South Africa is a perfect setting for those with a passion for Scuba Diving. In addition to the beautiful surroundings and picturesque scenery, South Africa also offers a wide variety of marine life and stretches of water that are ideal for exploration.
Places to scuba dive in South Africa
Scuba diving in South Africa opens up a previously undiscovered underwater world – so ensure you take the time to visit all the country’s scuba diving hotspots, starting with the South African’s most popular scuba diving hotspot; Sodwana Bay. This range of sub-tropical reefs stretches over nine miles and offer an almost limitless surprise of explorable secrets. The dive sites along this area are varied so divers of any experience can enjoy them. Ribbon reef is a fantastic place to dive from, launching from two spectacular rocks.
If you want to localize your scuba diving adventures, then Dyers Island is a perfect place to both admire the marine life from the shore as well as explore underwater flora and fauna in the seas. There is a kelp forest under the waters, where larger marine mammals can be found roaming. The Aliwal Shoal is a South Africa scuba diving area with fantastic visibility, reaching over 20 meters in some areas. The water temperature is also pleasant all year round, reaching highs of 23 Degrees Celsius.
The Produce Wreck is a great place for exploring to bring out the inner pirate in you. Not only is the shipwreck interesting to explore in itself, but you will be able to spot numerous sea creatures that have made this sunken ship their home.
What to look out for when scuba diving in South Africa
The amount of marine life you can discover when Scuba Diving in South Africa will make you want to return again and again. Not only are there several species of fish to observe, for example Lionfish, Stingrays and Snappers, but there are also several species of turtle as well as shell fish such as the South African Rock Lobster. Larger sea creatures, including inquisitive dolphins, are also very common. For those that are more daring, sharks and whales – even humpback whales – can be observed. The endless reefs of coral are well preserved too, and truly make for a magnificent scuba dive experience.
