The Seychelles can be found in the Indian Ocean. We are referring to a really small island nation that is rarely considered by travel agencies since not many people know about it. Located around 1000 miles away from Kenya and being formed out of 155 islands, Seychelles is a perfect destination for those that are looking for scuba diving opportunities. According to those that love this sport, the islands have to be considered in the top 10 diving destinations from around the world. The diving options are available every single day of the year and you have so many natural features that you can enjoy if you decide to visit with Aldabra Coral Reef standing out as being an impressing diving spot that is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
You should be aware of the fact that the waters here are shallow and marine navigation is really difficult. Because of the huge difficulty, there are many shipwrecks that appeared along the years with the Ennerdale being the most impressive one, located at a depth of 30 meters. The wreck is a 47 thousand tons tanker that sunk in 1970, 8 miles to the northeast of Victoria.
Best Time To Dive In Seychelles
As already mentioned, you can dive every single day of the year. Water temperature will vary from 26 to 30 degrees Celsius with the best time frames being March to May and October to November. You will be happy to hear that water visibility is perfect there with 30 meters being a constant standard. You should not visit in December or January because there are Cyclones that appear really often. Even so, the islands’ northern part is rarely affected.
Popular Seychelles Dive Locations
There are practically hundreds of dive spots that are available for you. Some of them are less-known while others are incredibly popular. If you want to take your camera with you and end up with wonderful footage, you will want to consider the following very popular dive locations:
- Brissare Rocks – A very popular spot that is made out of 2 rocky inlets. Various fish species can be seen.
- Shark Bank – The diving here is between 19 and 45 meters deep. It is perfect for those that want to see Stingrays, Barracuda, Grouper and fan corals.
- Fishermen’s Cove Reef – A perfect spot for those that are novice or inexperienced. We are referring to a reef that is very close to the highly popular Beau Vallon dive centre. The highlight is the presence of the hawksbill turtles.
- Therese Island – The diving option here varies from 12 meters to 18 meters. The divers will almost always get a chance to see reef sharks and stingrays.
- Vista Bay Rocks – A really shallow diving option that has a depth of 5 to 13 meters. The rocks can be found towards northwestern side of the Beau Vallon Bay. Various invertebrates can be viewed here.
- Trompeuse Rocks – This is a really popular diving spot that is located right to the north of Mahod. We are faced with a thick coral reef that is inhabited with so many fish species that you would love.
Seychelles Marine Life
You will find so many different fish species here but not just fish will be visible. Those that dive here will be able to see, among others: hawksbill turtles, giant grouper, barracuda, lion fish, manta rays, grey reef sharks, reef sharks, ribbon tailed stingrays, napoleon wrasses, spiny lobsters and whale sharks.
The average air temperature is 29 degrees Celsius and the average water temperature is just one degree lower. Visibility does go as high as 30 meters and the hottest months are March and April. The coldest months are July to August.
