South Africa
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Where to dive in South Africa
Aliwal Shoal
Indian Ocean
TEMPERATURE18°C - 28°CVISIBILITY5 - 30 m
Cape Town
Atlantic Ocean
TEMPERATURE10°C - 14°CVISIBILITY3 - 20 m
False Bay
Atlantic Ocean
TEMPERATURE12°C - 20°CVISIBILITY2 - 15 m
Protea Banks
Indian Ocean
TEMPERATURE18°C - 28°CVISIBILITY15 - 40 m
Sodwana Bay
Indian Ocean
TEMPERATURE20°C - 29°CVISIBILITY8 - 30 m
Top species 28
- Unlikely
- Likely
- Very likely
Diurnal Frequent sightingsBlacktip Shark
Carcharhinus limbatus
The Blacktip Shark is easily recognized by the dark tips on its fins. It is a fast and energetic predator, often seen leaping out of the water. Blacktip sharks can be found in warm coastal waters around the world.
BEST SEASON
Nocturnal Frequent sightingsBlue Shark
Prionace glauca
The Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) is a highly migratory, oceanic requiem shark distinguished by its slender body, deep blue dorsal coloration, and long, narrow pectoral fins. It primarily feeds on cephalopods and pelagic fish but is an opportunistic predator and scavenger. This species undertakes extensive migrations and often segregates by age and sex.
BEST SEASON
Variable Frequent sightingsBroadnose Sevengill Shark
Notorynchus cepedianus
The Broadnose Sevengill Shark is notable for having seven gill slits, unlike most sharks which have five. It is a large, strong species that inhabits coastal and offshore waters. This shark is known to be opportunistic, feeding on a variety of prey including fish and marine mammals.
BEST SEASON
Cathemeral Frequent sightingsBull Shark
Carcharhinus leucas
The bull shark is a robust coastal shark known for its ability to tolerate freshwater, frequently entering rivers and estuaries. It is an opportunistic predator feeding on fish, rays, crustaceans, and other marine animals in tropical and subtropical regions.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsCape Fur Seal
Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus
The Cape Fur Seal is a large marine mammal known for its thick fur and external ear flaps. They are highly social animals, often found in large groups along coastlines and islands in southern Africa.
BEST SEASON
Cathemeral Frequent sightingsCommon Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
The Common Bottlenose Dolphin is a robust dolphin characterized by its short, stocky snout and grey coloration with a paler underbelly. Highly intelligent and social, these dolphins form complex fission-fusion societies. They are found globally in temperate and tropical marine waters, and are known for their active swimming, leaps, and use of echolocation for hunting.
BEST SEASON
Nocturnal Common Octopus
Octopus vulgaris
The Common Octopus is known for its intelligence and distinctive round body with eight arms. It inhabits coastal waters and exhibits remarkable adaptability to various environments.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsDusky Shark
Carcharhinus obscurus
The Dusky Shark is a large predator known for its sleek, streamlined body and is typically grayish or dusky in color. It inhabits warm coastal waters and is primarily a carnivore, feeding on bony fishes and other marine life.
BEST SEASON
Variable Frequent sightingsFur Seals
Arctocephalinae
Arctocephalinae is a subfamily of pinnipeds known as fur seals, characterized by their dense underfur, external ear flaps, and ability to rotate their hind flippers forward for terrestrial locomotion. They are marine predators, primarily feeding on fish, squid, and krill. Fur seals exhibit strong sexual dimorphism and are highly social, forming large breeding colonies on rocky coastlines and beaches, though their conservation status varies widely among the nine species within the subfamily.
BEST SEASON
Variable Frequent sightingsGiant Oceanic Manta Ray
Mobula birostris
The Giant Oceanic Manta Ray is the world's largest ray, with a disc width that can reach up to 9 meters. It is a circumglobal species found in tropical to temperate pelagic waters, often near coastlines, reefs, and in the open ocean, diving to depths of 1,000 meters. These filter feeders primarily consume zooplankton, including mesopelagic sources, and can also eat small fish. While generally solitary, they aggregate at feeding grounds and cleaning stations. The species is currently listed as Endangered due to overfishing and low reproductive rates.
