Diving at Clement Reef (Malaysia)

Published14 Mar 2026

A vibrant underwater tapestry unfolds at Clement Reef, featuring a picturesque coral garden on the western side of Pulau Gaya. This site showcases a diverse sloping reef, providing an almost circular patch of coral life. It's an accessible boat dive within the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, inviting exploration of its detailed structures and colorful formations. Divers will discover an expansive environment here, rich in different coral types.

Current morning readings from Clement Reef indicate an air temperature of 29.5°C. Surface wave heights are averaging around 0.3 m at this time. These local measurements provide a baseline for your daily dive planning.

Dive Site Location & Key Facts

Coordinates6.0818, 116.0817

Max Depth--

Entry Type--

Water Typesalt

Dive Types

Reef

Dive Site Overview

Prepare to explore Clement Reef's expansive marine ecosystem, a popular dive site within Sabah, Malaysia, known for its vibrant underwater landscape. This coral garden offers a compelling experience for certified divers of all levels, featuring gentle slopes and scattered rocky outcrops that create varied habitats.

Maximum depths reach around 30 m (100 ft), presenting opportunities to explore the periphery where the reef meets the sandy seabed. The site’s topography, from its abundant sponges like barrel and organ pipes to stunning fan corals, forms a visually rich environment. You'll observe numerous species, from the smaller inhabitants like nudibranchs and coral shrimp hidden in crevices, to larger residents such as pufferfish, lizard fish, and barracuda.

Occasional sightings of turtles resting on the surrounding sand plains further enhance the dive experience. Access is exclusively by boat, typically a short 15-minute journey from nearby charters.

Clement Reef

Conditions are Excellent

9/10

Confidence: 8/10

Indicates meteorological model agreement and data availability.

Best Dive Window

07:00 - 14:00

Optimal conditions expected

06:12

18:45

H: 10:45

L: 16:20

Air / Sea Temp

30° / 32°

Wave Height

0.4 m

Wind Speed

19 km/h E

Rain Chance

50%

Current conditions near Clement Reef show 30° air, 32° sea temperature, 0.4 m waves, and 19 km/h wind. Forecast data is refreshed regularly to ensure accuracy.

Radius: ~12km

Updated: Nov 3, 2026, 13:36 local time

MARINE: OPEN-METEOWEATHER: YR.NO

Best Time to Dive

The optimal window for diving Clement Reef typically spans from March to October, aligning with periods of excellent and good dive scores. During April, conditions are often at their best, characterized by lower average wave heights around 0.4 m and moderate wind speeds near 11.95 km/h, making for calmer seas. Air temperatures during these prime months generally hover between 27-27.5°C (81-82°F), contributing to comfortable surface conditions. Rainfall is relatively lower, averaging 9-13 mm during this peak season, though showers can still occur. Water temperatures are consistently warm, ranging from 27-30°C (81-86°F) in summer and 25-28°C (77-82°F) in winter, allowing for enjoyable dives year-round, although visibility may vary outside the peak months.

PEAK SEASON SCORE

89/100

Very Good

Scores combine air & water temps, waves, wind & rainfall for overall conditions.

BEST MONTHS TO DIVE

MAR

APR

JUN

DIVE SCORE (0–100)	75 JAN	86 FEB	88 MAR	93 APR	75 MAY	87 JUN	86 JUL	86 AUG	75 SEP	75 OCT	75 NOV	84 DEC
AIR TEMP (°C)	26	26	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27
WATER TEMP (°C)	29	29	29	30	31	31	30	31	30	30	30	30
WAVES (M)	1.1	0.9	0.7	0.4	0.4	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.9	1.0
WIND (KM/H)	13	14	13	12	12	13	14	13	14	13	12	11
RAIN (MM)	10.9	6.6	6.8	9.1	13.5	8.6	6.8	10.0	12.8	11.8	12.3	9.7

DIVE SCORE GUIDE (0–100)

Excellent (90–100)

Very Good (80–89)

Good (70–79)

Moderate (50–69)

Poor (30–49)

Not Recommended (0–29)

Monthly records compiled from satellite and marine observation nodes over the last 3 years. Data provided by Open-Meteo and MET Norway.

Dive Experience & Conditions

Drifting through Clement Reef, divers encounter a landscape of gentle slopes and rocky outcrops, where the underwater topography offers a sense of easy navigation. Visibility here is generally good, often ranging between 10 to 20 meters (33-66 ft), with an average of 15 meters (49 ft), allowing clear views of the extensive coral garden. Current activity is typically mild or limited, making it suitable for a relaxed exploration, and significant surge is not consistently reported. The water remains comfortably warm, with temperatures generally between 25-30°C (77-86°F). This site's bottom composition includes both vibrant coral and sandy patches, inviting divers to spend an average of 45 minutes exploring its various features.

Dive Difficulty & Safety Guidelines

Navigating Clement Reef involves an awareness of surrounding activities to ensure a safe dive. Pleasure boats operate in the vicinity, so deploying a dive buoy is recommended when ascending to surface to enhance visibility for boat traffic. As Clement Reef lies within the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, obtaining the necessary diving permits is a mandatory step before entry.

Adhering to responsible diving practices is crucial; avoid touching corals or marine life, and maintain proper buoyancy to protect the delicate ecosystem. Divers should always follow their dive guide's instructions and conduct buddy checks.

Recommended Equipment

Dive Computer

This gear list is based on verified equipment signals for Clement Reef, Malaysia. Always confirm final gear choices with your dive operator, guide, or liveaboard.

Recommended Dive Suit

Divers visiting Clement Reef today can expect water conditions around 32°C (89°F). Surface air temperatures are resting at 30°C (85°F).

For the majority of recreational dives here, dive skin or rash guard should provide suitable protection.

Surface temperatures may decrease slightly later in the week. Cooler days are ahead; you might want a warmer option for later in the week. Some divers prefer carrying a slightly thicker suit as a backup.

Clement Reef conditions last reviewed: 13:36 local time (UTC+8), Nov 3, 2026

Emergency & Medical Support

Essential information to help you plan your dive trip to clement reef.

Hyperbaric chambers are a critical part of dive safety infrastructure. Availability varies significantly by region, and not all dive areas have immediate access.

Before diving, it's recommended to:

confirm nearest medical facilities
check emergency procedures with local dive operators
ensure dive insurance covers evacuation if required

24/7 Available

Divers Alert Network

Diving emergency assistance available through DAN World.

+1-919-684-9111

24/7 emergency hotline
Diving medical assistance
Evacuation coordination

View official DAN emergency contacts

Emergency contacts are provided for reference. Always verify local emergency services before diving.

Marine Life at Clement Reef

The diverse topography of Clement Reef supports a rich array of inhabitants, making every dive a discovery. You'll encounter numerous pufferfish, from the larger map pufferfish to smaller black spotted varieties, alongside clear fin lizard fish resting on the sandy bottom.

Looking closely into the nooks and crannies reveals banded coral shrimp and a notable presence of flabellina nudibranchs. Blackfin barracuda are often observed hanging motionless at the reef's edges, while turtles are sometimes found snoozing on the surrounding sandy sea bed. Seahorses are also reported residents, adding to the site's appeal.