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The best dives for beginners in Mauritius

diving in mauritius

Mauritius is an excellent destination for scuba-curious visitors. With much of the island surrounded by a shallow, coral-filled lagoon, the opportunities for safe starter dives are plenty. Check out companies like the Blue Water Diving Center or the Coral Diving Centre who offer introductory dives to those contemplating whether to literally take the plunge and become PADI-certified.

Diving in Mauritius is a year-round activity, though the warmer waters of summer attract more marine life. Expect to see an abundance of multi-coloured fish including sergeant majors, parrot fish, clown fish, wrasses and angelfish along with a host of sponges, sea anemones and corals. Here’s our pick of some of the best dives for beginners in Mauritius.

Best coral dives

Greasy Grouper in the warm waters of Mauritius

Newly-qualifed divers in Mauritius have an exciting range of dive sites to choose from. Suitable for all experience levels, Pereybere Aquarium is a short-range dive with many species of hard and soft coral and the chance to spot lobsters, ‘Titan’ triggerfish, moray eels and large red anemones. Further out to sea, just off the coast of Coin de Mire islet, is Confetti Bay: a vibrant coral garden in a depth of 6-18 metres sheltering plenty of trumpetfish, basses and octopuses.

Best drop-off dives

gorgonian

Also suitable for new divers is the best known drop-off dive in Mauritius, The Wall. Located right next to the Confetti Bay site, the drop extends some 32 vertigo-inducing metres down to the sea bed and boasts terrific visibility. Look out for large sting rays, tuna and vast shoals of mackerel gliding over the giant Gorgonian sea fans. At a depth of 13 metres, Chilli Drop off the coast of Grand Bay is another good drop-off site for novice divers, with a decent range of colourful reef fish and corals.

Best for super-sized marine life

white tip reef shark

Roughly 15 minutes off the coast of Trou Aux Biches, the Caravelle dive site offers the chance to spot sting and eagle rays, turtles, white tip sharks and giant leopard eels. Alternatively, down in the opposite southeast corner of the island is arguably the mother of all Mauritius dive sites – Colorado – whose dramatic 400 metre canyon harbours a variety of lobsters, groupers and barracuda hiding out in the crevasses and tunnels in the rock.

Want to learn to dive in Mauritius? Book your flight with Air Mauritius and remember to check us out on Facebook and Twitter.

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