BEST SEASON
Crepuscular Frequent sightingsGreat Hammerhead Shark
Sphyrna mokarran
The great hammerhead is the largest hammerhead species, recognizable by its wide, flat head and tall, curved dorsal fin. As a migratory apex predator, it uses its unique head for enhanced sensing and pinning down prey.
BEST SEASON
Cathemeral Frequent sightingsGreat White Shark
Carcharodon carcharias
The Great White Shark is the largest known predatory fish, characterized by its torpedo-shaped body, conical snout, and large, serrated triangular teeth. It is an apex predator found in temperate and tropical waters worldwide, playing a crucial role in marine ecosystems. This species exhibits regional endothermy, allowing it to maintain a body temperature higher than the surrounding water, which aids in its active predatory lifestyle.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsGreen Sea Turtle
Chelonia mydas
The green sea turtle is a large marine reptile distinguished by its heart-shaped carapace and a single pair of prefrontal scales.
BEST SEASON
Variable Frequent sightingsGrey Reef Shark
Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
The Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) is a medium to large-sized requiem shark, common in Indo-Pacific coral reefs and adjacent waters. Characterized by its grey body and a distinctive broad black band on the trailing edge of its caudal fin, it is a fast and agile predator. These sharks are known for their social daytime aggregations, which disperse at night for individual hunting.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsHawksbill Sea Turtle
Eretmochelys imbricata
The Hawksbill Sea Turtle is a medium-sized marine turtle recognizable by its distinctive hawk-like beak and overlapping scutes, which create a serrated edge on its carapace. Primarily found in tropical coral reefs, it plays a crucial role in these ecosystems by feeding mainly on sponges, which are toxic to most other animals. This species is critically endangered due to historical exploitation for its beautiful shell and ongoing threats like habitat loss and bycatch.
BEST SEASON
Variable Frequent sightingsHumpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
The Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a large baleen whale known for its distinctive body shape, long pectoral fins (up to one-third of its body length), and knobbly head. These migratory cetaceans are filter feeders, consuming krill and small schooling fish. They are also famous for their acrobatic surface behaviors like breaching and complex vocalizations, particularly the male's elaborate songs.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsHumphead Wrasse
Cheilinus undulatus
The Humphead Wrasse is one of the largest reef fish, identifiable by a prominent hump on its forehead and thick fleshy lips. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning individuals are born female and some transition to males later in life. This carnivorous species plays a crucial role in coral reef ecosystems by preying on hard-shelled invertebrates and toxic animals like the crown-of-thorns starfish.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsPotato Grouper
Epinephelus tukula
The Potato Grouper is a large fish known for its spotted appearance, resembling the surface of a potato. It primarily inhabits coral reefs and is a solitary carnivore. Potato Groupers can grow to be quite large, reaching up to 2 meters in length and weighing over 100 kg.
BEST SEASON
Variable Frequent sightingsReef Manta Ray
Mobula alfredi
The Reef Manta Ray (Mobula alfredi) is a large filter-feeding ray found in tropical and subtropical waters, primarily around coral reefs and coastal areas. Known for its pelagic lifestyle, it feeds on zooplankton and exhibits complex social behaviors, often forming aggregations at feeding or cleaning stations. This species is listed as Vulnerable due to threats from overfishing and its slow reproductive rate.
BEST SEASON
Nocturnal Frequent sightingsSand Tiger Shark
Carcharias taurus
The Sand Tiger Shark is known for its fierce appearance with a bulky body and sharp, protruding teeth. Despite its menacing look, it is relatively sluggish and not aggressive unless provoked.
BEST SEASON
Cathemeral Frequent sightingsScalloped Hammerhead Shark
Sphyrna lewini
The Scalloped Hammerhead Shark is a large, migratory shark easily recognized by the central indentation on its hammer-shaped head. These sharks are found globally in warm temperate and tropical coastal and oceanic waters, often forming large schools around seamounts and islands. They are primarily nocturnal foragers, feeding on a diverse diet of bony fishes, cephalopods, crustaceans, and smaller sharks and rays.
