The 9 best diving spots in Cape Verde

Check the oxygen bottles and get out the combination! You can discover the 9 best diving spots in Cape Verde.

Located off the sea Senegal , the archipelago of Cape Verde consists of a dozen islands shaped by volcanic activity. The music of Cesaria Evora, its picturesque villages and beaches contributed to the tourist boom of the archipelago. Already very appreciated by hikers thanks to his relief , lovers of great blue began to discover, a few years ago, the potential of the dive spots of the Cap-vert.If, in general, it is possible to find sites for all levels, it should be noted that currents can be strong enough in the archipelago and make the exit quite sporty.

1. Tchouklass

The site is located about 3 kilometers from the beach of Santa Maria. It is one of the most famous diving spots in Cape Verde due to its varied fauna and flora.

The dive starts on a cornice with yellow polyps where you can meet fish benches. The site allows to descend up to 35 metres of depth and to observe daurades, marlins, crustaceans, rays including mantas rays. If you are lucky, you may have the surprise to see whale sharks there.

2. Tre Grutas

The departure is also made from the beach of Santa Maria for this very frequented site as one of the most beautiful diving spots in Cape Verde.

The depth does not exceed 20 meters and the diving allows to explore 3 caves in which the fauna is large. It is advisable to have a dive lamp if you do not want to miss anything from the show of life under sea. From time to time, it is possible to cross the path of turtles.

3. L’Épave du Boris

Promised! Here is one of the most famous wrecks for diving in Cape Verde. It is a former Russian ship that was sunk in 2006 and is 30 metres deep. In addition to exploring the ship you can enter, the site delights underwater photography enthusiasts as it is inhabited by many nudibranches.

You can also admire toadfish, scorpion fish and crustaceans. Among the fish banks that swim there, mantas rays sometimes come to visit you.

4. Buracona

Here is the best known and most frequented spot as accessible to everyone from the earth. The site is nicknamed the blue eye because it is actually a large volcanic cave dug through the currents. It has 3 entries, the largest of which is 26 metres deep.

The spot’s interest lies in its open dome that creates superb light games in turquoise tones. Of course, diving in itself is only accessible to graduate divers, especially as it is necessary to jump into the resssac, but many tourists swim on the surface.

5. WYWH

The advantage of the island of Santo Antao is to be relatively far from the usual tourist circuits, yet it has very beautiful seabeds, perfect for diving in Cape Verde. This is the case of this spot whose name is the abbreviation of Wish you were here .

It is a labyrinthic reef with a sandy background that houses most species living in Cape Verdean waters. In this way, you can observe feeding sharks, longimanes sharks, turtles and tropical fish benches such as parrotfish.

6. Ponta Tubarao

You have to go to the channel between the island of Santo Antao and Sao Vicente to access this spot. No reef here, the dive takes place in the current up to a maximum depth of 35 meters, but it is considered one of the most beautiful in the area.

Biodiversity forms a wonderful ballet between serioles benches, carangues, merous, barracudas and parrot fish. Depending on the period, mantas rays and turtles can swim in the current.

7. Atlantis Palace

Nothing but the name makes you want to embark on the dive in Cape Verde! The site consists of a walk in a cave whose walls are covered with yellow coral.

In general, the circuit begins with the deepest entrance. We must not forget his dive lamp to explore the cavities and to discover nourished sharks, colorful nudibranche colonies, lobsters and perhaps rays.

8. Praia de Vulcao

This dive in Cape Verde descends gently by a sandy slope before reaching the reef which descends up to 30 meters deep.

As in most of the sites in the region, the fish benches are legions, they are whirling and testifying to a great diversity of underwater life. This mix is found between Atlantic species and other more tropical species. It is on this spot that you have the most chance to cross dolphins, turtles and whale sharks.

9. Shark Bow

Another island that is very little known for diving in Cape Verde and still has treasures. This is the case in particular with this spot which, as its name suggests, may allow you to swim with bull sharks, rather difficult to see. But there is, normally, nothing to fear with this species that is not aggressive.

The diving explores a reef that descends up to 25 meters deep and is crossed by a large arch. It is above all in this place that an exceptional fauna is concentrated between misleading fish, squirrels and surgeons as well as some rays and crustaceans.

You are now adorned for a good diving session in Cape Verde!