Dying to explore beyond the beach on your next holiday? Some of the best spots for scuba diving are located in the Indian Ocean, so whether you’re into exploring wrecks, seeing wildlife up close or shore diving, here are a few to consider when planning your next trip.
Seychelles
The Seychelles are made up of 155 inner and outer islands. The best times to dive are March to April and September to October, and it’s a wonderful spot to see whale and reef sharks, particularly around Grouper Point. One of the most popular places to dive is between Mahe and Praslin, where you can see what’s left of the Ennerdale, a British Fleet auxiliary tanker. It’s amazing for seeing scorpion fish, morays, snapper, reef sharks, and in season (October to January), whale sharks.
Maldives
Not only are the Maldives one of the most beautiful places to visit, with azure lagoons and white beaches, they also boast some of the best diving around. The twenty-six atolls and their 1190 coral islands set in crystal clear waters, draw divers from around the globe for the abundance of underwater wildlife. Maya Thila is about 80 metres in diameter and the area around it is considered a top dive. Depths range from 6 to 30 metres, and apart from the profusion of wildlife and coral, sharks are everywhere, which makes it a truly thrilling dive. The channel known as Emboodhoo Express has a very fast current during Monsoon season, which carries divers over a spectacular reef, where you can see tuna, eagle wrays, fusiliers and Napoleon wrasses.
Lakshadweep Islands, India
While visibility isn’t always brilliant in the waters around India, Lakshadweep is a notable exception. This group of islands, which lies 250 miles off the southwest coast of India, has very clear blue lagoons of coral atolls. Dive to see the black coral or explore the Princess Royal wreck, which sank over two hundred years ago, near Bangaram Island. There is an astonishing variety of flora and fauna around Kadmut Island. Bargaram and Kadmut are the only two islands (out of 36) that are open to non-nationals.
Mauritius
The waters off the southeast coast have conditions perfect for both novice and experienced diver. Blue Bay has shallow, protected turquoise waters that are teeming with neon-hued fish, whereas the savvy diver wouldn’t want to miss Colorado, with a 400 metre long canyon, packed with chasms and crevices, where you’ll see lobsters, jacks and groupers.
Whether you are a scuba rookie seeking your first lesson, or a skilled diver planning a live-aboard trip, you’ll appreciate the stunning beauty of both the islands and their waters.
