Scuba diving holidays in South Africa

ByDarren M Updated on
scuba dive south africa adventures

Best Scuba Diving Holidays in South Africa

Scuba diving holidays in South Africa don’t get much better than this! With its abundance of unspoiled and extraordinary reef formations alive with unique and wonderful fish and coral species from Turtles, dolphins, sharks and tropical fish, South Africa is fast becoming one of the most sought-after Scuba Diving hotspots this side of the equator.

In this article we are going to explore what is regarded as the very best Scuba diving Holidays in South Africa.  We have an absolute passion for SCUBA diving and have been involved in the sport for over 30 years. This article is from a local’s perspective. South Africa Adventures have our favorite diving holiday destinations that we visit year after year just because they are so incredible.

‘If you want to know what the best SCUBA Diving Holiday is all about just ask a local’

So now that the proverbial question has been posed to us subliminally, let us dive right into it as it were.

Experience Scuba diving holidays in South Africa:

 So what elements make for an epic SCUBA diving holiday?

Is it the bikini clad beauties frolicking in the waves as we launch the dive boat? And in this instance the beauties we are referring to are in fact woman. Men have been banned from any form of bikini looking swim wear due to popular demand in South Africa.  Or maybe it’s the cough and splutter of an ice cold beer being cracked opened around a roaring fire?

Yes you love SCUBA diving and will spend a many an hour searching for the contents of “Davey Jones’ Locker”. But ultimately there are a lot more factors to take into account.  Here are a few of these factors that we believe need to be incorporated into a memorable SCUBA diving holiday in South Africa

  • Pristine Beaches
  • Remoteness and location of the dive sites
  • Good accommodation
  • Uniqueness of the dive sites
  • State of the coral and abundance of fish species
  • Your level of human interaction you can tolerate
  • Relaxation level of the destination
  • Professional Dive Operators
  • Diving experience and technicality of the dives

Now that we have identified the ‘why’ of Scuba diving holidays in South Africa, let’s explore the various diving destinations available in South Africa. We have chosen the top 3 dive spots based on the factors above.

The number 1 SCUBA Diving holiday in South Africa……by far…..Sodwana Bay

Sodwana, with its super chilled out ‘Island Style’ vibe is set within the Isimangaliso Wetland Park. It lies just south of the Mozambique border in the subtropical province of Kwa-Zulu Natal.The diving is done in true South African Style. The reefs which are situated about a mile off shore run perpendicular to the coast. This means you are in for the best boat ride launch of your life. The only way to access the dive sites are on a semi rigid inflatable boat that has to pierce through the Indian Ocean waves-An exhilarating experience to say the least. The reefs in Sodwana are unspoilt and abundant with fish species and tropical reef formations.

Experience levels for the diving?

Most of the reefs in Sodwana are between 12m and 18m. So your basic Open Water qualification is needed. There are a few deeper dives to edge to the Continental Shelf like “Gotham City” and “Deep Sponge ‘ that can be done for more qualified divers.

Accommodation options in Sodwana

Sodwana has various accommodation options available. Our favorite spots that we include in our Scuba diving holidays in South Africa packages are Coral Divers, Mseni Lodge and Sodwana Bay Lodge. We have chosen these spots based on their location, food, vibe and comfort levels.

Scuba diving tours south africa

The beach

What an incredible beach!!!!! To the South of Jesser’s Point (where the dive boats launch) there is a virtually uninhabited beach that eventually meets up with Cape Vidal some 80km later. The rolling dunes are perfect for an afternoon stroll or to watch the sun set over the Indian Ocean with a beer or 10. 

Professional Dive Operators

Sodwana is home to many good dive operators. But we have opted for an owner run business. We believe the service and client interaction is way more beneficial to a SCUBA diving holiday than the larger companies that have lost the ‘personal touch’.

Diving Conditions and visibility

Due to its proximity within a bay; the diving conditions in Sodwana are generally very good with an average underwater visibility of 20m. Occasional Ocean swells from Cold Fronts in the winter months can make for a rough dive.

Scuba Diving in South Africa in Sodwana

Best time to visit?

SCUBA diving in Sodwana is good all year round. Except…..around any public or school holiday. Then the quiet and quaint Sodwana turns into chaos as the thousands of inland SCUBA diver flock into town to dive. So avoid December and Easter Holidays like the plague.

How to get there?

There are no direct flights to Sodwana. Other options can include flying into Richards Bay and taking the 2 hour drive through from the. Our SCUBA diving holiday packages include transport from Johannesburg. From a time perspective it works out pretty much the same. It takes us aboit7 hours to drive down. By the time you’ve checked in, flown, got luggage, hired a car and driven to Sodwana 7 hours is up.

Aliwal Shoal

Aliwal Shoal is South Africa’s second most popular diving holiday destination. What makes the reef so unique is opportunity to dive with the Ragged Tooth Sharks. The reef lies just off the coastal town of Scottburgh and is about 50km South of Durban.  The reefs are similar to those found in Sodwana but with more volatile sea conditions. One of the most memorable things about this diving experience is he boat ride out through the Umkomaas river mouth into the Indian Ocean.

Experience levels for the diving?

Most of the reefs on the ‘Shoal’ are between 12m and 18m. So your basic Open Water qualification is needed. There are a few deeper dives that can be done for more qualified divers.

Accommodation options close to Aliwal Shoal

Aliwal has various accommodation options available. Our favorite spot that we include in our SCUBA diving holiday packages is the Aliwal Dive Centre in the town of Scottburgh.  We have chosen these spots based on their location, food, vibe and comfort levels.

The beach

Not the best beach in the world. Due to the area being pretty well populated it is not on the same level as the Sodwana beach

Professional Dive Operators

Aliwal Shoal is home to many good dive operators. But we have opted for an owner run business. We believe the service and client interaction is way more beneficial to a SCUBA diving holiday than the larger companies that have lost the ‘personal touch’.

Diving Conditions and visibility

Aliwal Shoal can be very volatile in terms of visibility and surf conditions. You either get brilliant diving conditions or crappy driving conditions. It all depends on the rainfall and swells. Because of the many rivers that flow into the ocean in that area, heavy rainfall causes the rivers to flood into the ocean bringing with them silt from inland areas.

Bets time to visit?

SCUBA diving on Aliwal Shoal is much like Sodwana -good all year round. Except…..around any public or school holiday. And of course during heavy rainfall periods which is usually from December to March.

 How to get there?

Aliwal Shoal is situated about 50km from Durban. So you can fly into Durban and drive down.

Protea Banks

Besides Sodwana and Aliwal Shoal there are various other SCUBA diving holidays in South Africa that avid divers can experience but are limited to due to the their technical or specialty. These include shark diving on Protea Banks. The dive site is situated 8km offshore with a depth of about 40m.

It is known as the dive site with the most sharks per square meter in the whole world. Shark species found here range from Hammerheads, Bullsharks, Tiger, Oceanic Black tips and ragged tooth Sharks. This diving holiday is for experienced divers with the correct qualification.

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