Are you planning to go diving in Sodwana Bay, South Africa? I bet you must be wondering about the best time to dive at Sodwana Bay and about the Sodwana Bay diving prices. Don’t worry as this Sodwana Bay diving guide will help you plan, so let’s dive straight into it.
Where is Sodwana Bay?
Sodwana Bay is a subtropical coral reef located inside the iSimangaliso Wetland Park on the eastern coast of South Africa in KwaZulu-Natal. The Sodwana Bay dive sites are relatively shallow for anything more than an advanced diver and can be done by people with a limited amount of experience. Scuba diving is the most popular activity in Sodwana Bay. Snorkeling is also a favorite activity to do there.
Diving in Sodwana Bay
Sodwana Bay is one of the top dive sites in South Africa, and diving here has become a popular activity over the last few decades. The Mecca of diving in South Africa is a massive area that includes several reefs separated by deep channels. There are other attractions in the area, such as whale watching and game viewing.
Diving Conditions
Sodwana Bay diving conditions are perfect for diving. It boasts colored coral reefs. The water temperatures in Sodwana Bay range from 20 to 28 degrees. The diving conditions are good throughout the year. This makes Sodwana Bay a paradise for diving enthusiasts. Sodwana Bay’s blue waters and coral reef make it a bucket list diving destination. Diving in Sodwana Bay means enjoying safe diving conditions with great visibility, so you can enjoy all the underwater marine life!
Best time to dive Sodwana Bay
Diving in Sodwana Bay can be done year-round, but is best from mid-December to mid-March, when weather conditions are at their best. A visit here to dive into one of the world’s beautiful coral reefs will be worth your time. The peak period for diving at Sodwana Bay is during this time, when thousands of fish can be seen on any dive. However, there are other times that divers can see smaller schools of sardines as well as other marine life such as whale sharks and dolphins.
Summer is also the time for whale watching! Humpback whales migrate into the warmer waters of Southern Africa between May and November each year, after spending the winter in Antarctica feeding on krill – tiny shrimplike creatures that form part of their diet during this season.
Dive Sites
Sodwana Bay dive sites are up there amongst the world’s best diving places. Most of the Sodwana Bay dive sites are quite shallow. Anton’s Reef is one of the best dive sites in Sodwana Bay, South Africa. Anton’s Reef has an average depth of 12 meters and a maximum depth of 16 meters. The dive site is covered with beautiful coral and is also best known for its huge shoals of fish. Another favorite dive site is Wayne’s World, which has an average depth of 14 meters and a maximum of 16 meters.
What is Sodwana Bay known for?
It is one of the most popular dive sites in South Africa and a major tourist attraction for the region. The bay has very little current and clear, warm water that helps make diving here comfortable.
Sodwana Bay is also one of three legs of what is known as the “Sardine Run”, an annual event that attracts hundreds of thousands of marine animals to the area each year.
The Sardine Run is a term used to describe the annual migration of sardines along the east coast of South Africa. The sardines travel from the Agulhas Bank to the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, where they are caught by fishermen. The migration occurs between November and February.
Over 1200 species of fish have been recorded here and over 160 species of coral.
It boasts some of the richest marine biodiversity in Africa. The Sodwana Bay Marine Protected Area is home to many rare or endemic organisms like the Sodwana Knysna seahorse, which is found nowhere else on earth.
Sodwana Bay diving water temperature
Sodwana is one of the few places in South Africa that can be dived almost any time of year. The Sodwana Bay diving water temperature ranges between 16 and 24℃, and visibility is often above 20 meters.
In winter (May to September) this is when you can some amazing visibility with schools of fish feeding on plankton at the surface. In summer (October to April) the sea can become very rough due to strong currents on the coast caused by heavy rains inland.
Sodwana Bay diving prices
Sodwana Bay diving prices can vary widely and are affected by multiple factors. The type of dive influences the cost, the number of dives, the number of people on the dive, the type of accommodation, and the season. It’s also influenced by the operator, dive site, and season.
The price per person can be as low as R250 for a single night at a backpackers lodge (with shared bathrooms) to over R4 000 for a luxury hotel stay with private facilities. The average daily rate for a two-tank dive starts at about R600 per person. A lot of operators offer diving packages that include meals, which can decrease your costs, especially during high season when accommodation prices are higher too.
Conclusion
The diving in Sodwana Bay is spectacular, if you plan a diving trip to Sodwana Bay you won’t be disappointed.
