Bazaruto Scuba Diving

The islands of the Bazaruto are a diverse home for both land and marine creatures including red duiker, bushbuck, samango monkey, as well as the elegant manta rays, whale sharks and the mermaids of the sea, the dugongs.

The islands habitats include formidable sand dunes, freshwater lakes, and patches of natural forest, but it really is the unspoilt white beaches, warm azure water and pristine coral reef that draws people to the coastline. Below the water an immense variety of hard and soft corals flourish providing a diverse and productive ecosystem. Marine life includes many brightly coloured tropical fish, sea horses, triggerfish, wrass, many species of gamefish, sharks and rays.

The following lodges all offer access to these dive sites:
» Marlin Lodge
» Azura Retreat
» Bazaruto Lodge
» Indigo Bay Resort 

TWO-MILE REEF

It is neither 2 miles long nor 2 miles away from Vilanculos, but it is the name that has been given to the reef lying outside Benguerra Island and Bazaruto. 2 Mile is also the most popular dive location. The site is actually a long barrier reef that breaks the water at low tide and can be dived at various depths down to around 20 meters. Due to its length there are numerous dive locations offering many different environments, swim throughs and coral outcrops. There is a great chance of seeing one of the 5 species of turtle that live in the area along with a friendly reef shark or skulking nurse shark. There is a wide abundance of reef fish, such as long tail banners, Surgeon, Moorish Idols, Parrot, Angel and Butterfly fish to name but a few. Game fish and Devil rays regularly swim in from the blue and there is always a chance of seeing that elusive Dugong.

The Aquarium: 1m - 9m. Top snorkelling site, ideal training ground. Best encountered at low tide it offers a complete cross section of reef life from fields of staghorn coral in the shallows to the curious octopus deeper down.

The Surgery: 9m - 21m. Named after the abundance of Surgeon fish that reside between the large corals and rocky outcrops. There is a good chance of seeing Honeycomb Morays, Devil Rays cruising by and huge Potato and Camouflage Grouper keeping a watchful eye over a myriad of reef fish.

The Powder Box: 6m - 16m. For variety and colourful coral this site has it all. Expansive table tops, towering whip coral and vibrant soft corals all inundated with Powder Blue Tangs. It is here that clown fish make their home in the many swaying anenomes and often hidden on the sea floor you will spot a crocodile fish or two. Explore the many channels with a large abundance of macro life clinging to its encrusted walls.

Coral Gardens: 8m - 19m. On the boundary between the sandy bottom where the blue spotted rays live and the reef, there are many coral heads with masses of green branching coral full of Damsel fish, Bat and King fish swimming overhead along with the occasional reef shark out on patrol.

Stingray Alley: 12m - 20m. The sandy floor of the reef is home to many large stingray which are more than happy to pose for the cameras. Should the stingrays be away on vacation you can always head back to the reef for more fish and coral activity.

South Point Reef: This is a shallow rocky reef on the southern tip of Bazaruto which is usually a snorkelling site and also ideal for resort courses. The rocky recesses are famous for being home to moray eels.

Deep Reef: This is an adventurous dive of 30 metres to a flat coral reef in the gap between Bazaruto and Benguerra. It's a gathering point for large gamefish such as ignobilis kingfish. However, the area can be dangerous during strong currents so only for the experienced diver.

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CABO SAO SEBASTIAN

For the more adventurous diver there is always a trip south through the surf down to Cabo Sao Sebastian. As if the boat ride out was not enough, there is always the chance of seeing breaching whales defy gravity, even a close encounter with a meandering whale shark before you reach the dive site. There is a main pinnacle where you can regularly see Mantas feeding before descending onto a long finger that stretches down to around 30m. Here you might see many sharks including Hammerheads and various reef sharks. You will explore various swim throughs, before dropping off the top wall of a large crescent shaped reef, dodging the giant groupers along the way. The whole site is covered in many schools of fish from top to bottom. Due to the exposed nature of the site, conditions can change quickly and so diving here very much depends on the weather.

Reef: 8m - 15m. This is a rocky hump shaped reef with many hiding holes for Morays, crustacean and is an ideal location for scorpion fish. There is a good chance of seeing one or more species of turtle that reside in the Bazaruto Archipelago.

Tubarao Point: 12m - 24m. Located behind Helm's Deep this site has the same exciting challenges. Along with swim throughs and ledges to explore there is a good chance of seeing Mantas and sharks.

Helm's Deep: 12m - 40m. This site has it all from large pelagics down to colourful nudibranchs all set amongst pristine corals. What is the catch? The currents can rage so you need to be a confident diver for these sites.

The Colliseum: 16m - 40m. Sweeping semi-circle rock walls provide the backdrop for big sharks, including hammerheads, King fish and schooling barracuda. This can be a fast and furious dive.

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MAGARUQUE ISLAND

The Lobster Pot: A great place to check out a whole variety of reef life. This reef runs along the north side of Magaruque Island and can be seen from the surface at low tide. It is a steep slope down to 25m with coral boulders in which an array of marine life can be found, including blue spotted rays, torpedo rays, honeycomb moray eels, octopus, lionfish and the well camouflaged stonefish and huge lobsters.