Ifaty & Mangily · Madagascar · Cave & cavern · Reef
Cathedral
Tunnels, swim-throughs and arches in the middle of the North pass
Cathedral sits in the middle of the North pass of the Ifaty barrier reef, a site of tunnels, swim-throughs and arches. The dive stays shallow, to 16 m, but advanced divers are preferred, and boats only go on days of calm weather and a small tidal change.
Also known as Cathédrale.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Ifaty & Mangily and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
Cathedral is cut by many tunnels, swim-throughs and arches, with a maximum depth of 16 m and parts of the site reaching 18 m. The coral of the pass has fallen into canyons, bridges, caves and holes that shelter many snappers, and schools of humpback snapper gather in a large hollow. A humphead wrasse and groupers are often seen here too.
Marine life and season
- Napoleon wrasse
- Groupers
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Ifaty & Mangily: Diving runs all year with no peak month; weather can turn bad quickly at any time, most of all in the rainy season of January and February.
Know before you go
- Its position in the middle of the North pass means it can only be dived in calm weather and on days with a small tidal change.
- Tunnels, swim-throughs and arches put overhead reef between divers and the surface for parts of the dive.
Sources
- Ifaty Scuba — Dive Sites — Ifaty Scuba
- Atimoo — Diving in Ifaty — Atimoo
More dive sites in Ifaty & Mangily
Wall
A wall from 17 m to sand at 26 m with a resident school of bannerfish
Reef
Napoleon wrasse escorting divers through canyon-like reef
Reef
A patch reef on the outer lagoon dived from 15 m to 23 m
Drift
A drift through the South pass along a coral wall
Coral garden
A healthy patch reef inside a community-managed reserve since 2019
Similar dives elsewhere
A collapsed reef cavern with easy galleries at 3 to 17 m
A canyon that passes right under the barrier reef
A cavern that surfaces in a chamber open to the sky
A ten-metre arch cresting at 20 m, its feet on the bottom at 42 m