Diving in Mauritius
Thanks to its mild, constant water temperature (between 22 and 25°C in winter and 26 to 29°C in summer), the variety of its sites and its underwater fauna, Mauritius attracts divers from all over the world, allowing the uninitiated to discover the joys of a sport where accidents are rare, but sometimes fatal. Hence the importance of being supervised by professionals belonging to the fifty or so diving centers affiliated to the MSDA: The Mauritian Scuba Diving Association - Website: www.msda.mu. The centers affiliated to this federation require divers to have a license, which serves as their insurance. Beware: in Mauritius, anyone can offer diving for a fee. Avoid anyone who doesn't ask you to fill in the MSDA Temporary Affiliation Form. What's more, all diving clubs are affiliated to one or more international organizations that issue diplomas valid throughout the world.
In any case, even if the diving center seems serious and the instructors and assistants have the required qualifications (don't hesitate to check, because during the high season, it's not uncommon for a friend of the mono to be in charge! Asthma, heart failure and eardrum problems are contraindicated for diving. If you suffer or have suffered from any of these conditions, you should seek your doctor's advice and obtain a medical certificate stating that you are fit to dive.
Dive at your level
You shouldn't dive to any depth without training, which is tempting because diving is so pleasant and easy. If you have no training at all (even if you've already done several first dives and an instructor invites you to do so), it's best not to go deeper than 5 m, and if possible 3 m - a diving-specific accident, pulmonary overpressure, is fatal at 10 m. If you hold a Level 1 or Open Water Padi certification, you should not exceed a depth of 20 m, despite the trust you can place in your instructor's professionalism. It cannot be stressed enough that diving accidents are very rare, but always serious. Don't dive when you're tired, ill or on an empty stomach. Finally, don't forget to allow at least 12 hours to climb to altitude after a dive, and 24 hours to take a plane - the time needed for proper desaturation. The island's hyperbaric chamber is located at the Victoria Hospital near Quatre Bornes (tel. +230 427 5131), and the doctors in charge are highly competent.
Snorkeling
This form of aquatic hiking is very popular. Most clubs provide snorkeling equipment: fins, mask and snorkel. Rather than staying close to the beach, it's best to take a boat out to the coral reef to admire the underwater flora and fauna. The best snorkeling is to be found around the islets scattered off Mauritius, notably Gabriel and Coin de Mire, as well as in the island's two marine parks: Blue Bay to the south-east and Baie aux Tortues to the north-west.
The best spots : South West (from Grande Rivière Noire to Le Morne)
Castle. Night diving recommended. Known for its interesting nightlife, including Spanish dancers and hawksbill turtles. Beautiful corals.
La Passe. Average depth 12 m. Unspectacular corals, but great variety of fish.
Needle Hole. Average depth 12 m. Sergeant-majors and riflemen galore, good spot for underwater photography.
The best spots : the West (from Black River to Flic en Flac)
Cathedral. Average depth 25 m. Diving into the drop-off, along two cliffs (numerous cracks and crevices sheltering interesting fauna) leading to an enormous cavern open at the bottom. Dark, imposing vaults give the impression of being in a sunken cathedral. Numerous squirrels and pteris.
Colline-Bambou. Average depth of 25 m. Wide variety of seascapes (chimneys, fissures, stone bridges). Opportunity to see coral sharks, grey sharks, tuna and black-spotted rays.
Rempart l'Herbe or Shark Place. Average depth 45 m. Experienced divers. A beautiful site frequented by predators such as grey sharks, tuna and barracuda.
Rempart Serpent. Average depth 25 m. Experienced divers. This site is characterized by a sinusoidal rock some 100 m long, similar to a snake crawling across the sand, attracting numerous tropical fish, including the greatest diversity of stonefish, scorpion fish, laffes and moray eels to be seen in Mauritius. A highly recommended dive with an excellent reputation.
Tug. Interesting site based on a wreck at a depth of 19 m, accessible to Level 1 divers. Possibility of spotting the Mauritius scorpionfish, a rare and beautiful fish.
The best spots : North-West (from Pointe aux Piments to Pointe aux Canonniers)
Stella Maru. Average depth 23 m. The Stella Maru is a Japanese trawler which the Mauritius Conservation Society sank in 1987 to create an artificial reef. Unspectacular flora, but interesting marine fauna in and around the boat: moray eels, stonefish, threadfin scorpion fish..
Stenopus Reef. Average depth 29 m. Lots of corals, tropical fish and pelagic fish.
Peter Holt's Rock or The Boulders. Average depth 18 m. Famous for its enormous basalt rocks of volcanic origin. Crack-riddled boulders, caves and crevasses teeming with marine life.
The best spots : North (from Pointe aux Canonniers to Grand Gaube)
Aquarium. Average depth 10 m. A festival of colors orchestrated by the many varieties of fish frequenting the site. Many small reefs attract juveniles of all species, including rare specimens such as the small scorpionfish(Brachypterus biocellata) and grouper(Epinephelus longispinis).
Tortoise. Average depth 13 m. Here again, an interesting spot for its wide variety of tropical fish: a feast for the eyes.
Pointe-Vacoas. Average depth 22 m. Lots of coral attracting an abundant fauna of giant starfish and large firefish. Dolphins can be seen from August to December.
Whale Rock. Average depth 25 m. Large plateaus of black rock, caves, canyons, beautiful varieties of coral... Possibility of spotting hammerhead sharks.
Coin de Mire. Depth: 22 m. To the east of the islet, beautiful outcrops with reef fauna and the presence of large parrots. Large predators pass through. Often difficult diving in strong currents. The dive ends at Baie des Confettis with a firework display of corals, anemones and clownfish.
Bain Bœuf. Average depth 20 m. Interesting dive for corals. Often crossed by groupers.
Silver Star. Depths from 22 m to 42 m. Sank in 1992 to create an artificial reef. Incredibly, it sank upright, making for a fascinating dive.
The best spots : in the East (from Poste de Flacq to Grande Rivière Sud Est)
The Pass. Average depth 22 m. At Trou d'Eau Douce, a drift dive... Many varieties of fish, including groupers, red mullet, wrasse..
Passe de Belle Mare or Passe du Puits. Depths from 3 to 18 m. One of the most famous dives on the east coast, with a first-class drift at low tide. The current leads through a pass teeming with trevally, eagle rays, reef sharks and other predators.
Gorgonian forest. Depths from 22 to 33 m. For experienced divers. Greeted by green parrotfish playing hide-and-seek in a thickly truncated gorgonian forest, where groupers, hogfish, diodon and platax hide. Schools of pseudo-anthias can be seen around the summit. A lively and colorful site. An atmospheric dive with good visibility.
Japanese garden. Depths from 19 to 24 m. A site renowned for its coral life: flying gurnards, nudibranchs, crescent groupers, angelfish, butterflies, surgeonfish, triggerfish, wrasse... A stroll around the plateau is like a treasure hunt! A popular dive for photographers.
The best spots : South-East (from Vieux Grand Port to Souffleur)
Blue Bay. Average depth 7 m. Impressive variety of corals. Quiet diving, which can be done snorkeling - 5-star rating.
Sirius. Average depth 18 m. An English warship that exploded during the Battle of Vieux Grand Port on August 25, 1810. Three separate sites to explore around the wreck. Please note! Visibility sometimes zero due to river mouth.
The Colorado. Average depth 33 m. As the name suggests, this dive takes place in a 400 m-long canyon set between high cliffs: long tunnel filled with lobsters, chimneys, amphitheatre..
Zozo rocks. Average depth 33 m. This dive is more interesting for its site than for its fauna. Rocky peak, tunnel, canyon.
