activities before or after (or both!). Cocos Island is only visited by liveaboards, which depart from Puntarenas – a two-hour bus ride from San Jose. The crossing takes roughly 36-40 hours, so we recommend packing some sea sickness tablets!
Other great Places places to dive in June
While we recommend Tubbataha Reef, Fakarava, and Cocos Island as our top three, there are abundant other incredible destinations to dive in June, including the Red Sea, Fiji, Mexico's cenotes, and many more. We understand that “best” is subjective and divers have different preferences. Contact our travel advisors to discuss what the “best” means to you so we can customize your best dive trip in June.
how to book a trip
Bluewater Travel can book you on a liveaboard or resort in Tubbataha Reef, Fakarava, Cocos Island, and 40+ other destinations in the world for the same cost or less than booking any other way. We know the diving, seasons, boats and cabins and when to go better than anyone else!
Email us or write to us in the live chat box to book a resort, liveaboard, or a Dive with Bluewater trip!
Further Reading
Visit our sister websites: Bluewater Photo, and the Underwater Photography Guide for additional resources:
Best Underwater Cameras in 2024
Buyer's Guides to Underwater Photography & Videography Equipment
Guide to Wide-Angle Underwater Photography
