Sodwana, aliwal, tofo, Pemba

[Kmsisler5]

I will be taking my daughter on Safari the last week of June. Our dates are flexible from may to August. Trying to pair with a great palagic dive experience. The information online is a little all over the place so I'm hoping you guys can direct me where is the best place to go during this time frame. We will have about 6 days so we could hit up to 2 spots. On my Radar is Sodwana (not sure about the tining) and Aliwal, protea Banks, Tofo, or Pemba Island

 

[Umuntu]

i have dived all four places.

Of the four, I think Aliwal and Sodwana are more interesting. Aliwal is guaranteed shark diving. Also some wrecks in good condition. Sodwana has excellent reefs. If you go to Sodwana try to dive with “Da Blue Juice”. A small Op with personal service. Coral Divers is the biggest Op there, if you need to hire gear etc.

@tridacna may have other suggestions if you are interested in the Cape.

Mozambique will need more than 6 days because of travel issues. Travel within Mozambique, while safe, can be unreliable. Our return flight from Pemba to Johannesburg was simply cancelled while waiting to check-in at the airport and I had to do all the rebooking via Maputo myself, including having to trek to the airline office in the city, to get my sons back to school in the UK. Fortunately I had allowed 2 days layover in Johannesburg, so they didn’t lose their Jhb-Lon flights, which would have been more expensive. Personally, I wouldn’t try Mozambique unless I had more time.

PS: it will be winter then, but I was fine with a 5mm wetsuit.

 

[xak]

Sodwana actually has a very healthy reef system. Variety of fish species is really good. Corals healthy, with no bleaching. Beach launches can be quite intimidating for those not used to launching through surf, but in all my years there, never had a launch where I felt unsafe. Seven mile reef is excellent, and many people that have dived all over puts it in their Top 10. Generally you do two dives a day. We dive with Amoray, which involves you in dive site choice, but will generally be a further reef for the first dive (9 mile reef also excellent, but pretty much good diving on 5, 6 and 8 mile as well). Second dive on 2 mile reef, which is largest reef structure. It remains a very good reef to dive and we have seen Manta's, Grey nurse sharks and once even a Great White Shark there. We have dived the Red Sea, Indonesia, Australia, Madagascar, Maldives and most of the Indian Ocean islands. We always go back to Sodwana, at least once a year.

 

[Kmsisler5]

i have dived all four places.

Of the four, I think Aliwal and Sodwana are more interesting. Aliwal is guaranteed shark diving. Also some wrecks in good condition. Sodwana has excellent reefs. If you go to Sodwana try to dive with “Da Blue Juice”. A small Op with personal service. Coral Divers is the biggest Op there, if you need to hire gear etc.

@tridacna may have other suggestions if you are interested in the Cape.

Mozambique will need more than 6 days because of travel issues. Travel within Mozambique, while safe, can be unreliable. Our return flight from Pemba to Johannesburg was simply cancelled while waiting to check-in at the airport and I had to do all the rebooking via Maputo myself, including having to trek to the airline office in the city, to get my sons back to school in the UK. Fortunately I had allowed 2 days layover in Johannesburg, so they didn’t lose their Jhb-Lon flights, which would have been more expensive. Personally, I wouldn’t try Mozambique unless I had more time.

PS: it will be winter then, but I was fine with a 5mm wetsuit.

Thanks for the insight. I mistakenly left off island for Pemba Island. Curious to know if you have any experience there?

 

[Umuntu]

Thanks for the insight. I mistakenly left off island for Pemba Island. Curious to know if you have any experience there?

I have not dived Pemba Island.

You haven’t mentioned where you are planning to go on safari. If you are on safari in Tanzania or Kenya, it may be logistically possible. But from South Africa I think 6 days to Pemba Island and back may be a bit challenging with travel time, connections and possible delays.

Try hitting up the people who posted on this thread for more info on Pemba Island …

Question - Looking for trip ideas in Africa

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[xak]

Pemba quite a trip to get to. If you will be on Safari in South Africa, Sodwana will be beyond expectation. Another destination, now easily reacable from Johannesburg is Nosy Be, Madagascar. The Misio wreck is one of the best dives I have had. And then, probably in the top 5 in the world - The Canyon Atnam. At 45m a deep dive, but spectacular. See this: