Top 4 Places To Scuba Dive in South Africa

Top 4 Places To Scuba Dive in South Africa
Top 4 Places To Scuba Dive in South Africa

South Africa is a multicultural and diverse nation sitting on the coastline of two different oceans. The dive experiences in South Africa are just as unique as the people who inhabit it, with the ability to see tropical reefs, wreck sites, and aquatic life varying from the smallest of fish to great white sharks.

Whether you were born and raised in South Africa or are just now experiencing it for the first time, navigating which dive site to pick can be difficult. That’s okay though, we’ve done the work for you. Here are the top four dive sites in South Africa, and there is something for everyone.

1. Raggie Cave
Raggie Cave, also known as Shark Alley, is a dive 50km south of the coast of Kwazulu Natal. Not only is it the top dive site in South Africa, it’s actually one of the top ten diving sites in the world. The cave is made up of an 80,000-year-old sandstone reef, and you are sure to see sharks here most of the year including ragged tooth, hammerhead, and tiger sharks. These dives are done without cages, so be prepared to get up close and personal with the wildlife!

The water stays fairly warm year-round, and the visibility ranges from 5 to 40 meters on any given day. You will want to make sure you have a good dive mask, this is a must-have to make sure you are able to take every minute in.

2. Uniforms
Uniforms is situated in the coastal dunes of the Sodano Bay and is a part of the larger Isimangaliso Wetland Park. This dive site is known for its coral diversity, and for being a less risky dive, which makes it great for beginner divers.

The best time to do this dive is actually during the winter months, April through September. But, if you go during the summer months of December and January you will get the chance to watch the turtles lay their eggs. You can also see Tiger Angelfish, yellow tail goldie, purple butterfly fish, and more.

3. Mossel Bay
Mossel Bay is a cute village on the Garden Route. For as cute as this village is, lurking in the water is one of the most feared creatures in the ocean-the great white shark. The sharks stay in the area all year long and the village capitalizes on this by offering cage dives to view the majestic beauties. And they come right up to the cages, so not only will you see them, chances are you can get up close and personal as well.

4. Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth is great because this vacation spot offers more than one dive site, on top of a ton of other attractions to keep the entire family occupied. Beginner divers can try out Devil’s Reef or the Shark Rock Pier, where you can view soft corals, sponges, and fish such as blacktail, rays, and sand sharks.

More advanced divers can head out to Avalanche Reef, that is densely populated with corals and water life. Haerlem Wreck is also a great option, it’s nooks and crannies are filled with soft corals, shy sharks, and a large variety of fishes.