SCUBA DIVING AND SNORKELLING
The reefs off Mauritius offer excellent conditions for scuba diving and snorkelling: warm, crystal-clear water, calm seas and varied marine life. Although pollution, overfishing, poaching in protected waters and the stealing of shells have taken their toll in some areas, there are still numerous excellent dive sites around. Many experts rate them as better than those to be found around the main Seychelles islands or off Sri Lanka.
Although diving can be done throughout the year, June–July is considered by experienced divers to be the least suitable time, on account of the weather.
Most hotels offer snorkelling equipment and trips, either free of charge or for a small fee. Masks, snorkels and flippers can be bought quite cheaply in tourist areas. The lagoons of the northeast and west coasts are good snorkelling areas, as are the waters around Trou aux Biches and Blue Bay.
There are plenty of scuba-diving centres on the island. Instructors should have Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) or Confédération des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) qualifications, which ensure that they have undergone professional training and rigorous safety tuition. Many of the dive centres belong to the Mauritian Scuba Diving Association, based at Route Royale in Beau Bassin (% 454 0011; e msda[at]intnet.mu; msda.mu).
Prices start at around Rs900 for a single dive including all equipment. For a course of five dives, expect to pay about Rs7,000–9,000 with equipment, and about Rs16,500-17,500 for ten dives. For beginners, many dive centres offer a resort course, which consists of a lesson in a pool followed by a sea dive and these cost around Rs1,650–1,800. Rates do not usually include insurance, so if your travel insurance does not cover diving, you would be advised to pay the additional amount, usually about Rs150–250, for medical insurance. Many dive centres also offer PADI courses and will be able to provide more information and prices.
The Mauritius Underwater Group (MUG, for short), has given rise to the Mauritian Marine Conservation Society, a group actively engaged in conservation of the reef environment. MUG is linked to the Professional Diving Association and to the International Diving Confederation. Members meet on Tuesday and Sunday nights over beers, discussing their latest dive experiences. Visitors are welcome; a week’s temporary membership costs about Rs150, but you must be a qualified diver to join. Temporary members can hire equipment from MUG, which is considerably cheaper than at many of the big resorts. The clubhouse is open most days. It is near Phoenix, just off the main Port Louis–Curepipe road.
Divers should not touch any seashells underwater and should remember that it is illegal to remove shells from the sea.
DIVING CENTRES The following list is not exhaustive but covers most of the diving operators. All of those listed are members of the Mauritius Scuba Diving Association.
Northern Mauritius
Atlantis Diving Centre Trou aux Biches; % 265 7172; e vb[at]atlantisdiving.info
Blue Water Diving Le Corsaire, Trou aux Biches; %/f 265 7186; e hugues[at]bluewaterdivingcenter.com; bluewaterdivingcenter.com
Cap Divers Paradise Cove Hotel, Anse La Raie; % 204 4000; e bluesdiving[at]intnet.mu; bluesdiving.net
Diving World Le Canonnier, Le Victoria & Le Mauricia hotels; % 263 1225; e divwor[at]intnet.mu
Easydive Diving Centre Pointe aux Piments & Le Morne; % 204 3481; e easydive[at]intnet.mu; easydivemauritius.com
Merville Diving Centre Merville Beach Hotel, Grand Baie; % 209 2200
Mon Plaisir Diving Centre Villas Mon Plaisir, Pointe aux Piments; % 261 7980; e villasmp[at]intnet.mu
Nautilus Trou aux Biches Hotel; % 265 5495; e ricana[at]intnet.mu; nautilusdivers.com
Ocean Spirit Pereybère; % 263 4468; e gringospirit[at]yahoo.com
Turtle Bay Nautics Maritim Hotel, Turtle Bay; % 204 1000; e judexcassadin[at]hotmail.com
Eastern Mauritius
East Coast Diving One&Only Le St Géran, Poste de Flacq; % 401 1688; e marilyn[at]intnet.mu
Pierre Sport Diving Le Touessrok Hotel, Trou d’Eau Douce; % 402 7400; e psdltd[at]intnet.mu
Sea Fan Diving Centre Belle Mare; % 431 1069; e explorer[at]intnet.mu
Southern Mauritius
Coral Dive Centre Blue Bay; % 631 9603; e contact[at]coraldiving.com; coraldiving.com
Shandrani Diving Le Shandrani Hotel, Blue Bay; % 603 4343; e divwor[at]intnet.mu
Southern Adventures Le Telfair Hotel, Bel Ombre; % 263 1225; e divwor[at]intnet.mu
Western Mauritius
Abyss Morcellement Anna, Flic en Flac; % 4538836; f 453 8109; e tof110[at]yahoo.fr
Diving Style Centre Klondike Hotel, Flic en Flac; % 452 2235; e giosteen007[at]yahoo.com
Exploration Sous-marine Villas Caroline, Flic en Flac; % 453 8450; e szalay[at]intnet.mu; pierre-szalay.com
Island Diving Hotel Indian Resorts, Le Morne; % 728 9127; e pascalava[at]yahoo.com
Sofitel Imperial Diving Centre Sofitel Imperial Hotel, Wolmar; % 453 8700; e sofitel[at]intnet.mu
Sun Divers La Pirogue Hotel, Wolmar; % 453 8441; e sundiver[at]intnet.mu; sundiversmauritius.com
DIVE SITES The Mascarenes are volcanic isles, so much of the terrain you see whilst diving consists of rock formations like overhangs, walls and caverns. Abundant and diverse corals colonise such formations – some 200 species are said to be present.
