Africa’s best diving destinations

Last updated September 7th, 2023.

This guide may contain affiliate links. At no cost to you, they allow me to provide these free and, even if I do say so myself, expert guides based on almost two years of travel in Africa. For a broader view, don’t miss my complete guide to travel in Africa.

This short guide aims to highest Africa’s best diving destinations.

Think of Africa, and it’s likely that it’s the continent’s plains and rainforests that come to mind.

And you should definitely take any opportunity to head out on safari and enjoy the sights and sounds of happy elephant. But don’t forget about the continent’s underwater marvels when you do so.

That’s because beneath the waves you’ll find habitats just as mesmerising as those on land. They even host a whole new Big Five you’ll want to look out for.

Capable of rivalling any other diving destinations on the planet, Africa’s diving operations are based primarily around its eastern coast. Here the warm waters of the Indian Ocean provide perfect environments for an encyclopaedia of underwater lifeforms.

That said, it’s also possible to dive as far afield as Dalton’s Banana Guest House in Sierra Leone in west Africa. You might not find colourful corals here, but the rocky coastline of Banana Island provides plenty of crevices for a plethora of marine creatures.

Either way, be sure to check out my top picks for diving in Africa.

1. Mafia Island, Tanzania

Mafia Island is located off the coast of Tanzania. It lies south of the much larger and better-known diving destination of the island of Zanzibar. And though that instantly makes it sound more expensive, Mafia is actually regarded as a mid-range option, compared to high-end Pemba.

Mafia’s small size doesn’t mean it’s small on diving opportunities. In fact, its marine reserve welcomes one of the ocean’s largest creatures – the whale shark.

These placid giants of the deep feed off the island from November to February each year, and on nothing larger than plankton.

Diving companies based around Mafia are practiced at providing opportunities for encountering these lumbering denizens of the deep. You should seek out a responsible operator, who highlights the need for distance from the sharks and warns against attempting to touch them.

Meanwhile, Mafia Island offers the chance to see some of the world’s most charming – and endangered – creatures. And you can do this without even needing to slip on a wetsuit.

Its beaches are the nesting sites for leatherback and green turtles. Its shallows are home to manatees. Many of Mafia’s hotels are just a short stroll from these magical sights, making the most of both the beauty and the sea breezes. Divine!

2. KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

The fine beachside city of Durban is the gateway to diving in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Having soaked up the sun, shark lovers should head to Aliwal Shoal, a reef approximately five kilometres from shore.

Its two shipwrecks, from 1884 and 1974, are popular scuba sites because of the sheer quantity of life that has adopted these vessels.

But Aliwal Shoal is best known for its congregation of grey-nurse sharks. Also called ragged tooth sharks, they gather to mate between July and November.

The beginning of this time, in June and July, is also the period of the annual Sardine Run. These small fish are drawn to the warmer waters of the Indian Ocean from the Atlantic around Cape Town. They gather in huge schools at Protea Bank, roughly 160 km south of Durban.

And with all that potential prey around, you can be sure predators aren’t going to be far behind. From dolphins, sharks, and Bryde’s whales to dive-bombing Cape gannets, it is one of Africa’s greatest spectacles.

Alternatively, you could brave the chance to go cage diving from Durban, and come nose to nose with oceanic black tip sharks off Aliwal Shoal.

3. Red Sea, Egypt & Sudan

The Red Sea’s extensive shallow continental shelf has made it a haven for all manner of hard and soft coral species – around 200 different species in all.

Its waters have also recorded more than 1,000 species of invertebrate (everything from sea slugs to crabs) as well as a huge number of colourful tropical fish – the most northernly in the world.

Elphinstone and Daedalus reefs are just two popular recreational dive sites that can be found off the town of Marsa Alam. It sits on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast, to the west of Alexandria.

Hurghada is another popular diver-friendl resort that’s relatively cheap to get to and stay in. Usually overshadowed by Sharm El-Sheikh in the holiday brochures, it shares the same waters as its more famous cousin on the Red Sea.

It’s a great pick for new comers to the diving scene since there are several sheltered dive sites (plus warm waters). Most sit within 30 minutes to one hour of shore. More experienced divers can opt instead for sites including Sha’ab El Erg, a U-shaped reef, or the wreck graveyard at Sha’ab Abu Nuhas.

Meanwhile, further south in neighbouring Sudan, Suakin is sure to become the next hot diving destination. But perhaps not right now. Diving here is possible, although organized tours remain in their infancy at present.

4. Quirimbas Archipelago, Mozambique

Lying off the northeast coast of Mozambique, the Quirimbas Archipelago is also slowly making a name for itself when it comes to scuba diving.

Unknown to visitors until a few years ago, they still remain off the radar for many. This means you’ll likely have these stunning reefs and crystal-clear waters all to yourself.

As close to pristine as you can get, there are close to twenty individual dive sites around the islands. Perhaps the most impressive is House Reef on the island of Quilalea.

While its name might not give much away, House Reef can be reached without even having to step into a boat, it’s so close to shore.

The downside is that Quilalea is a private island, so you’re going to have to stump up some serious cash to dive here. This perhaps why the archipelago isn’t better known.

If that’s beyond your budget, there are still some very good accomodation options on Ibo Island, immediately north of Quilalea and offering a similar overall experience.

These include Miti Miwiri at the lower end, and Ulani Lodge if you have a little more money to splurge.

5. Cape Maclear, Malawi

Malawi may be one of the few African nations unable to boast any saltwater coastline. However, it would still be foolish to cross it off a list of potential African scuba diving destinations all the same.

Lake Malawi’s southern end at Cape Maclear is not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but was also the world’s first freshwater marine reserve.

What does this mean for divers? It means a unique underwater experience that simply teems with mbuna. Known to most by their alternative name of the cichlid – they are a fish found almost nowhere else.

In addition, visitors are able to take in some of Africa’s land-loving animals at the cape, including boisterous baboons.

You can also explore the remains of a failed mission centre known as Livingstonia, after David Livingstone. (He has a city in Zambia named after him, so no harm done there).

6. Cabo Verde / Cape Verde

Scuba diving in Cabo Verde breaks the mould. For one thing, the Portuguese-speaking nation of islands rests not in the Indian Ocean but off Senegal in west Africa. But they still offer those quintessential tropical waters most expect when they go diving.

These waters can be accessed from several islands, meaning it’s possible to combine sightseeing and cultural immersion with logbooks and regulator purges. That said, Santa Maria and Boa Vista are probably your best bets island-wise. The number of dive shops on each belie the fact scuba is a relatively new sport on Cabo Verde.

Welcoming to divers of all levels from beginner upwards, possible underwater sightings range from soft corals to manta rays. The season tends to last from April until November, although travel there any time from July onwards and you’ll be faced by an upsurge in rainy weather, which slowly reduces visibility.

Africa’s best diving destinations?

Africa is a fantastic diving destination, as this guide to Africa’s best diving destinations has hopefully shown. Though it’s hard to believe, these sites truly live up to the stiff competition they face from the continent’s long list of extraordinary terrestrial animals. If you do get around to booking that diving holiday, make sure you find travel insurance that covers open water scuba diving or any other water sports you might be tempted by! Not all of them do, and you might have to add such activities on as an optional extra.