Pregnant ragged-tooth sharks settle on Quarter Mile Reef in summer.
21–28°C · 70–82°Fintermediate
Country
Diving in South Africa
12 dive destinations in South Africa, up to 1,540 km apart. Water temperature across them runs 8–28 °C. 10 of 12 are in season in Jan–Mar. 64 named dive sites have their own pages.
Durban · photo Peter Southwood
- Destinations
- 12
- Dive sites
- 64
- Water
- 8–28°C
- Most in season
- Jan–Mar
RegionAfrica
Where are the dive destinations in South Africa?
- 1Sodwana BayApr–Sep
- 2DurbanMar–Jul
- 3Aliwal ShoalJul–Nov
- 4Protea BanksFeb–Apr
- 5Wild Coast Sardine RunJun–Jul
- 6Algoa BayJun–Jul
- 7Robberg & Plettenberg BaySep–Oct
- 8Gordon's Bay & Rooi-ElsDec–Feb
- 9Mossel BayDec–Feb
- 10Cape Peninsula Kelp ForestsNov–Jun
- 11HermanusYear-round
- 12GansbaaiOct–Apr
Numbers match the table below. Land outline: Natural Earth (public domain).
How do they compare?
| # | Destination | Best months | Water | Visibility | Depth | Level | Access | Sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sodwana Bay | Apr–Sep | 21–28°C | — | 9–30 m | Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced | Day boat | 4 |
| 2 | Durban | Mar–Jul | 21–26°C | — | 1–30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 10 |
| 3 | Aliwal Shoal | Jul–Nov | 18–26°C | — | 6–30 m | Advancedsites from intermediate to advanced | Day boat | 5 |
| 4 | Protea Banks | Feb–Apr | 16–25°C | 8–30 m | 20–40 m | Advanced | Day boat | 3 |
| 5 | Wild Coast Sardine Run | Jun–Jul | 16–24°C | 5–20 m | 5–20 m | Advanced | Day boat | 3 |
| 6 | Algoa Bay | Jun–Jul | 14–24°C | 1–20 m | 5–40 m | Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced | Day boat | 4 |
| 7 | Robberg & Plettenberg Bay | Sep–Oct | 18–21°C | 5–10 m | 4–30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 9 |
| 8 | Gordon's Bay & Rooi-Els | Dec–Feb | 10–22°C | — | 3–30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to intermediate | Shore, Day boat | 9 |
| 9 | Mossel Bay | Dec–Feb | 17–21°C | — | 2–25 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 5 |
| 10 | Cape Peninsula Kelp Forests | Nov–Jun | 8–20°C | 1–15 m | 5–20 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to intermediate | Shore, Day boat | 6 |
| 11 | Hermanus | Year-round | 10–22°C | — | 8–22 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 5 |
| 12 | Gansbaai | Oct–Apr | 15–22°C | 5–20 m | 2–28 m | Intermediate | Day boat | 1 |
When is the best time to dive South Africa?
The most destinations are rated good or prime at the same time in Jan–Mar: 10 of 12. Each row is one destination's own season rating.
| Destination | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Sodwana Bay | Prime | Prime | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good |
| 2Durban | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
| 3Aliwal Shoal | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good |
| 4Protea Banks | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 5Wild Coast Sardine Run | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Good | Prime | Prime | Fair | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season |
| 6Algoa Bay | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| 7Robberg & Plettenberg Bay | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair |
| 8Gordon's Bay & Rooi-Els | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime |
| 9Mossel Bay | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
| 10Cape Peninsula Kelp Forests | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good |
| 11Hermanus | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| 12Gansbaai | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good |
| Good or prime | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
Which destinations combine into one trip?
Destinations that fit within 200 km of each other end to end and share at least one month rated good or prime. Distances are straight lines between destinations, not travel routes.
91 km end to end
In season together: Dec–Feb
121 km end to end
In season together: Jan–Aug
113 km end to end
In season together: Mar and Nov
All 12 destinations in South Africa
Wrecks and sandstone ledges off the Bluff and Umhlanga, launched from Vetch's Pier.
21–26°C · 70–79°Fintermediate
Ragged-tooth sharks congregate to mate from July to November
18–26°C · 64–79°Fadvanced
Great hammerhead schools cruise the pinnacles from November through May.
16–25°C · 61–77°Fvis 30 m · 100 ftadvanced
Bronze whalers and common dolphins tear through sardine baitballs in open water.
16–24°C · 61–75°Fvis 20 m · 66 ftadvanced
Ragged-tooth sharks settle on the Bay's reefs from November to May
14–24°C · 57–75°Fvis 20 m · 66 ftintermediate
Shallow seal dives on the sand off the Robberg Peninsula colony
18–21°C · 64–70°Fvis 10 m · 33 ftintermediate
Nudibranch-rich rocky reefs and kelp forest dived by boat from Gordon's Bay
10–22°C · 50–72°Fintermediate
Shallow bay reefs that come alive with game fish and soft corals in mid-summer
17–21°C · 63–70°Fintermediate
Cape fur seals and sevengill sharks weave through towering kelp canopies.
8–20°C · 46–68°Fvis 15 m · 50 ftintermediate
Two-tank boat days pairing a Hermanus reef with a kelp-forest dive
10–22°C · 50–72°Fintermediate
Cage-dive Shark Alley, once the world's surest great white ground, now an open question.
15–22°C · 59–72°Fvis 20 m · 66 ftintermediate