Destinations · Roundup

Where to Go in March: Best Watersports Bases

by Yannick SchrothAug 5, 20267 min read

Whale sharks gracefully swimming underwater, showcasing mari

Photo: Emma Li via Pexels (free licence).

March is a hinge month. Mozambique's mantas hit their best stretch, Borneo and the central Philippines get their calmest seas, and the southern hemisphere slides into its best all-round surf window. Every pick below is a base we have a full guide for, and the reason it works in March comes from that guide's own season notes. Seasons shift year to year, so treat these as planning windows and confirm conditions before you book.
Each guide linked below carries the verified figures and where they came from.

How we chose

March sits between two seasons, which makes it the month with the widest spread between a great trip and a wasted one. March is the shoulder month that suits flexible people. Winter systems are fading and summer patterns have not arrived, which means fewer crowds and slightly less reliable conditions almost everywhere. Every base here is included because its own guide names March as part of its working window, not because the weather is generally nice, and where a place is marginal we say so rather than padding the list to a round number.

23°51′S 35°33′E · Diving

Tofo

Mantas are seen year-round with March to May widely rated the peak, and March often called the best all-round month.

Manta peakRead the guide → 4°29′N 118°37′E · Diving

Semporna (Sipadan)

The drier stretch runs April to December, with March to June often the calmest seas and clearest water.

Calmest seasRead the guide → 9°57′N 123°23′E · Diving

Moalboal

The drier, calmer months run roughly March to June, the best stretch for visibility.

Best visibilityRead the guide → 12°00′N 120°12′E · Wreck diving

Coron, Palawan

Wreck visibility is best from about March to May, commonly reaching 20 to 30 metres.

Best wreck visibilityRead the guide → 16°36′N 22°56′W · Kitesurfing

Sal, Cape Verde

Still in the February to March sweet spot of the November to June trade-wind season.

Strong tradesRead the guide → 28°38′S 153°37′E · Surf

Byron Bay

Autumn (March to May) is the best all-round window: clean swells, water still warm, thinner crowds.

Autumn sweet spotRead the guide → 37°48′S 174°52′E · Surf

Raglan

Autumn (March to May) is the most consistent stretch on the point breaks.

Consistent autumnRead the guide → 5°54′N 102°43′E · Diving

Perhentian Islands

The islands reopen for the March to October window after the northeast monsoon shutdown.

Season reopensRead the guide →

Also good in March

Malapascua, still inside its January to April peak.
Pichilemu, where the big-wave window runs March to October.
Maui, as the March to October trade-wind season starts.

FAQ

Where can I dive with mantas in March?

Tofo in Mozambique is the standout: mantas are resident year-round, and March to May is widely rated the peak, with March often called the best all-round month. Raja Ampat's manta odds also stay strong through April.

Is March a good month to start a longer stay?

It works well in the southern hemisphere, where autumn (March to May) is the best all-round window in Byron Bay and Raglan, and in Borneo and the central Philippines, where March to June brings the calmest seas of the year.

Sources

Every entry above is drawn from our own destination guide for that place, and the claims here are the ones those guides already verify: Tofo, Semporna (Sipadan), Moalboal, Coron, Palawan, Sal, Cape Verde, Byron Bay, Raglan, Perhentian Islands.

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