Diving tool · Exposure protection
Wetsuit thickness chart for diving by water temperature
Pick a dive area and a month to get a suit recommendation based on the average water temperature along Turkey’s coast, or enter a temperature you measured yourself. The advice is compiled from published diving charts, not surf charts.
Recommended suit
3 mm full suit
Çukurbağ Peninsula (Kaş) · October: average water 26.1 °C
No hood or gloves needed.
Monthly values are 2023–2025 averages, not the temperature on the day.
Wetsuit thickness by water temperature
For a diver with average cold tolerance. If you get cold easily, use the next row down.
| Water temperature | Suit | Hood / gloves |
|---|---|---|
| ≥ 28 °C | 3 mm shorty or thin full suit | No hood or gloves needed. |
| 22–28 °C | 3 mm full suit | No hood or gloves needed. |
| 18–22 °C | 5 mm full suit | Hood and gloves recommended. |
| 14–18 °C | 7 mm full suit | Hood and gloves recommended. |
| 10–14 °C | 7 mm semi-dry + hood and gloves | A 5–7 mm hood and gloves recommended. |
| < 10 °C | Drysuit | Use dry gloves and a cold-water regulator. |
Monthly water temperature at Turkey’s dive areas
Each cell is the 2023–2025 average for that month (°C); the colour shows the suit recommended at that temperature. 16 areas; this month’s column is outlined.
- 3 mm shorty or thin full suit
- 3 mm full suit
- 5 mm full suit
- 7 mm full suit
- 7 mm semi-dry + hood and gloves
- Drysuit
| Dive area | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antalya | ||||||||||||
| Çukurbağ Peninsula (Kaş) | 19.5 | 18.3 | 17.9 | 18.7 | 21.2 | 25.4 | 28.5 | 29.8 | 28.6 | 26.1 | 23.6 | 21.2 |
| Limanağzı (Kaş) | 19.5 | 18.3 | 17.9 | 18.7 | 21.2 | 25.4 | 28.5 | 29.8 | 28.6 | 26.1 | 23.6 | 21.2 |
| Aydın | ||||||||||||
| Adakule (Kuşadası) | 17.5 | 16.0 | 16.4 | 17.6 | 19.8 | 23.8 | 25.5 | 26.6 | 25.1 | 22.5 | 20.4 | 18.6 |
| Panayır Island (Didim) | 18.5 | 16.8 | 16.9 | 17.8 | 19.8 | 23.4 | 25.4 | 26.8 | 25.6 | 23.4 | 21.8 | 19.7 |
| Çanakkale | ||||||||||||
| Anzac Cove (Arıburnu) | 12.8 | 10.1 | 11.4 | 13.5 | 16.3 | 21.0 | 24.5 | 24.7 | 23.4 | 20.5 | 18.1 | 15.6 |
| Ertuğrul Bay | 14.5 | 11.8 | 12.6 | 14.2 | 16.6 | 20.0 | 23.2 | 23.5 | 22.6 | 20.5 | 18.3 | 16.9 |
| Gallipoli Historical Underwater Park | 12.8 | 10.1 | 11.4 | 13.5 | 16.3 | 21.0 | 24.5 | 24.7 | 23.4 | 20.5 | 18.1 | 15.6 |
| Küçük Kemikli Cape | 13.0 | 10.4 | 11.6 | 13.8 | 16.6 | 21.6 | 25.0 | 24.9 | 23.4 | 20.5 | 18.1 | 15.6 |
| Nara Cape (Gallipoli) | 12.8 | 10.1 | 11.2 | 13.3 | 16.1 | 20.6 | 24.1 | 24.5 | 23.3 | 20.4 | 18.1 | 15.5 |
| Off Kabatepe (Gallipoli) | 12.8 | 10.1 | 11.4 | 13.5 | 16.3 | 21.0 | 24.5 | 24.7 | 23.4 | 20.5 | 18.1 | 15.6 |
| Seddülbahir | 14.5 | 11.8 | 12.6 | 14.2 | 16.6 | 20.0 | 23.2 | 23.5 | 22.6 | 20.5 | 18.3 | 16.9 |
| Suvla Bay | 13.0 | 10.4 | 11.6 | 13.8 | 16.6 | 21.6 | 25.0 | 24.9 | 23.4 | 20.5 | 18.1 | 15.6 |
| Tekke Bay | 14.6 | 11.6 | 12.4 | 14.0 | 16.5 | 20.2 | 23.9 | 24.1 | 22.9 | 20.7 | 18.4 | 17.0 |
| Edirne | ||||||||||||
| Gökçetepe (Saros) | 12.1 | 10.6 | 11.7 | 14.2 | 17.1 | 22.6 | 25.3 | 24.7 | 22.9 | 19.5 | 17.2 | 14.3 |
| Izmir | ||||||||||||
| Eşek Island (Çeşme) | 17.5 | 16.1 | 16.4 | 17.2 | 18.8 | 22.3 | 23.8 | 24.6 | 24.0 | 21.9 | 20.1 | 18.7 |
| Muğla | ||||||||||||
| Dalyan Stream (Fethiye) | 19.8 | 18.3 | 18.0 | 18.8 | 20.9 | 25.5 | 28.5 | 29.5 | 28.1 | 25.9 | 23.6 | 21.3 |
What changes the recommendation
- If you get cold easily, go one step warmer. Most sources give separate advice for divers who run warm and divers who run cold.
- Water at depth can be colder than at the surface (thermocline), and neoprene compresses under pressure. For deep or long dives go one step warmer and dress for the temperature at depth.
- With three or more dives a day your body has little time to rewarm; go one step warmer.
- Slow diving such as photography or macro produces less body heat; go one step warmer.
- Adding a hood or a neoprene vest is a more flexible fix than moving to a thicker suit.
- The area table shows surface averages (2023–2025); see the sea water temperature tool for today’s value.
- Protection helps in warm water too: according to DAN, most divers benefit from thermal protection below 27 °C, and without it body temperature can drop on long exposure even in 29–33 °C water.
- Surf charts run about one step thinner than diving charts: surfers get in and out of the water and are not under pressure.
Sources
PADI, SSI, NAUI and CMAS do not publish their own numeric charts. The advice is compiled from the published charts below; where sources disagree, the majority choice is used.
- EN 14225-1:2017 thermal classes — Scubapro wetsuit manual (2020)
- DAN Europe, Neal Pollock: Hypothermia (2011)
- Scuba Diving (PADI): Wetsuit thickness and water temperature (2014)
- Scuba Diving: How to stay warm diving in any water temperature (2021)
- Divernet / Scuba.com: Wetsuit thickness and temperature guide (2023)
- BSAC: Be cool — the art of winter diving
- Water temperature: Open-Meteo Marine, daily sea surface temperature, 2023–2025.