Diving in Savai'i
Why dive here
Savai'i offers some of Samoa's richest diving, with 191+ marine species recorded in the area - including tiger sharks, whitetip reef sharks, lionfish, napoleon wrasse and pufferfish. Water sits around 29°C.
Savai’i is Samoa’s rugged big sister, and its diving feels the same way: wilder, less polished than Upolu. We love the volcanic topography here. It creates incredible swim-throughs and caverns. It’s not about huge pelagics, though you might spot an Amberjack cruising past. We come here for the smaller stuff. Keep your eyes peeled for the Halfspotted Hawkfish perched on corals, or a Scarlet Soldierfish peeking out from a crevice. Look closely for Dragonfish, they’re masters of camouflage. There’s only one dive centre on the island, and it’s a friendly operation. The sites are mostly beginner to intermediate. We often find ourselves drifting along gentle currents, spotting cowries tucked into rocks and watching Longfin Bannerfish glide by. Visibility is generally good, often 20 metres or more. We've found the best time to visit is during the dry season, May to October, when the seas are calmer. The lack of crowds is a real bonus here. You often feel like you have the whole reef to yourself, a rare luxury these days.
Savai'i Dive Site Map
Dive sites and dive centres in Savai'i
Savai'i Dive Sites
2 dive sites in Savai'i
Fagamalo Reef
Fagamalo Reef offers a gentle intermediate dive along Savai'i's northern coast. We generally drop to around 15-20 meters, finding large table corals and decent staghorn formations. Keep an eye out for Honeycomb Groupers and Lemon Peels darting between the coral heads, and you might spot a reef shark cruising by. It’s a solid, calm dive, good for getting back into things or just enjoying a relaxed afternoon.
Lava Fields
The Lava Fields are exactly what they sound like – a sprawling underwater landscape shaped by the 1905 eruption, now softened by a century of ocean life. We love how the dark, undulating basalt rock creates these natural canyons and swim-throughs, all just a few metres deep. It’s like diving through a submerged, ancient maze. Our favourite part has to be the light play. Sunlight filters down through the shallow water, bouncing off the sandy patches and illuminating the bowl corals that have colonised every available surface. Keep an eye out for the giants here: huge spider conches slowly traversing the sand, and we’ve spotted humpbacked conches settled in the crevices too. Blackfish often dart between the rocks, and it's a calm spot, perfect for new divers to practice their buoyancy without worrying about deep drop-offs or strong currents. The coral hind and silver squirrelfish are pretty common, but it's the sheer architectural beauty of the lava formations that really makes this place special. We’d suggest going in the morning; the water tends to be clearest, and the low sun casts long, dramatic shadows.
Savai'i Dive Centres
1 dive shop and operator in Savai'i
Ocean Wildlife in Savai'i
191 species recorded in Savai'i
Savai'i Daylight & Sunrise/Sunset
Sunrise and sunset times for Savai'i, calculated from coordinates
Today - Monday 24 August
Sunrise
06:40
Sunset
18:25
Daylight
11h 45m
Golden Hour
17:57
First light (dawn) at 06:19 · Last light (dusk) at 18:47
Monthly Averages
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 06:14 | 19:04 | 12h 50m |
| Feb | 06:28 | 19:01 | 12h 32m |
| Mar | 06:34 | 18:45 | 12h 11m |
| Apr | 06:36 | 18:24 | 11h 48m |
| May | 06:42 | 18:12 | 11h 30m |
| JunShortest | 06:50 | 18:11 | 11h 20m |
| Jul | 06:54 | 18:18 | 11h 24m |
| AugNow | 06:45 | 18:24 | 11h 39m |
| Sep | 06:25 | 18:26 | 12h 1m |
| Oct | 06:04 | 18:27 | 12h 23m |
| Nov | 05:53 | 18:37 | 12h 44m |
| DecLongest | 05:58 | 18:52 | 12h 55m |
Times are approximate local times based on longitude. Actual times may vary slightly depending on the exact timezone observed in Savai'i.
Where to Stay near Savai'i
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Marine Protected Areas near Savai'i
72 protected areas near Savai'i - please respect local regulations when diving
Aleipata MPA
Nofoalii Aana
Safata MPA
Satapuala Aana
Poutasi Falealili
Samatau Falelatai (e)
Vaiee
Saoluafata Anoama'a
Afaga Tele
Sapapalii
Vaisala
Pu'apu'a
Showing 12 largest of 72
Getting to Savai'i
Apia
Pago Pago
Wallis Island
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