Bonzour - Welcome!
Perhaps one of the most alluring characteristics of the Seychelles is the clear turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean which surround the islands. The stunning topography of expansive reefs, walls, pinnacles, drop offs, wrecks and canyons make for one of the most diverse marine environments around, teeming with both fish and coral life.
Best time to dive?
With dive sites ranging in depth from 8m to 30m there are options for both beginners and experienced divers to enjoy. It is possible to dive throughout the year in the Seychelles – however waters are calmest during the months of March, April and May and September, October and November. During these months visibility can reach a staggering 30m and with water temperatures reaching 29oc it makes for a very pleasant and relaxed diving experience. The calmer waters also mean dive boats can reach the more remote sites, where encounters with mega fauna such as sharks and manta rays are common – these sites are particularly good for experienced divers. During the months June, July and August the south-east monsoon brings stronger winds making access to the more remote dive sites difficult and unreliable.
Best time to Dive?
With dive sites ranging in depth from 8m to 30m there are options for both beginners and experienced divers to enjoy. It is possible to dive throughout the year in the Seychelles – however waters are calmest during the months of March, April and May and September, October and November. During these months visibility can reach a staggering 30m and with water temperatures reaching 29oc it makes for a very pleasant and relaxed diving experience. The calmer waters also mean dive boats can reach the more remote sites, where encounters with mega fauna such as sharks and manta rays are common – these sites are particularly good for experienced divers. During the months June, July and August the south-east monsoon brings stronger winds making access to the more remote dive sites difficult and unreliable.
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Do you offer Diving services?
Promote your services and connect with divers
Are you a Scuba diver?
Join and get the best benefits for your next trip
Sea Life
Around the inner reefs, marine life you can expect to see among others includes – angelfish, butterflyfish, octopus, lionfish, nudibranchs and mantis shrimp. Slightly further out, napoleon and humphead wrasses, schools of humphead parrotfish, stingrays, reef sharks and green and hawksbill turtles are common.
Sailfish, silvertip, oceanic whitetip and nurse sharks, manta rays and whale sharks are more common around the remoter outer islands –
you may even be able to spot the occasional hammerhead shark if you’re lucky! By EXPERT AFRICA
Dive Sites
With 115 islands scattered across the Indian Ocean between 4° and 10° south of the Equator,
Seychelles offers diverse and impressive diving opportunities.
The Inner Islands, remains of a submerged mountain range, rest on a shallow plateau with prolific marine life
and excellent diving facilities available to access a multitude of dive sites.
The Outer Islands to the south of the archipelago are all coralline or sand cays and mainly uninhabited,
presenting the experienced diver with excellent opportunities to explore where few have gone before. By seychelles.travel
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L’ilot
This is a tiny but very picturesque site with a maximum depth of 28 metres. L’ilot is so small that you will be able to swim round the whole island in just one dive. Despite its size, there is a lot of life to see here. You’ll often see turtles in the shallows. Also, this is the spot to see whale sharks, an ultimate sighting for any keen diver. There are also various swim-throughs and archways formed from the large granite rocks.
Wrecks on Mahé
There are four wreck dives to experience off Mahé. The most famous is the Ennerdale. There is also Twin Barges, the Dredger and the Aldebaran, all of which were sunk deliberately for diving purposes. All four make fantastic dive sites. The Aldebaran is considered to be the most beautiful due to it being fully intact. All of the wrecks also boast fantastic marine life. The dive schools will advise when they are planning on visiting the different wrecks, although of course, this can change depending on the conditions on the day.
Brissare Rocks
Brissare Rocks is teeming with life. There are lots of rays to see here and be sure to look out for turtles and nurse sharks too. Brissare Rocks is a must-see. It’s an isolated spot so watch for strong currents. There is also a lot of fire coral here. While beautiful, this coral requires you to be extra careful not to touch it as it can sting.
St. Pierre
f you’re learning to dive this is the spot where you are most likely to be taken. Just a couple of minutes by boat from either Octopus or White Tip dive schools by boat, it’s really easy to get to. With a maximum depth of 10 metres, it is perfect for beginners. However, this spot is beautiful for any experience level. Turtles frequent here and there are nearly always reef sharks to be seen.
South Marianne Island
South Marianne Island is an advanced dive site, with a maximum depth of around 25 metres and often strong currents. This is, without doubt, the most beautiful dive from Praslin. This site is notorious for people seeing a lot of sharks. The underwater topography is stunning, with pinnacles to swim through and huge rock formations throughout the dive.
Diving Aldabra
It would be wrong to do a list of dive sites in Seychelles without mentioning Aldabra, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a protected nature reserve. It is the largest raised coral reef in the world and Sir David Attenborough described it as “one of the wonders of the world”. Having been largely untouched by man due to its remoteness, this site has an almost unparalleled amount of marine life. Dugongs are starting to make a return to the area after a long absence.
Dive sites info by Chantelle Howell
How to Arrive
Seychelles has two major airports: Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) in Victoria and Praslin Island Airport. Seychelles International Airport is the primary point of entry for international travelers. The airport is located in Victoria, the capital city of Seychelles, which is situated on the northeastern side of Mahé Island. It is the hub of Air Seychelles, the national airline. The airport is served by international airlines such as British Airways, Austrian Airlines, Emirates, Kenya Airways, and Turkish Airlines. Long-haul scheduled flights to major destinations in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East are available from this airport.
