Ifaty & Mangily · Madagascar · Coral garden · Reef
Vato Soa
A healthy patch reef inside a community-managed reserve since 2019
Vato Soa is a patch reef in the inner Ifaty lagoon, dived at 8 to 10 m. It is an example of a healthy reef in the Ifaty region, has been a community-managed reserve since 2019, and is good for beginner divers.
Also known as Vatosoa.
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
Vato Soa lies inside the lagoon, two hundred metres south of Vatobe, and the dive covers three well-preserved coral patches between 8 and 10 m that hold every species of coral found in the Bay of Ranobe. Since 2019 the site has been managed as a reserve by the local community.
Marine life and season
- Pristine corals
| 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.
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
Cave & cavern
Tunnels, swim-throughs and arches in the middle of the North pass
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
Similar dives elsewhere
A shore entry from Simorgh Hotel beach onto the east-coast reefs
Cabbage coral from 5 to 20 m with a swim-through canyon alongside
A shallow coral reef five to ten minutes off Praslin
Soft, leather and fan corals with sponges at 15–25 m, and no current