Diving in Cape Verde
Cape Verde is a diving dreamland. Due to its geographical location, both the underwater terrain and the wealth of marine life create a utopia for divers.
A world of underwater caves, canyons, rock formations, ledges, and sharp wall drop-offs make for a stunning aquatic landscape that offers endless adventures. Thanks to the cool currents drifting in from the Canary Islands and the warm waters from the Gulf of Guineas, this part of the Atlantic Ocean surrounding the Cape Verde Islands offers the unusual combination of cold- and warm-water fish.
Known worldwide for its diving opportunities, divers come from far and wide to experience the wealth and variety that Cape Verde has to offer.
Image Credit: Cabo Verde Diving
Where to dive
While you can’t go wrong with diving anywhere off the shores of Cape Verde, in particular, Sal and Boa Vista have some of the best diving conditions and sites in the archipelago. There isn’t a so-called ‘rainy season’ here, and the lack of vegetation on these two Islands means even less rainfall, leaving tiptop visibility conditions for divers.
In addition to the natural spectacular underwater landscape, shipwrecks create further interesting dive sites amongst the coral reef, with rays, turtles, and schools of colourful fish swimming in and out of the structures.
Dive excursions from our Resorts offer experiences for both beginners and advanced divers to explore different levels of the underwater world.
Image Credit: Cabo Verde Diving
When to dive
In terms of weather, you can dive at any time throughout the year, with Cape Verde waters staying at very pleasant temperatures even in the ‘colder’ months.
If you want to see certain types of marine life, then you may need to plan your trip around them. While some species spend all year around the Islands, some come and go with the seasons.
- Hammerheads: March to November
- Rays: Best chance of sightings from June to August
- Whales: Best chance of sightings from February to May
- Turtles: March to November
- Mantas, morays, barracudas, and sand and tiger sharks: Late summer
Throughout the whole year, divers enjoy swimming amongst whitetip reef sharks, nurse sharks, and dolphins. If divers are lucky, they may spot a ray or a whale that has hung around out of prime season.
As well as these impressive big fellas, there are also more than 150 smaller species around Cape Verde, such as starfish, sea cucumbers, black corals, fire corals, and sea urchins. Commercial fish such as tuna, mackerel, moraine, lobster, spiny lobsters, crabs, and muscles are sourced by local divers, making sea life an important part of the economy.
Image Credit: Cabo Verde Diving
Whether you dive every day or just once or twice during your stay, any trip to Cape Verde will leave lasting memories – even for the most experienced diver. For more information about what our Resorts can offer, contact our team today.