Praslin · Seychelles · 4°37′S 55°27′E
Scuba diving in the Seychelles — wrecks, reef walls, and granite boulder gardens in the Indian Ocean. Notes on the best sites around Praslin and Mahé, and operators worth diving with.
Living on Praslin puts me within twenty minutes of some of the most biodiverse reef systems in the western Indian Ocean. The granitic seabed here is unlike anywhere else — cathedral-scale boulders colonised by soft corals, patrolled by whitetip sharks and hawksbill turtles year-round.
I dive recreational depths, mostly in the 12–30 m range, with a preference for slow drift dives over reef walls and boulder gardens. The Ennerdale wreck off Mahé is a particular favourite — there's something about diving a ship that was deliberately blown apart that stays with you.
A 270 m British Royal Fleet Auxiliary oil tanker that struck an unmarked pinnacle off north-east Mahé in 1970. Unable to be saved, she was deliberately scuttled with explosives — the charges blown with divers plucked from the water by speedboat at the last moment. Now the largest wreck in the Seychelles, lying at 20–27 m and colonised by nurse sharks, giant groupers, grey reef sharks, and dense schools of barracuda. The stern section, with propeller and wheelhouse intact, is the highlight. An AOW dive; bottom time is short at depth.
A seamount rising from 40 m to within 8 m of the surface, roughly halfway between Mahé and Praslin. Strong currents concentrate pelagics — eagle rays, whitetip and nurse sharks, and occasional hammerheads. Best on a slack or gentle incoming tide.
A cluster of granite pinnacles covered in hard and soft corals, sitting in 18–28 m. One of the most reliably productive sites near Praslin — Napoleon wrasse, moray eels, lionfish, and resident hawksbill turtles on almost every dive. Sheltered enough to dive year-round.
The southern wall of Île Marianne drops into deep blue water past boulder gardens encrusted with sea fans. Remote and rarely dived — Marianne is uninhabited and requires a longer crossing from Praslin, but rewards the effort with near-pristine corals and genuine solitude underwater.
The marine reserve surrounding Cousin Island supports one of the densest hawksbill turtle populations in the Indian Ocean. Strict no-take enforcement since the 1970s means the reef structure is in excellent condition — thick coral heads, abundant reef fish, and turtles that have no fear of divers.
Based at Anse Volbert, Praslin Pro Divers runs well-organised two-tank morning trips to the best sites around Praslin and the outer islands. Knowledgeable guides, good equipment, and sensible group sizes. The go-to choice for residents.
praslinprodivers.com ↗Smaller, more personal operation with excellent guides who know the granitic seabed intimately. Particularly good for night dives and for reaching remoter sites like South Marianne and Booby Rock on good weather days.
whitetipdivers.com ↗Site conditions, operators, and access change — always check current information before planning a dive trip. Coordinates are approximate.