It is widely accepted that Sodwana Bay is South Africa's most exciting diving spot with Indo-Atlantic species of coral and other sea-life. More than 1200 species of fish are found at Sodwana Bay, as well as bottle-nosed dolphins, sharks, whale sharks and turtles.
When SCUBA diving or snorkelling at Sodwana you can expect to see an abundance of tropical fish, hard and soft coral, sponges, moray eels, large schools of pelagic fish, potato bass, turtles (hawksbill, loggerhead, green, leatherback) and depending on the time of year, whales (southern right, humpback), whale sharks and dolphins.
Sodwana Bay is situated in a marine reserve that now forms part of a World Heritage Site -- the Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park, renowned for the leatherback and loggerback turtles who lay their eggs in the same place every year, as they've been doing for 200 million years.
Although Sodwana Bay can be dived throughout the year, the best conditions are between April and September. Temperatures range from 21 degrees at the least, but are usually between 24 and 28 degrees. The depths vary between 12 to 18 metres with 30 and 50-metre sites for the suitably qualified. Visibility at Sodwana can be anywhere between 10 to almost 40 metres, with the best visibility to be found in the winter months -- visibility is rarely less than 15 metres.
Most of the dives are done from semi-rigid boats, with exciting launches through the surf!
Sodwana Bay is approximately 4 hours drive from Durban and 5 Hours from Johannesburg. If you intend to get in a number of dives, it is well worth a 3 - 7 day stay.
Two Mile Reef - Sodwana Bay
The excellent light penetration and shallow depth have created a beautiful underwater garden with a magnificent range of coral and invertebrate life. Anton's Reef is a favourite diving site with dense schools of tropical fish and coral heads and overhangs forming interesting topography.
Five Mile Reef - Sodwana Bay
Five mile is an extremely delicate, large flat reef hosting an astounding variety of fine coral, which is remarkably intact. The multitudes of colourful tropical fish that swarm over the reef and around divers create the sensation of diving in an endless aquarium.
Seven Mile Reef - Sodwana Bay
This wonderful little reef is popular because of its great diversity of tropical marine life, the drop-offs and mushroom shaped pinnacles. The larger specimens found here include Turtles and Rays, and there are regular sightings of bottle-nosed dolphins. The coral formations are delicate and in good condition.
Nine Mile Reef - Sodwana Bay
The dramatic scenery of Nine Mile offers drop-offs, pinnacles and big coral trees. Due to the distance from the launch site, this reef is not dived as often as the more accessible ones and is in excellent condition. The marine life is diverse and includes most of the tropical fauna typical of the region as well as big schools of passing game fish.
Popular Diving Sites in South Africa:
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