Wonderpus

Resident but genuinely less frequent than the headline critters.

Open year-round. The strait is narrow and sheltered on both sides, so weather rarely stops diving. Jul-Aug brings cooler nutrient-rich water which lowers visibility but is reported to increase critter activity, making the 'worst' visibility months arguably the best diving months.

In the muck bays.

Dec-Mar is the rainy season: visibility drops and some resorts reduce or suspend operations, though there is no formal closure. Apr-Aug is the calm high season with 30-40m+ visibility, best for photographers and first-timers. Sep-Dec is the pelagic season with stronger currents and colder water. The two 'best' windows serve different divers, which is the useful thing to know.

Season runs roughly October to May, with November and May singled out as the best months by both sources. Jun-Sep is the southwest monsoon and typhoon window: resorts stay open and diving continues on calm days, but sea state and rain cancel dives and photography groups avoid it. Encoded 'limited' rather than 'closed' because access never actually stops.