Les Grottes du Portail - Saint-Gilles & West Coast
Les Grottes du Portail offers a gentle introduction to cave diving, sitting at a comfortable 25m max depth off Saint-Gilles. We’ve found it’s less of a deep cavern and more a series of swim-throughs and overhangs, perfect for building confidence if you’re new to overhead environments. Sunlight still filters in from various openings, so you’re never truly in the dark, highlighting the schools of glassfish that often hover near the entrances. It’s a pretty calm spot, making it a good pick for newer divers looking for something a bit different without any strong currents to contend with.
- Location
- Saint-Gilles & West Coast, Réunion, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- -21.219100, 55.287300
- Type
- cave
- Maximum Depth
- 25m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Ravine Du Portail Aux Avirons
Best Time to Dive in Saint-Gilles & West Coast
The warmest water temperatures in Saint-Gilles & West Coast occur in January, averaging 27.9°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.9°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.9°C (air: 26.6°C)
- February: 27.9°C (air: 26.6°C)
- March: 27.9°C (air: 26.4°C)
- April: 27.9°C (air: 25.6°C)
- May: 27.9°C (air: 23.8°C)
- June: 27.9°C (air: 22.0°C)
- July: 27.9°C (air: 21.1°C)
- August: 27.9°C (air: 21.2°C)
- September: 27.9°C (air: 21.6°C)
- October: 27.9°C (air: 23.0°C)
- November: 27.9°C (air: 24.0°C)
- December: 27.9°C (air: 25.4°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Saint-Gilles & West Coast
- Abyss Plongée - 25-40m (wreck)
- Ali Baba - 28m
- Antonio Lorenzo - 37m
- Bleu Marine Réunion
- Bossy’s Canyon - 19m
- Bouée rouge - 18m
- Bouée verte - 11m
- Canyon - 15m
- Cap la Houssaye - 13m
- Corail Noir - 44m (reef)
- Deux Arches - 18m (cave)
- FONG KUO - 2m (wreck)
- Grotte aux Dentelles - 21m (cave)
- Haï Siang, wreck - 50m (wreck)
- Kary's smiles - 38m
Nearest Dive Centres to Les Grottes du Portail
Marine Life in Saint-Gilles & West Coast
Home to 524 recorded species including 348 reef fish, 99 hard corals, 30 sharks & rays, 15 whales & dolphins, 9 sea cucumbers, 9 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Allison's Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Reef Fish
- Ocean Triggerfish (Canthidermis maculata) - Reef Fish
- Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus) - Reef Fish
- Stripy (Katsuwonus pelamis) - Reef Fish
- Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena equiselis) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Oriental flying gurnard (Dactyloptena orientalis) - Reef Fish
- Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) - Reef Fish
- Barracuda (Acanthocybium solandri) - Reef Fish
- Hatchetfish (Sternoptyx pseudobscura) - Reef Fish
- Kingston (Decapterus macarellus) - Reef Fish
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Brim (Kyphosus sectatrix) - Reef Fish
- Savigny's Brittle Star (Ophiactis savignyi)
- Immaculate Squirrelfish (Myripristis vittata) - Reef Fish
- scad (Priacanthus hamrur) - Reef Fish
- Racoon (Chaetodon lunula) - Reef Fish
- Gilbert's Synaphobranchid Eel (Synaphobranchus affinis) - Reef Fish
- Black sea cucumber (Holothuria atra) - Sea Cucumbers
Recommended Packing List for Les Grottes du Portail
Based on average water temperature of 27.9°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