Raja Ampat · Month comparison
October vs May
May ranks #1 overall vs October at #5. Pre-peak sweet spot — dry season has arrived, visibility at 25–30m, and the crowds haven't caught up with the conditions yet.
October
#5 of 12 months
Strong option
Wet season returning — a transition month with good value, diving still excellent, but west-coast sites becoming unreliable.
- ↑Liveaboard prices drop 10–15% from peak season as bookings thin
- ↑East-coast dive sites still calm and clear through October
May
#1 of 12 months
Best match
Pre-peak sweet spot — dry season has arrived, visibility at 25–30m, and the crowds haven't caught up with the conditions yet.
- ↑25–30m visibility in dive sites including the famous Cape Kri fish count spot
- ↑Liveaboard prices still 15–20% below July–August peak
| Factor | October | May |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 7 | 9 |
| Value score | 6 | 7 |
| Crowd score | 6 | 7 |
| Events score | 3 | 3 |
| Atmosphere | 8 | 9 |
| Avg high temp | 30°C | 31°C |
| Monthly rain | 120mm | 95mm |
| Daily sunshine | 6.5hrs | 7hrs |
October trade-offs
- ↓Rains increasing to 120mm — some days disrupted by squalls
- ↓West-coast sites and Wayag lagoon access becoming weather-dependent
May trade-offs
- ↓Some liveaboard routes still avoiding southern passages until June
- ↓Fewer dive operators running than July–August — less schedule flexibility
Scores compare months within Raja Ampat. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →