Reggies - Bazaruto Archipelago
St. Marie Reef, down on Curaçao's southeast coast, is one of those spots we always look forward to. It’s a proper wall dive, starting shallow and dropping to a healthy 40 meters, though we tend to spend most of our time above 20m. You’ll check in at the local dive school at Coral Estate, which keeps things organized. What we really love here is the sheer density of life clinging to the wall. Keep an eye out for the smaller stuff – Nodulose Miters tucked into crevices, and those striking Spotted Lanternfish hanging out in shaded areas. We've often seen Hawksbill Turtles cruising the reef edge, and the schools of Surgeonfish can be so thick they almost block out the sun in the shallows. The corals, particularly the Rose Coral and Lettuce Coral, are thriving. We'd suggest going early; the light hitting the wall creates some beautiful contrasts. This site is great for divers who appreciate a healthy reef with a good mix of macro and pelagic encounters, without being too challenging.
- Location
- Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- -23.906400, 35.594200
- Type
- reef
Best Time to Dive in Bazaruto Archipelago
The warmest water temperatures in Bazaruto Archipelago occur in January, averaging 28.3°C. The coolest conditions are in August at 23.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.3°C
- February: 28.3°C
- March: 27.6°C
- April: 27.0°C
- May: 25.9°C
- June: 24.8°C
- July: 23.8°C
- August: 23.3°C
- September: 23.6°C
- October: 24.5°C
- November: 25.8°C
- December: 27.4°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Bazaruto Archipelago
- AFRICA SHELL - 29m (wreck)
- Amazon (cenote)
- Amazon - 5-20m (reef)
- Amphitheater (cenote)
- Amphitheater (reef)
- Clownfish (wall)
- Coliseum / Hospital (reef)
- Diversity Scuba
- EN1 (reef)
- EVRIDIS - 0m (wreck)
- Fingers (wreck)
- Giants Castle
- Hogwarts / Outback (reef)
- KLIPFONTEIN - 40m (wreck)
- Manta
Nearest Dive Centres to Reggies
Marine Life in Bazaruto Archipelago
Home to 99 recorded species including 70 reef fish, 14 sharks & rays, 4 other, 3 sea cucumbers, 3 hard corals, 2 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) - Reef Fish
- Soldier (Cheimerius nufar) - Reef Fish
- Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Allison's Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Reef Fish
- Gulf torpedo (Torpedo sinuspersici) - Sharks & Rays
- Halfmoon triggerfish (Sufflamen chrysopterum) - Reef Fish
- Day Sarpon (Alepisaurus ferox) - Reef Fish
- Blackspot Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) - Reef Fish
- Kihikihi (Zanclus cornutus) - Reef Fish
- Spottail Coris (Coris caudimacula) - Reef Fish
- Sunburst Butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii) - Reef Fish
- Goldbar wrasse (Thalassoma hebraicum) - Reef Fish
- Savigny's Brittle Star (Ophiactis savignyi)
- Rainbow wrasse (Halichoeres iridis) - Reef Fish
- Banded Toby (Canthigaster valentini) - Reef Fish
- Blue and Gold Fusilier (Caesio caerulaurea) - Reef Fish
- Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Palani (Acanthurus dussumieri) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Reggies
Based on average water temperature of 25.9°C, currents 35 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 26°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins (stiff blade recommended for strong currents)
- 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