What wetsuit to take to Raja Ampat in March

[specorelli]

Hello fellow divers

I am heading out to Raja Ampat in March 2019.

I am going to stay in a resort and doing 1-2 dives per day (traveling with the kids).

I've seen multiple references to full suits.
Is the water that cold if you are not doing a liveaboard with 3-4 dives per day?

For reference about my temperature gauge:
Europe: dry suit and hood
Caribbean: full 3 mm, no hood
Maldives liveaboard: shortie, no hood

Thanks in advance for the advice!

 

[stepfen]

Last year (end of February - begin of March) I had a full body rash guard and I was ok!

My computer reports: max temperature in all my (15) dives was 29.0 and min 28.0 with average of 28.7 degrees Celsius. That's pretty consistent!

 

[stepfen]

I forgot to mention, all my dives were around Dampier Strait (Cape Kri, Blue Magic, Sardine Reef etc). South RA (Misool etc) might be a slightly different story.

 

[Premo83]

I was on the Samambaia last March, three to four dives a day and I was fine wearing boardshorts and a rash guard.

 

[billt4sf]

I think most people in RA wear a full 3mm no hood, but I've seen everything from 5mm with hood to just a bathing suit.

- Bill

 

[nudisusie]

from your temperature gauge i'd go with the full 3mm no hood.
I've been absolutely fine in a skin as temps rarely drop below 27C but definitely take something long to cover arms and legs as there are jellies and other stinging marine life floating about. beware of the brown fern like plants (hydroids)

 

[Mike Veitch]

29C mostly. Very rarely goes below

 

[chillyinCanada]

I haven't been in March but last January, virtually everyone on the boat was wearing a full 3mm suit by day 3, we were all wearing hoods too. Of course, as you pointed out, we were diving all day, every day, so YMMV

 

[specorelli]

Brilliant feedback
Thanks a lot for the details!

 

[Shasta_man]

what nudiesusie said