5 Places to Scuba Dive in Africa

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When thinking of Africa, diving and snorkeling do not usually come to mind. This is a continent with wild jungles, unfriendly deserts, and dangerous territories.

However, those who are brave enough to take up an African adventure will not be disappointed with the beautiful sceneries and diving spots. It is a continent that is rich in wildlife and marine life, and you can do both when you holiday there.

Here are some of best diving/snorkeling locations in Africa that are perfect for exploring:

Taba: Pharaoh’s Island, Egypt

Egypt is best known for its pyramids and historic statues that date back centuries ago. Taba is situated in the northern reaches of the Gulf of Aqaba and is noted for its amazing marine life. It was once a Phoenician port and is surrounded by small pinnacles and walls that drop down to 80 feet.

It features healthy coral, schools of bream, batfish, and the beautiful moray eels. It is a great area for snorkelling and diving, and you might just get a glimpse of the very rare frogfish that often shows its head in this area. If you’re snorkeling, be sure to bring a good set of snorkel gear, there are no rentals here.

Doodles, Ponta do Ouro, Mozambique

Mozambique is known for its stunning beaches and blue waters thus it is no wonder that it makes for one of the top diving locations in Africa. Doodles is a long and interesting reef that has small drop offs and sand patches.

There are schools of young reef fish, shrimp, snappers, boxfish and colourful turtles to be seen amongst the coral. Whilst you dive you might encounter friendly potato bass that can reach lengths of up to 6.5 feet. Divers have also been known to spot game fish and dolphins frolicking in the waters. The best diving here is fairly deep however, reaching 115 ft at certain places, best to use a dive computer at those depths.

Pemba Island, Tanzania

Tanzania is situated in the heart of Africa and is known for its display of wildlife in and out of water. Pemba Island is the northernmost Tanzanian island in the Indian Ocean. It offers colourful and vibrant coral-choked walls, coral reefs, and big bommies.

These are all orbited by an array of reef fish that call it home. The North Horn diving spot is most famous for its shark sightings which include white tips, grey whalers, silver tips, and the occasional hammerhead. It is easy to explore other dive sites that all offer unique characteristics to divers.

Gansbaai, South Africa

South Africa is situated at the southernmost tip of Africa and Gansbaai captures the beauty in one area. Situated just east of Cape Town, it offers the most glorious diving spots. It is home to a massive Cape fur seal colony and has a vast number of African penguins. A short boat ride will take divers to a prime spot where great whites are abundant.

The Sardine Run, South Africa

What is probably one of the planet’s greatest dives, the Sardine Run illustrates the high-tailing of the sardines up the eastern seaboard, just off the Agulhas Bank. Imagine 4 miles worth of sardines, trailed by sharks, dolphins, and other predators that follow the sardines I their run.

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