Sodwana Bay - Two Mile Reef - Sodwana Bay
Canyon Reef feels like diving through a well-worn maze. We love dropping in near the Mangrove Bight buoy, letting the boat motor hum away, and then descending into these dramatic cuts and swim-throughs. The wall itself bottoms out at a comfortable 21 meters, which means it’s a fantastic spot for open water divers to really stretch their legs without pushing deep. We often find ourselves drifting slowly, scanning the sandy patches for Yellowhead Jawfish popping their heads out, or spotting the flash of a Banded Basslet disappearing into a crevice. The light plays beautifully here, shafting down into the canyons and creating this dappled effect on the coral, making it feel quite intimate. Keep an eye out for the Giant Goby, often tucked away, watching you pass. It’s a site that rewards a slow pace, letting you really explore the nooks and crannies rather than rushing through.
- Location
- Sodwana Bay, South Africa, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- -27.530000, 32.680000
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 5-18m
Marine Protected Area: iSimangaliso Marine Protected Area
Best Time to Dive in Sodwana Bay
The warmest water temperatures in Sodwana Bay occur in January, averaging 28.1°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.1°C (air: 25.1°C)
- February: 28.1°C (air: 25.2°C)
- March: 28.1°C (air: 24.5°C)
- April: 28.1°C (air: 22.7°C)
- May: 28.1°C (air: 21.1°C)
- June: 28.1°C (air: 19.1°C)
- July: 28.1°C (air: 18.8°C)
- August: 28.1°C (air: 19.5°C)
- September: 28.1°C (air: 20.6°C)
- October: 28.1°C (air: 21.6°C)
- November: 28.1°C (air: 23.3°C)
- December: 28.1°C (air: 24.6°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Sodwana Bay
- 2 Mile Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- 2 Mile Reef Pinnacles (reef)
- 2 Mile Reef Pinnacles (pinnacle)
- 2 Mile Stringer (reef)
- 2 Mile Stringer (wreck)
- 300 - 48m (wreck)
- 3 Mile Reef Hotspots (reef)
- 3 Mile Reef Hotspots (wreck)
- 7 Mile Reef (reef)
- 7 Miles Reef (reef)
- 7 Miles Reef (reef)
- 9 Mile Coral Tree (reef)
- 9 Mile Coral Tree (reef)
- 9 Mile Reef (reef)
- Adventure Reef - 2 Mile Reef (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Sodwana Bay - Two Mile Reef
- Coral Divers - ["PADI"]
- Gozo Azul Diving - ["PADI"]
- Malongane Beach Resort - ["PADI"]
- Maputo Dive Center - ["PADI"]
- Mermaids Cove Ei
- Occi Scuba - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Sodwana Bay
Home to 579 recorded species including 443 reef fish, 49 sharks & rays, 35 hard corals, 12 seagrass & algae, 8 crabs & lobsters, 7 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) - Sharks & Rays
- Soldier (Cheimerius nufar) - Reef Fish
- Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) - Sharks & Rays
- Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) - Reef Fish
- Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
- Mozambique mouth-breeder (Oreochromis mossambicus) - Reef Fish
- Silver moony (Monodactylus argenteus) - Reef Fish
- Manini (Acanthurus triostegus) - Reef Fish
- African Weakfish (Atractoscion aequidens) - Reef Fish
- Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus) - Reef Fish
- Hound Needlefish (Tylosurus crocodilus) - Reef Fish
- Jack (Selar crumenophthalmus) - Reef Fish
- Spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus) - Reef Fish
- honeycomb stingray (Himantura uarnak) - Sharks & Rays
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Crescent Grunter (Terapon jarbua) - Reef Fish
- Blackspot Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) - Reef Fish
- Dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) - Reef Fish
- Coral Blenny (Istiblennius edentulus) - Reef Fish
- Bluefish (Kyphosus vaigiensis) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Sodwana Bay - Two Mile Reef
Based on average water temperature of 28.1°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