Best diving destinations in Africa
Best diving destinations in Africa
Diverse coral reefs and marine conservation zones in Africa
A long stretch of warm northern coastline anchors Africa's diving reputation, with visibility regularly exceeding 30 metres and reef systems largely untouched by the coral bleaching affecting other regions. Further south, the Indian Ocean adds big-animal encounters that the calmer northern reefs can't match.
The destinations on this list range from wreck and reef dives accessible from shore or liveaboard to remote Indian Ocean atolls known for whale sharks and manta rays. Some sites suit open-water divers. Others demand advanced certification and stronger current experience.
Booking liveaboards well ahead matters for the more remote sites, where the best boats and seasons fill up months in advance among serious divers. Dive shops along the coast typically offer courses up to advanced level.
Lists by region
City in Egypt
Sharm el-Sheikh
Coral Reefs, Desert Safaris, Endless Sun
German bombers sank the SS Thistlegorm in 1941 and it lies about 30 metres deep near Ras Muhammad National Park. Jacques Cousteau found the wreck in the early 1950s. Recreational diving resumed in the 1990s. Divers see trucks, motorcycles and two steam locomotives on the seabed.
City in Egypt
Hurghada
Red Sea Bliss and Adventure
Dive sites surround the Giftun Islands off this resort city. Shipwrecks such as the El Mina and the Rosalie Moller can be seen near Abu Ramada and Fanadir. Hurghada was founded in 1905 as an Ababda fishing village. Investment from the 1980s turned it into a major Red Sea resort.
Country
South Africa
Where wildlife meets diverse landscapes
Visibility can reach 30 metres over the reefs of Sodwana Bay on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast. About 35,000 scuba divers visit each year. The bay lies within a marine protected area and has reef building corals. A resident population of coelacanths was found in a submarine canyon there in 2000.
Country
Sudan
Ancient pyramids beyond the crowds
Sha'ab Rumi reef is about 35 kilometres from Port Sudan. Jacques Cousteau placed underwater habitats there in 1963 and relics remain for divers to see. The Umbria wreck was scuttled in 1940 with a cargo of bombs and lies near the port. Liveaboards also visit Sanganeb for hammerhead sharks.
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