Swiss Drop - Flic en Flac & West Coast

Virador is a solid choice when you’re diving out of Playas del Coco, a short 20-minute boat ride. We often find ourselves drifting around this pinnacle, and it’s a pretty easy ride, usually taking us about an hour to circle. The real draw here is the sheer volume of fish. Think schools of jacks so dense they dim the light, and plenty of brashy grunts holding their ground. While it’s not the deepest dive, topping out around 20m, we love hanging out in the slightly deeper sandy areas, keeping an eye out for white tip reef sharks and the occasional Haller’s round ray. Visibility averages around 9m, so it’s not always gin-clear, but we’ve had some fantastic days here. It’s a great spot for a relaxed drift, especially if you enjoy being enveloped by fish rather than hunting for macro. If you’re into big schools and a comfortable current, Virador usually delivers.

Location: Flic en Flac & West Coast, Mauritius, Indian Ocean & East Africa
Coordinates: -20.279000, 57.357100
Type: reef

Marine Protected Area: Black River Fishing Reserve

Best Time to Dive in Flic en Flac & West Coast

The warmest water temperatures in Flic en Flac & West Coast occur in January, averaging 28.0°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.0°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 28.0°C (air: 27.0°C)
February: 28.0°C (air: 27.2°C)
March: 28.0°C (air: 27.0°C)
April: 28.0°C (air: 26.3°C)
May: 28.0°C (air: 25.0°C)
June: 28.0°C (air: 23.2°C)
July: 28.0°C (air: 22.5°C)
August: 28.0°C (air: 22.5°C)
September: 28.0°C (air: 23.2°C)
October: 28.0°C (air: 24.3°C)
November: 28.0°C (air: 25.4°C)
December: 28.0°C (air: 26.7°C)

Nearest Dive Centres to Swiss Drop

Bigorno Diving Centre LTD - PADI, SSI
Blues Diving Centre - ["PADI"]
Blue World Explorer Adventures - ["PADI"]
Crystal Divers Mauritius - ["PADI"]
Crystal Diving - ["PADI"]
Dive Drem Divers Mauritius

Marine Life in Flic en Flac & West Coast

Home to 453 recorded species including 314 reef fish, 71 hard corals, 14 sea snails & nudibranchs, 12 sharks & rays, 11 seagrass & algae, 8 whales & dolphins.

Notable Species

Tuna (Thunnus alalunga) - Reef Fish
Coral Blenny (Istiblennius edentulus) - Reef Fish
Blackspotted Rockskipper (Entomacrodus striatus) - Reef Fish
loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
Staghorn coral (Acropora austera) - Hard Corals
Manini (Acanthurus triostegus) - Reef Fish
Humpbacked conch (Gibberulus gibberulus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
Blackspot Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) - Reef Fish
Small-eyed Squirrelfish (Myripristis murdjan) - Reef Fish
Humphead Unicornfish (Naso unicornis) - Reef Fish
Staghorn coral (Acropora lutkeni) - Hard Corals
Honeycomb Grouper (Epinephelus merra) - Reef Fish
Adorned wrasse (Halichoeres cosmetus) - Reef Fish
Species code: Si (Syringodium isoetifolium) - Seagrass & Algae
Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) - Reef Fish
Peppered Squirrelfish (Sargocentron punctatissimum) - Reef Fish
Maldive Cone (Conus maldivus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
Bluestripe Pipefish (Doryrhamphus excisus) - Reef Fish
Humphead wrasse (Coris aygula) - Reef Fish
Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins

Recommended Packing List for Swiss Drop

Based on average water temperature of 28.0°C.

Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
Mask - essential for every dive
Fins
BCD - buoyancy compensator
Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories