Diving in Seychelles: best places, prices, training

There is much more to travelers in the Seychelles than fashionable resorts, picturesque, tranquil beaches and sparkling oceans. There are four marine national parks here, and Mahe Island is surrounded by one of the most beautiful and amazing reefs in the world. For more information on what to expect from diving in the Seychelles, read our article.

Book hotels in the Seychelles upon prior request at WIOTTO.

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When is the best time to go

Seychelles is not subject to extreme weather changes, so diving is possible here all year round.

However, the best time for diving is the period from October to May. Ocean waters during this period are calm and provide good visibility, and the water temperature reaches 29 degrees.

But in the period from July to September, due to the southeast trade winds, the sea becomes more difficult for diving, there is a deterioration in visibility and a decrease in temperatures.

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Diving in the Seychelles: features

The Seychelles archipelago consists of 115 idyllic islands.

Inner (granite) islands are part of a shallow plateau with an average depth of 8 to 30 meters. Most dive sites are concentrated near the three main islands: Mahe, La Digue and Praslin.

Local dive centers organize daily trips to nearby dive sites. And places that involve long boat trips are visited by divers only when the sea is calm.

Among the most popular dive sites for short trips:

Bay Ternay marine park. Not only diving is possible here, but also snorkeling on the coral reef. During the dives, you can see turtles and puffer fish, schooling fusiliers, sea bass, rays, octopuses, lobsters, lionfish, moray eels, whitetip reef and even whale sharks.
Еwin Barges Wreck. This location will primarily interest fans of wreck diving . Here, at a depth of 12-22 meters, there are the remains of two ships that were deliberately sunk in February 1989. Of the representatives of the underwater world, reef fish, puffer fish, porcupine fish, trevally, lionfish, octopus, scorpion fish, stone fish, crocodile fish, catfish, stingrays and many others live here.
Aldebaran Wreck. The 28-meter fishing vessel "Aldebaran", sunk in 2008, rests at a depth of more than 30 meters and is teeming with marine life. Reef fish, moray eels, lionfish, sea bass, silvery sweetlip, yellow snapper, scorpion fish, schooling bat and mackerel are found here. During the season, the location is often visited by dolphins, rays, giant sea bass, whale and guitar sharks.

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The outer (coral) islands are located far from the main island of Mahe, and are not as visited, but no less beautiful than the inner ones. Due to their remote location, they are protected from human influence and have an

incredibly rich ecosystem. Over 180 bird species, 320 coral species and over 1,000 fish have been recorded here, including 2 new endemic shark species. Visibility in local waters can reach 30-50 meters, and the variety of

marine life, complemented by relaxation on secluded beaches, easily compensates for the time spent on the road.

Blue Company Safari offers trips to 4 of the most unspoiled atolls of the outer islands, located at a distance of 268 to 1055 kilometers from Mahe: Cosmoledo, Astove, Poivre and Alphonse Island. Each of these atolls offers

one-of-a-kind accommodation where you can not only relax, but also contribute to the preservation of the surrounding natural wonders.

In the ocean depths around the outer islands, you can see up to 15 species of moray eels, schools of barracudas, bigeye trevally, napoleons and huge tunas, scorpion fish, manta rays, turtles, reef sharks and even hammerhead

sharks. There are dolphins, humpback whales and dugong.

The best diving sites in the outer islands are:

The Wall. The best dive site in Astove. An impressive wall that drops steeply from a depth of only one or two meters to hundreds of meters almost vertically.
Napoleon. The best dive site in Alphonse Island. A photogenic reef covered in large colorful sea fans and teeming with schooling fish. Due to strong currents, it is only suitable for experienced divers.
Petite Astove. One of the most impressive reefs in the Seychelles. Densely covered with corals. There are perches, turtles and hammerhead sharks.
Turtle Ridge. The best dive site in Poivre Atoll. As the name suggests, the main inhabitants here are green turtles. Manta rays and reef sharks are also found .

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Diving training in the Seychelles

Local dive centers offer a full range of PADI courses from beginner to professional. Eg:

Dive Seychelles, located on the Beau Vallon Bay of Mahe Island, was founded in 1976 and is the oldest dive center in the Seychelles. Has 3 custom made dive boats and a multilingual team of experienced instructors. Repeatedly awarded the Trip quality certificate advisor. Offers training and visits to the best dive sites Seychelles.
Dive Resort Seychelles is based on the island of Mahe in the picturesque bay of Anse la Mouche next to the beach. In addition, it is presented at 3 resorts (Four Seasons Resort Seychelles, Kempinski Resort Seychelles and Avani Resort Seychelles). It has four boats and offers high standards of service, professional diving training for everyone from the age of 10, and visits to 16 exciting dive sites.
Big Blue Divers located on the Bay of Beau Vallon next to the Hilton Hotel Northolme. It has been operating since 1997 and is a modern and well-equipped PADI 5* dive center with a shop, as well as equipment rental and service. Offers over 75 dive sites, including several wrecks, coral reefs and uniquely landscaped granite rock sites teeming with tropical marine life.

PADI courses, divers who want to improve their skills in the Seychelles have access to specialized courses such as:

Deep Diver, allowing you to confidently explore deep dive sites;
Wreck Diver, after passing which you can most effectively study the remains of sunken ships and aircraft, as a rule, teeming with marine life;
Drift Diver, which will allow you to use the ocean currents for a comfortable glide along them;
Search & Recovery, which will teach you how to find lost items under water, as well as how to correctly remove heavy objects from the water and raise them to the surface;
Night Diver, discovering the secrets of the nightlife of the ocean.

If you don't want to waste your precious vacation time learning theory, sign up for online classes and get access to all the materials you need to complete the theory sections of the course before you even start your trip to

the Seychelles.

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Children's diving

For little adventurers over 8 years old, the PADI Bubble course is available Maker. During this course, the child will be taught the basic theory and some diving skills. Children will enjoy playing underwater games using diving equipment in the pool or calm shallow water environment under the supervision of a diving instructor.

Book hotels in the Seychelles upon prior request at WIOTTO.

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