BEST SEASON
Nocturnal Frequent sightingsShort-tail Stingray
Bathytoshia brevicaudata
The Short-tail Stingray is the largest species of stingray, known for its dark brown or blackish coloration and short tail relative to other rays. It is found in coastal and deep waters, often near the seabed where it hunts small fish and invertebrates.
BEST SEASON
Variable Frequent sightingsSilvertip Shark
Carcharhinus albimarginatus
The Silvertip Shark is a large, streamlined requiem shark identifiable by the prominent white tips and trailing margins on all its fins. It is an aggressive apex predator, often dominating other sharks during feeding, and can be found in various tropical Indo-Pacific marine habitats from the surface to considerable depths. While often solitary or in pairs, it can also form small groups or mixed-species aggregations and exhibits variable activity patterns throughout the day and night.
BEST SEASON
Variable Frequent sightingsSouthern Right Whale
Eubalaena australis
The Southern Right Whale is a large baleen whale distinguished by its robust, black body, lack of a dorsal fin, and distinctive callosities on its head. It is a filter feeder, consuming vast quantities of krill and copepods in the Southern Ocean. These migratory whales travel to warmer coastal waters for breeding and calving.
BEST SEASON
Nocturnal Frequent sightingsStriped Catshark
Poroderma africanum
The Striped Catshark is a small shark species, known for its distinctive pattern of vertical stripes. It resides mostly in coastal and reef environments around South Africa and is primarily nocturnal, feeding on small fish and invertebrates.
BEST SEASON
Variable Frequent sightingsTiger Shark
Galeocerdo cuvier
The tiger shark is a large apex predator recognized by the dark vertical stripes along its body, especially visible in juveniles. It inhabits tropical and subtropical waters and has a highly varied diet, feeding on fish, rays, turtles, seabirds, and other marine animals.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsWhale Shark
Rhincodon typus
The whale shark is the largest fish in the world and a gentle filter feeder.
BEST SEASON
Nocturnal Frequent sightingsWhitetip Reef Shark
Triaenodon obesus
The Whitetip Reef Shark is a slender, medium-sized shark easily identified by the distinctive white tips on its dorsal and upper caudal fins. Primarily nocturnal, it spends its days resting in caves and under ledges on coral reefs and hunts at night for bony fishes, crustaceans, and cephalopods. These sharks are generally social, often found in groups during the day, but can hunt individually or cooperatively.
BEST SEASON
More marine life 74
Barred MorayEchidna polyzona
Bigeye TrevallyCaranx sexfasciatus
Black DurgonMelichthys niger
Blacktip Reef SharkCarcharhinus melanopterus
Bluering AngelfishPomacanthus annularis
Bluespotted Ribbontail RayTaeniura lymma
Bluestreak Cleaner WrasseLabroides dimidiatus
Blunt-head ParrotfishChlorurus microrhinos
Bryde's WhaleBalaenoptera edeni
Bullethead ParrotfishChlorurus sordidus
Bumphead ParrotfishBolbometopon muricatum
Cape Rock LobsterJasus lalandii
Clown TriggerfishBalistoides conspicillum
Common Eagle RayMyliobatis aquila
Common Thresher SharkAlopias vulpinus
Coral HindCephalopholis miniata
Dogtooth TunaGymnosarda unicolor
Dusky GrouperEpinephelus marginatus
Ember ParrotfishScarus rubroviolaceus
Emperor AngelfishPomacanthus imperator
Fimbriated MorayGymnothorax fimbriatus
Flamboyant CuttlefishMetasepia pfefferi
Garden EelHeterocongrinae
Giant MorayGymnothorax javanicus
Giant TrevallyCaranx ignobilis
Giant clamTridacna gigas
Great BarracudaSphyraena barracuda
Harlequin ShrimpHymenocera picta
Honeycomb MorayGymnothorax favagineus
Jenkins' WhiprayPateobatis jenkinsii
Killer WhaleOrcinus orca
Leaf ScorpionfishTaenianotus triacanthus
LionfishPterois spp.
