Diving in Seychelles: Best Sites, Seasons and What to Expect

Diving in Seychelles has its own character. This is not a place of endless coral walls like the Red Sea or the Maldives. The signature here is granite, the same giant boulders you see on the beaches continuing underwater into pinnacles, swim-throughs and canyons where fish gather in big numbers. Add warm water, a wreck or two and a seasonal whale shark run, and it makes for varied, rewarding diving for most levels.

What the diving is like

Expect rounded granite formations draped in soft coral and sponge, with schools of fusiliers, snapper and jacks, plus rays, turtles, moray eels and reef sharks. Coral reefs are here too, especially in shallower areas, and they have been recovering from past warm-water bleaching events. The mix of boulder topography and reef gives you both big-fish action and gentle reef pottering.

The best dive sites

• Shark Bank, off Mahe. A granite pinnacle in open water known for size, with big rays, nurse sharks, barracuda and clouds of fish. A current-prone site better for experienced divers.
• Ennerdale wreck, off Mahe. A large tanker that sank in 1970, now broken up and full of life, an interesting wreck dive.
• Brissare Rocks, off Praslin. A granite outcrop covered in fish, often excellent.
• Ave Maria Rocks and the sites around the inner islands and the Ste Anne and Baie Ternay marine parks for gentler dives.

Water, visibility and seasons

The water is warm all year, roughly 26 to 29 degrees, so a thin wetsuit is plenty. Visibility and calm are best in the transition months, April to May and October to November, when the wind drops between the two monsoons. The windier south-east trade season from May to September can stir things up on exposed sites, while the December to March monsoon is generally calm on the north and west.

Whale sharks and big encounters

One of the highlights is the chance to see whale sharks, the gentle giants that pass Mahe in numbers around October and November. These are usually snorkelling rather than diving encounters and are weather and luck dependent, but they are a genuine draw in season. Mantas, eagle rays and turtles show up year-round.

For beginners and non-divers

You do not need to be experienced to enjoy the underwater Seychelles. Dive centres run try-dives and full courses, and the sheltered marine parks are forgiving. If you would rather not dive at all, the snorkelling is superb in the same protected bays, so a family can split between the two easily.

Where to base yourself

Most dive centres operate from Beau Vallon on Mahe, which makes it the natural diving base, with more on Praslin and around the inner islands. Boats reach the main sites quickly from there.

How to plan

Pick your window for the calm, clear months if diving is a priority, and base near Beau Vallon for the easiest access to centres and sites. Browse verified places to stay in our directory, add a hire car to get around Mahe, and look at boat-trip and snorkelling options if you want to mix diving with easy days on the water.