The best dive spots include Le Morne in the southwest, the west coast off Flic en Flac and north to Trou aux Biches and Grand Baie. In the southeast, diving is good off Vieux Grand Port. Some of the very best diving, however, is around the northern offshore islets, like Coin de Mire.
The southwest coast Most of the sites in this area are about 30 minutes by boat from the shore and they are all on the seaward side of the barrier reef, where marine life is abundant. You can explore sites like Needle Hole, Jim’s Place and Anthony, all of which are shallow dives (12–18m). Highlights include magnificent corals and swarms of fish like sergeant-majors, goldies and surgeonfish, and all boast excellent visibility with exceptional conditions for underwater photography. A deeper dive is Michel’s Place, at 38m, which features flat corals, lots of clownfish, and triggerfish. Apparently green and hawksbill turtles are also common.
Another deep one is the drop-off called Cliff (average depth 22m) opposite Le Paradis Hotel. Conditions can be quite badly affected by a strong tidal surge. Moray eels are seen on most dives.
One of the most beautiful and popular sites in the area is known as the Japanese Gardens. At 14–28m, they are so named because of the diversity of corals in the coral garden there. There is very little current and visibility is good. Abundant fish include parrotfish, pipefish and ghost morays.
A flat, horseshoe-shaped reef well known to divers is Casiers (average depth 26m), where shoals of barracuda, kingfish and surgeonfish are usually encountered. Tidal influence is a little more pronounced and visibility can be adversely affected by suspensions in the water.
The west coast Ideal for beginners is Aquarium, a rocky reef area that harbours the likes of angelfish, clownfish and butterflyfish plus lots of wire coral. The dive starts at 7m and descends to 18m. Visibility is usually good but watch out for poisonous stonefish. This is the site where night dives are conducted for experienced folk.
For some cave diving, try the Cathedral (18–27m). The dive takes place on the drop-off, enters a chamber and then a huge underwater cave, in which lionfish, squirrelfish, kingfish and crayfish are often seen. Light filters into the cave through a crack in the ceiling creating the impression of being in a cathedral. Experienced divers rate the site highly.
Also for experienced divers is Manioc, a deep dive on rock faces, which begins at 32m and descends to 45m. Game fish, including kingfish, tuna and barracuda, often make an appearance. Impressive emperor angelfish abound and white-tipped reef sharks are occasionally seen. Divers are almost guaranteed sharks, rays, tuna and barracuda at Rempart L’Herbe, also known as Shark Place. The sharks are typically grey reef sharks, although hammerheads occasionally visit the area. It’s a deep dive (42–54m) on a pinnacle with steep slopes covered in pink and black coral.
Off the coast opposite the Villas Caroline is the Kei Sei 113, a barge which was deliberately sunk in 1988 to form an artificial reef at a depth of 40m. It is partly covered with corals and residents typically include giant moray eels, red snappers and hawkfish.
The north coast The Trou aux Biches area is some 300m from a large reef. This is great for snorkelling, as there’s little in the way of surf. From the northwest, you could visit about ten different sites, of which Coin de Mire and Flat Island are among the best. It takes about 90 minutes to reach Coin de Mire, where the rock walls drop to about 100m. The sites around the island are suitable only for experienced divers because of the tides and currents. Average depth is 10–20m and the dives are usually drift dives. Barracuda, dogtooth tunny, large parrotfish, wahoo and white-tipped shark are common and there are lots of oyster clams, cowries and hermit crabs. To the north of Coin de Mire is Flat Island, but because of strong currents and rough seas this is dived only during the summer and only by highly experienced divers. On the southwest side of Flat Island, beneath Pigeon Rock, is the famous Shark Pit, where divers can watch sharks swirling around the pit for oxygen from the waves crashing above.
There are also a number of sites off Grand Baie. One of the best is Tortoise (13m), which lies just 1.5km offshore. The flat reefs are home to a variety of colourful tropical fish, moray eels, octopus, stonefish and lionfish. Coral Gardens (average depth 15m), halfway between Grand Baie and Coin de Mire, consists of coral banks between which are sand gullies. The coral and the visibility are generally good, and the site is popular for night dives. Commonly seen are squirrelfish, trumpetfish and goldies. Night dives off Grand Baie are said to be incredible. At night, colours on the reefs are far brighter than by day and a mass of marine animals emerge from their daytime hideouts.
A good option for novices is the Pereybère site, at only 12m, where tropical reef fish abound. Divers may see octopus, moray eels and stonefish.
In 1987, the Stella Maru, a Japanese trawler, was deliberately sunk 1.5km west of Trou aux Biches by the Mauritius Marine Conservation Society. The ship lay on its side until 1992 when a cyclone forced it upright, where it remains. Stonefish, spotted morays and green morays are often seen. This dive, which reaches a depth of 26m, is highly recommended by experienced divers.
The east coast A bit wilder and rather less affected by mass tourism than the other regions, the east coast offers some excellent diving. Drift dives are typical in the area. At The Pass (8–25m) you can drift-dive through the ‘pass’ in the barrier reef, admiring the psychedelic tapestries of coral and reef fishes. Turtles and sharks are often seen.
Lobster Canyon (25m), approximately 1.6km offshore, takes divers through a short cave full of crayfish, along a wall and into a canyon, where sharks and eagle-rays may be seen. At times visibility is limited to 10m owing to high levels of plankton.
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