Scuba Diving In Mauritius: What You Need To Know – Forbes

Mauritius, a subtropical island country in the Indian Ocean, is just over 500 miles east of Madagascar, off the south-eastern coast of Africa. The closest neighbor is Reunion Island. Often referred to as the jewel in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius boasts some of the best diving in the world.

“Diving in Mauritius features almost exclusively reefs as the island is virtually surrounded by coral, with over 100 sites to explore,” says Julie Andersen Global Senior Director of Brand for PADI Worldwide, she is focused on inspiring people of all ages to follow their passion and connect with our blue planet so that they, too, are inspired to explore and protect it. Depths range from 20 to over 140 feet, making it a great place to learn to dive and seek adventure for more advanced scuba divers.

Mauritius is surrounded by a barrier reef, creating a shallow, bright and calm location, perfect for new divers – even those learning to dive. Outside of that barrier reef, there are incredible sites from wall dives to wrecks and sea caves to drift dives.

You never know what you’ll encounter at some of the outer dive sites—whales, sharks, turtles and even resident dolphins. “If you are a macro lover, Mauritius delivers as well with its healthy coral reefs serving as a home for everything from mantis shrimp to leaf scorpion fish,” says Andersen.

Why go scuba diving in Mauritius?

Andersen has been lucky enough to go scuba dive all over the world, including Egypt, Fiji, Tahiti, the Galapagos and Australia and yet diving Mauritius stands out. “I was lucky enough to also experience epic scuba diving on the gorgeous island of Mauritius. From brightly colored coral and incredible pelagic encounters to the wrecks and drift dives, I could not recommend this destination for diving enough – for all levels of divers! And bonus, the island topside is as beautiful as it is underwater. Mark Twain called it Heaven on earth – and he wasn’t wrong.”

That is one of the most amazing things about becoming a scuba diver – the incredible places the sport can take you to. It’s not just about the time underwater, but also the time spent in these incredible destinations meeting the local community, learning about the culture and exploring adventures both above and under the sea.

When to go scuba diving in Mauritius

You can enjoy great scuba diving in Mauritius all year round.

Depending on what you’re after, the ‘summer’ months between October and April/May will have warmer waters with temperatures of 27-28 degrees, minimal to no currents, glassy sea conditions and the chance to enjoy some incredible visibility with lots of marine life.

The ‘winter’ months run from May to September. Temperatures drop to 25 degrees, but the cooler waters bring in some epic pelagic action. The humpback whales migrate through the Indian Ocean from June to late September, with a peak of breeding activity in August. There’s also the chance to see more pelagic marine life that comes in on some of the currents including dogtooth tuna, spinner dolphins, sharks and sea turtles.

Where to go diving

On the Southern coastline, the Blue Bay Marine Park offers divers staghorn and cabbage corals and a host of damsel, butterfly and angelfish that swarm the reef. If you are in search of that heart-stopping moment that only the bigger species can provide, then the drift dive off the Pass St. Jacques is where bull shark, barracuda and grey and whitetip reef sharks are often spotted.

Diving in the North is an undiscovered secret, and exceeds expectations. Pristine wrecks in tact with beautiful soft corals, schools of fish, exquisite coral reefs, and a wide array of marine life including reef sharks, guitar sharks, rays, turtles, dolphins grace the area of Trou Aux Biches & Grande Baie.

Getting certified in scuba diving in Mauritius

Getting certified while on vacation is becoming increasingly popular. Here are some of the best dive sites in Mauritius and PADI Courses you can take to prepare you for each.

Batfish Wall, Snake Island

With visibility reaching up to 164 feet on a good day, this impressive wall dive boasts colorful marine life and untouched corals as far as the eye can see. The site takes its name from the huge schools of friendly Batfish (Platax) who follow divers along their dive. The wall can be dived at 18 meters (60 feet), 30 meters (100 feet) or 50 meters (164 feet), making it suitable for all levels.

Recommended courses: PADI Deep Diver, AWARE Fish Identification, PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy

Shark Cathedral, Round Island

A giant basin reached through an overhanging swim-through, Shark Cathedral is a breathtaking dive site frequented by dozens of reef sharks. However, be aware that the current and swell can make this a challenging dive at times.

The site is known not only for sharks, but also for other larger pelagics and pristine and healthy corals. Other marine life that can be spotted here includes barracuda, king fish, giant trevally and eagle rays.

Recommended courses: PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, AWARE Shark Conservation

Confetti Bay, Coin de Mire Island

Confetti Bay belongs to Coin de Mire Island (Gunner’s Coin) and is in a sheltered spot which is well protected from current. Divers of all abilities can enjoy this unbelievable underwater paradise.

A large variety of fish can be seen here, such as trigger fish, stone fish, lion fish, parrot fish, leaf fish and stingrays.

Recommended courses: PADI Discover Scuba Diver, PADI Open Water Diver

Grand Baie Aquarium, Grand Bay

Grand Baie Aquarium is known for its impressive topography and abundance of life. The reef at this site is divided by a canyon teeming with life, including schools of tropical fish, crocodile fish, stone fish and leaf fish. With turtles and sting rays also often making an appearance, Grand Baie Aquarium is a favorite among divers of all levels.

Recommended courses: PADI Fish Identification, AWARE Coral Reef Conservation