Discover our top recommended destinations for scuba diving in August. Encounter thrilling big animals in the Sea of Cortez, witness the pristine soft corals and diverse marine life in Alor, and snorkel with Orcas on a polar expedition to Norway. Whatever your preferences, we'll build your dream dive trip in August!
Explore alor
Article
La Paz Trip Report 2025
Mexico
Read all about Bluewater Travel’s November 2025 La Paz photography workshop offered a week of unforgettable underwater experiences.
Article
AgnesA
Best Liveaboard Destinations for Beginner Scuba Divers
Thailand
Liveaboards can seem daunting if you've never been on one, and even more so to newer divers. We've rounded up the best liveaboard destinations suitable for beginner scuba divers, with options ranging from the nearby Caribbean to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. Read on to find the best liveaboard destination for you!
Article
Travel Editor
Best Diving in Indonesia - Top 10
Indonesia
Looking for the best diving in Indonesia? We've dived around the country and picked our favorites. Here is our list of top 10 dive areas in Indonesia!
Article
Chris H
Bluewater Travel's 50 Amazing Adventures
French Polynesia
Join us as we explore unique destinations around the world. Each video showcases a recent dive adventure with a Bluewater team member, customer, or a Travel with Bluewater group in an exotic location!
Article
Chris H
Beginner’s Guide to Swimming with Whales & Whale Sharks
Worldwide
Swimming with whales or whale sharks is a breathtaking, bucket-list experience—and yes, it's accessible even to beginners! This guide will prepare you with everything you need to know before jumping in.
There are numerous incredible places to scuba dive in August, which marks the height of peak tourist season in many parts of the world. We always suggest you discuss with your travel advisor what your preferences are, so you travel to the destination with the best diving for you at any given time of year. For some inspiration, we have rounded up three of the top places to scuba dive in August.
Are you ready to plan your August diving trip? Read on to learn more about our top 3 destinations to dive in August.
One of our favorite places to scuba dive in August is the Sea of Cortez in Mexico. This playground on the Baja Peninsula is a great destination near the United States to experience memorable encounters with exciting marine life. We love the Sea of Cortez diving in August for warmer waters and the chance to see whale sharks.
Dive with playful sea lions, manta and mobula rays, massive bait balls, and schools of jackfish. Practice your macro photography skills on the smaller critters such as seahorses, nudibranchs, and signal blennies. The Sea of Cortez is home to a wide range of marine life from large to small, giving plenty of encounters for all divers to enjoy!
Embark on a liveaboard to explore the best dive sites throughout the Sea of Cortez, or stay at a dive resort to enjoy a mix of diving and land-based activities. Photographers (and non-photographers) will love Bluewaters Ultimate Whale Shark & Sea Lion Sea of Cortez Trip in August 2024.
Another great destination for scuba diving in August is Alor, Indonesia. With a long diving season from March through December, you have plenty of opportunities to visit Alor throughout the year. However, if you want to visit Indonesias gorgeous coral reefs in August, Alor is a wonderful option to avoid more crowded areas.
Expect some of the most vibrant and healthy coral reefs in the Coral Triangle and marine biodiversity to match. Visibility can exceed 130 feet unveiling a dreamy landscape for wide-angle photographers to try to do justice. Alor boasts plummeting coral walls, sloping bottoms carpeted with anemones as far as the eye can see, and enough current to bring pelagics in when you least expect them. Macro lovers will also find plentiful photography subjects, from nudibranchs to rhinopias.
Stay at one of Alors boutique dive resorts, or join a liveaboard that includes Alor on its itinerary (usually in combination with Flores or Maumere). Make the most of your time in Indonesia by visiting a resort in Alor either before or after a liveaboard in Komodo or the Banda Sea. Join Bluewaters Alor Underwater Photo Workshop in September 2025 to experience the best of Alor from the Tiare luxury liveaboard.
Want to avoid the summer crowds? Discover our top picks for diving in September.
A surprise polar destination to dive in August, Norway is gaining popularity with divers and other adventurous travelers. August is an excellent time to view topside wildlife at its most active and experience 24-hours of daylight, also known as the midnight sun. Temperatures are also mildest this time of year, making the polar diving somewhat more comfortable.
Pack your drysuit to explore Norways coastline, which boasts an abundance of life, kelp forests, coral reefs, shipwrecks, and caves all with spectacular cold-water visibility. Enjoy the freedom to choose between boat and shore diving, guided group tours, or diving with your buddy. Visit the Svalbard Archipelago to experience its memorable polar landscapes, including vast glaciers and fjords. Encounter wildlife you never expected to see in person, such as reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, and polar bears. Witness a variety of whales humpback, beluga, blue, and minke can all be seen in the Arctic waters surrounding the archipelago.
Stay in seaside villages or board an expedition vessel to explore the icy Arctic waters offshore the options for a dive and land adventure in Norway are endless. If that sounds daunting, join Bluewaters Norway Polar Expedition in August 2024 to experience the remarkable Svalbard Archipelago with an experienced trip leader to handle the logistics.
If you're interested in another polar destination, Antarctica is on our list of places to dive in March.
While we recommend the Sea of Cortez, Alor, and Norway as our top three, there are abundant other incredible destinations to dive in August, including Lembeh, Komodo, Fiji, 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 August.
Bluewater Travel can book you on a liveaboard or resort in Raja Ampat, Anilao, Truk Lagoon, 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!
Visit our sister websites, Bluewater Photo, and the Underwater Photography Guide for additional resources:
Article
ChrisH
Beginner Dive Sites in the Caribbean
Worldwide
Looking to start your scuba diving journey in the Caribbean? This guide highlights the region’s best beginner-friendly dive sites—calm waters, vibrant marine life, and easy access make them perfect for first-time divers.
Article
Chris H
10 Best Snorkeling Destinations in the World
Philippines
Exploring the underwater world doesn't always require scuba certification or bulky gear as snorkeling provides a simple and equally stunning way to experience marine life in its natural environment. Snorkeling travel is booming in 2025, with high demand for liveaboard snorkel options in the Maldives and Raja Ampat. We've added more itinerary flexibility to help travellers access remote reefs with shallow, clear-water drop-offs.
Article
Adam Lucia
Best Places to Swim or Dive with Whale Sharks: Our Top 6
Socorro Islands
