Scuba diving from Praslin

The diving

Dives from Praslin head to granite reefs and islets around Curieuse, towards the Sisters and between Praslin and La Digue. Octopus Dive Centre says its sites reach up to 30 metres. Whitetip Divers keeps its guided dives to about 20 metres, without decompression, and picks the site on the day according to the weather.

Named sites

• Ave Maria, White Bank and Curieuse, listed by Octopus Dive Centre. SeyVillas describes Ave Maria as a small island between Praslin and the Sisters, to about 20 m, and White Reef as granite boulders about 200 m away, to about 22 m.
• Coral Gardens and Pointe Rouge off Curieuse, named by SPGA.
• St Pierre, up to 12 m, inside Curieuse Marine National Park.
• Sister Reef, to 24 m, and South Marianne, about 30 minutes from Côte d'Or, to 25 m with occasionally strong currents, also from SeyVillas.
• Booby Rock and Aride Reef, longer runs to the north described by SeyVillas.

Dive centres

• Whitetip Divers, on the beach at Anse Volbert, Côte d'Or: PADI centre with a pool for beginners, boat rides of 5 to 50 minutes, groups of up to six, night dives, and courses from Discover Scuba Diving upwards.
• Octopus Dive Centre, Côte d'Or: family-owned PADI 5 Star centre with more than 20 years of operation; open 8.30am to 4.30pm, with dive times of 8.45am, 10.30am and 2pm on its booking form, and courses from intro dives to Divemaster and Nitrox.
• Praslin ProDivers, at Hotel L'Archipel on Anse Gouvernement: morning twin-tank dives, afternoon single dives and night dives for advanced certified divers.
• UDive Centre Praslin, at Constance Lemuria, Anse Kerlan: PADI 5 Star centre offering diving, snorkelling and courses for all levels.

When to go

Azzura Dive Center on La Digue names February to April and October to December as the prime diving months, with diving possible all year. The south-east monsoon brings cooler, plankton-rich water from June to September that can cut visibility, while in the north-west monsoon visibility can pass 30 m in the right conditions.

Tips

Azzura advises a medical check before diving, insurance that covers scuba diving and emergency evacuation, and diving within your limits and training. Whitetip Divers notes that larger animals such as sharks, rays and turtles are possible but not assured.