Nosy Be diving

Diving in Nosy Be or Ile Sainte Marie

Though there is not much diving directly from the island of Nosy Be, the surrounding small islands off Nosy Be, such as Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Sakatia and Nosy Mitsio are a full-on diving paradise. Imagine diving in warm, translucent waters brimming with dramatic corals and colourful reef fish…

The coral is in good condition around Nosy Be as it lies on the edge of the Mozambique channel which separates Madagascar from the African continent. Visibility around Nosy Be varies enormously according to the tides and the weather but is usually around 20-30 metres. October to December is probably the best time for diving, with April and May also excellent. Winter and spring also see a greater chance of spotting whale sharks and of course the humpback whales.

Ideally, you should try to avoid diving in Nosy Be during the rainy season which is generally January until March.

Huge extensive reefs surround Nosy Be, including Five Metre Bank, Grand Banque d’Entrée and Banque de Tortue (Turtle Bank). At their edges are exciting walls and drop-offs. All dives are boat dives but most are just a short distance from the launch site.

For novices there are the easy dives from Nosy Tanikely and also in the channel between Nosy Be and neighbouring Nosy Sakatia – some starting at only one metre in depth. The six sites here also make excellent night dives.

For experienced divers there are some exciting drift dives, wall dives and even the wreck off Amatoloka. For those with more time, some of the best sites, such as the Mitsio archipelago and Greg’s wall in the south, are best visited by yacht.

Though diving is generally well controlled and professional, there is no Hyperbaric chamber in Nosy Be.

Nosy Be diving – Padi or Naui open water courses

There are several good dive centres offering Padi open water dive courses, some within easy distance of some of the best hotels in Nosy Be. These tend to be mostly in the south-west part of the island, though Sakatia Lodge on Nosy Sakatia also offers dive courses. Contact us to book a dive course.