Benchmark - Tofo & Inhambane
Deep Blue, just a short hop from Gawana Bay, is one of those sites we always recommend for a solid, rewarding dive without too much fuss. It's an easy five-minute boat ride, dropping you right onto a wall that starts around three metres and slopes down, though we usually keep it to 21m max here. The wall itself is lively, a proper hard coral garden as it merges eastwards. You'll spot plenty of staghorn corals clinging to the rock, creating little nooks for the smaller residents. Look closely and you might catch a belly-spotted pygmy-goby darting for cover, or a yellowstripe monocle bream cruising by. We’ve often seen twostripe eviotas peeking out from the coral, and the occasional orange convict reefgoby too. It's a relaxed drift along the wall, perfect for photographers who want to take their time, or anyone just wanting to unwind. Visibility averages a comfortable 19m, making it a great spot for enjoying the details.
- Location
- Tofo & Inhambane, Mozambique, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- -23.309000, 35.684100
- Type
- reef
Best Time to Dive in Tofo & Inhambane
The warmest water temperatures in Tofo & Inhambane occur in January, averaging 28.8°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.8°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.8°C (air: 27.1°C)
- February: 28.8°C (air: 27.0°C)
- March: 28.8°C (air: 26.0°C)
- April: 28.8°C (air: 24.8°C)
- May: 28.8°C (air: 23.0°C)
- June: 28.8°C (air: 21.7°C)
- July: 28.8°C (air: 20.8°C)
- August: 28.8°C (air: 21.8°C)
- September: 28.8°C (air: 23.3°C)
- October: 28.8°C (air: 24.1°C)
- November: 28.8°C (air: 25.6°C)
- December: 28.8°C (air: 26.8°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Tofo & Inhambane
- Barra Reef (reef)
- Benchmark (reef)
- Caves (reef)
- Grand Canyon - 24m
- Matswa (reef)
- Ponta Backdoor (Surf)
- Ponta Tofinho (Surf)
- Rainbow Reef (wreck)
- SILVER HARVESTER - 9m (wreck)
- Tokyo Drift (cave)
- Two Mile Reef (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Benchmark
- Azura - ["PADI"]
- Azura Marlin Beach - ["PADI"]
- Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies - ["PADI"]
- &Beyond Benguerra Lodge - ["PADI"]
- Dive Bazaruto
- Odyssea Dive Centre
Marine Life in Tofo & Inhambane
Home to 283 recorded species including 222 reef fish, 24 sharks & rays, 11 hard corals, 6 seagrass & algae, 4 other, 4 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) - Reef Fish
- Soldier (Cheimerius nufar) - Reef Fish
- Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) - Sharks & Rays
- Allison's Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Reef Fish
- Halfmoon triggerfish (Sufflamen chrysopterum) - Reef Fish
- Kihikihi (Zanclus cornutus) - Reef Fish
- Blackspot Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) - Reef Fish
- Spottail Coris (Coris caudimacula) - Reef Fish
- Goldbar wrasse (Thalassoma hebraicum) - Reef Fish
- Sunburst Butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii) - Reef Fish
- Rainbow wrasse (Halichoeres iridis) - Reef Fish
- Blue Surgeonfish (Acanthurus leucosternon) - Reef Fish
- Blue and Gold Fusilier (Caesio caerulaurea) - Reef Fish
- Gulf torpedo (Torpedo sinuspersici) - Sharks & Rays
- Trumpet (Aulostomus chinensis) - Reef Fish
- Bicolor Parrotfish (Scarus rubroviolaceus) - Reef Fish
- Banded Toby (Canthigaster valentini) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Benchmark
Based on average water temperature of 28.8°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°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