Seychelles Scuba Diving and Snorkelling

(Seychelles, SC, Africa)



Photograph of popular Seychelles dive shopThere are some truly awesome scuba diving and snorkelling possibilities around the coastline of the Seychelles islands, where divers can expect to find colourful coral reefs and even the odd shipwreck or two. On Mahé, Beau Vallon Beach is a good place for diving and even comes with a number of colonised wrecks, as well as a cluster of reliable dive shops, where equipment can be both purchased and hired.

The bay of Beau Vallon has plenty of spots suitable for an hour or two of snorkelling, particularly as you head up the coast in a northerly direction, towards North Point. The south-westerly shoreline of Mahé also boasts a series of diving opportunities, with expeditions along this part of the coast being best organised by the Dive Resort Seychelles at Anse a la Mouche. Mahé tends to be the first port of call for most visiting scuba divers, with both the Port Launay Marine National Park and the Baie Ternay Marine National Park on the western coast being quite special.


General Information

Although scuba diving is quite possible throughout the year around the Seychelles, the prevailing winds do affect the conditions at times, which tend to be at their very best in April and May, and again later in the year, during the months of October and November. It is at these times when the clarity of the water is hard to better, with visibility of up to 30 metres / 98 feet and water temperatures approaching 30°C / 86°F.

As well as Mahé, the underwater scenery of La Digue is especially impressive and appeals to scuba divers of mixed abilities. La Digue is also highly regarded when it comes to snorkelling, especially around Anse Patates and Anse Severe. Tempting coral gardens also await divers and snorkellers at Felicite and Ile Cocos, as well as Praslin (Anse Lazio and St. Pierre Islet) and Curieuse (Baie Laraie).