Loggerhead Sea TurtleCaretta caretta
Longhorn CowfishLactoria cornuta
Longtail Butterfly RayGymnura poecilura
Lyretail AnthiasPseudanthias squamipinnis
MandarinfishSynchiropus splendidus
Mimic OctopusThaumoctopus mimicus
Moorish IdolZanclus cornutus
Ocean SunfishMola mola
Oceanic Whitetip SharkCarcharhinus longimanus
Ocellated Eagle RayAetobatus ocellatus
Orange-lined TriggerfishBalistapus undulatus
Oriental SweetlipsPlectorhinchus vittatus
Ornate Eagle RayAetomylaeus vespertilio
Ornate Ghost PipefishSolenostomus paradoxus
Painted FrogfishAntennarius pictus
Painted Spiny LobsterPanulirus versicolor
Palette SurgeonfishParacanthurus hepatus
Peacock Mantis ShrimpOdontodactylus scyllarus
Pennant CoralfishHeniochus acuminatus
Regal AngelfishPygoplites diacanthus
Ribbon EelRhinomuraena quaesita
Scarlet-Striped Cleaner ShrimpLysmata grabhami
Shortfin Devil RayMobula kuhlii
Sicklefin Devil RayMobula tarapacana
Silky SharkCarcharhinus falciformis
Smooth Hammerhead SharkSphyrna zygaena
Snowflake MorayEchidna nebulosa
Spanish DancerHexabranchus sanguineus
Sperm WhalePhyseter macrocephalus
Spiny Butterfly RayGymnura altavela
Spot-fin PorcupinefishDiodon hystrix
Spotted Eagle RayAetobatus narinari
Tawny Nurse SharkNebrius ferrugineus
Threadfin ButterflyfishChaetodon auriga
Tiger Tail SeahorseHippocampus comes
Titan TriggerfishBalistoides viridescens
White-spotted PufferfishArothron hispidus
Yellow BoxfishOstracion cubicus
Yellow Longnose ButterflyfishForcipiger flavissimus
Yellowfin TunaThunnus albacares
Zebra SharkStegostoma tigrinum
Explore South Africa on the map
Frequently asked questions about South Africa
What are the best dive destinations in South Africa?
South Africa has 5 dive destinations, including Aliwal Shoal, Cape Town, False Bay, Protea Banks, and Sodwana Bay.
When is the best time to dive in South Africa?
It depends on where you dive in South Africa: Aliwal Shoal from May to November, Cape Town from November to March, False Bay from March to October, Protea Banks from June to August and from November to March, and Sodwana Bay from April to October.
What marine life can you see diving in South Africa?
Divers can encounter 102 species in South Africa. Highlights include Blacktip Shark, Blue Shark, Broadnose Sevengill Shark, Bull Shark, Cape Fur Seal, and Common Bottlenose Dolphin.
When can you see the Blue Shark in South Africa?
The Blue Shark is most often seen in South Africa from November to May.
When can you see the Dusky Shark in South Africa?
The Dusky Shark is most often seen in South Africa from March to October.
When can you see the Giant Oceanic Manta Ray in South Africa?
The Giant Oceanic Manta Ray is most often seen in South Africa from April to September.
What is the water temperature in South Africa?
Water temperature across South Africa ranges from 10°C at Cape Town to 29°C at Sodwana Bay.
What wetsuit do I need to dive in South Africa?
The water across South Africa ranges from 10°C to 29°C, so pack anything from a rash guard or a 1–3 mm shorty to a 7 mm semi-dry or a drysuit depending on the site and the season.
What is the visibility like when diving in South Africa?
Visibility in South Africa ranges from 2 m to 40 m. The clearest water is found at Protea Banks.
What can you see on a night dive in South Africa?
After dark, South Africa reveals nocturnal species such as Blue Shark, Common Octopus, Sand Tiger Shark, Short-tail Stingray, Striped Catshark, and Whitetip Reef Shark.
Every answer is built from the conditions and sightings data we keep for South Africa. Spotted something that looks off?
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