A volcanic island ringed by a near-continuous fringing reef in the south-western Indian Ocean, Mauritius offers warm-water diving centred on the sheltered west and north-west coasts—dramatic wall and cavern dives off Flic en Flac, a cluster of purpose-sunk Japanese trawler wrecks off Trou aux Biches and Coin de Mire, and seasonal pelagic action when current pushes big fish onto the offshore pinnacles.
Destination info
Conditions, highlights, and the resident marine life.
Conditions
Water and air temperature across the year.
WaterAirDryShoulderWet
Description
Mauritius sits roughly 2,000 km off the south-east coast of Africa and is encircled by a fringing coral reef that shelters a turquoise lagoon, so the great majority of diving is on the outer-reef drop-offs reached by short boat rides from the leeward west and north-west coasts—Flic en Flac, Trou aux Biches, Pointe aux Piments and Grand Baie. The signature dives are the volcanic-rock walls, arches and caverns off Flic en Flac (the famous Cathedral, with its cathedral-like grottoes and shafts of light) and a remarkable concentration of artificial-reef wrecks: the Stella Maru, a Japanese trawler scuttled in 1987, and the Djabeda, a 44 m vessel sunk in 1998 beside Coin de Mire island (Gunner's Quoin). The dived season runs year-round, but conditions are best in the austral summer (roughly November–April) when the water warms to 27–29°C and visibility on the west coast is at its clearest—tempered by the January–March cyclone window, which brings rain, swell and cancelled days. Winter (May–October) is cooler (22–25°C, a 5 mm wetsuit) but adds humpback whales offshore (July–October) and is the season divers most often report hammerheads at the outer pinnacles. Most reef dives are gentle and beginner-friendly inside the bays, but the exposed offshore pinnacles (Coin de Mire's The Wall and Carpenter, Le Morne's Passe St Jacques) and the deeper wrecks see real current and are intermediate-to-advanced sites; the national recompression chamber is at Port Louis.
Highlights
What makes this dive worth the trip.
The Cathedral, off Flic en Flac on the west coast, is widely rated Mauritius's most spectacular dive: a system of arches, grottoes and a large cavern carved into volcanic rock where shafts of light pour through openings like church windows, dropping from about 18 m on a sandy base to roughly 28–30 m, and sheltering lobster, moray eels, scorpionfish and reef fish.
Mauritius has a cluster of purpose-sunk artificial-reef wrecks: the Stella Maru, a Japanese trawler scuttled off Trou aux Biches in 1987 and now sitting upright on sand at around 23–26 m, and the Djabeda, a 44 m Japanese fishing vessel sunk in 1998 beside Coin de Mire island, resting upright at roughly 24–34 m.
The best diving conditions are in the austral summer (roughly November–April) when the water warms to about 27–29°C and visibility is at its clearest, but January–March is cyclone season—bringing rain, swell, reduced visibility and cancelled dive days—so October–December and March–April are the safest windows to plan around the storm risk.
Marine life
35 species you’re likely to encounter on a dive here.
Dive sites
6 signature sites at this destination.
Cathedral (La Cathedrale)
Mauritius's most celebrated dive, a short boat ride off Flic en Flac on the leeward west coast. Volcanic rock has formed a large cavern, arches and grottoes where sunlight streams through openings to create a cathedral-like interior; the dive starts on a sandy base around 18 m and works down to about 28–30 m past dramatic boulders and drop-offs. Properly guided divers can penetrate the main cavern, where lobster, moray eels, scorpionfish, pufferfish and reef fish shelter in the rock. Boat entry; recommended for Advanced Open Water level given the depth and overhead environment.
18–30 madvancedDay boatModerateVisibility 15–35 m
Confetti Bay (Coin de Mire)
A sheltered, current-protected dive on the lee side of Coin de Mire island, with depths ranging from about 2 m to 22 m, making it suitable for everyone from first-time divers and Bubblemaker children to snorkelers and experienced divers. Coral bommies and rocky outcrops over sand host triggerfish, parrotfish, moray eels, stingrays, stonefish and lionfish. It is commonly used as the second, easier dive after the deeper Djabeda wreck on the same Coin de Mire trip.
2–22 mbeginnerDay boatLightVisibility 12–30 m
Stella Maru Wreck
An old Japanese trawler deliberately sunk in 1987 to create an artificial reef, lying upright on a sandy bottom beside a rocky reef off Trou aux Biches on the north-west coast. Roughly 44 m long, the wreck sits at an average depth of about 23 m (down to ~26 m at the keel) and is largely intact with little heavy growth—algae, small soft corals, anemones and sea urchins. A resident giant moray is the wreck's best-known inhabitant, alongside porcupinefish, triggerfish, jacks and the occasional frogfish. Its modest depth and calm conditions make it one of the more accessible wrecks in Mauritius.
18–26 mintermediateDay boatLightVisibility 15–30 m
Djabeda Wreck
A 44 m Japanese fishing vessel sunk in 1998 as an artificial reef beside Coin de Mire island (Gunner's Quoin), off the northern tip of Mauritius. It rests upright with the mast rising to around 20 m and the keel at roughly 32–34 m, so it is a deeper dive best done on nitrox and suited to experienced or wreck-certified divers. The hull is dressed in soft and hard corals and surrounded by schooling fish, honeycomb morays, tuna, barracuda and whiprays; divers often swim from the wreck across to Confetti Bay on Coin de Mire to finish the dive. Occasional dolphins and whales pass the area.
20–34 madvancedDay boatModerateVisibility 15–35 m
The Wall (Coin de Mire)
A vertical wall on the seaward side of Coin de Mire island (Gunner's Quoin), off the northern coast, dropping to around 30–40 m and draped in pink crinoids and gorgonians. It is one of the best Mauritius sites for big-fish action: when current pushes from deep to shallow water, barracuda, dogtooth tuna, kingfish and eagle rays cruise the wall, large parrotfish patrol the reef, and scalloped hammerheads are occasionally seen on the upper sections. An exposed offshore site with variable current, it is an intermediate-to-advanced dive done by day boat from Grand Baie or Trou aux Biches.
12–40 madvancedDay boatStrongVisibility 15–35 m
Rempart Serpent (Snake Reef)
A flat reef and wall off Flic en Flac on the west coast, lying around 25–27 m and prized by underwater photographers as a macro and critter site. The reef is a reliable spot for camouflaged and unusual species—reef stonefish, scorpionfish, lionfish, octopus, ornate ghost pipefish and (in season) rhinopias—alongside stingrays, turtles, trevally and the occasional reef shark. Its depth and macro focus make it an intermediate-level dive, often done on nitrox to extend bottom time.
22–27 mintermediateDay boatModerateVisibility 15–30 m
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