The most popular tourist destination in Africa is Cape Town. This vibrant coastal city in South Africa enjoys the Mediterranean climate and with its charismatic nature the place enjoys a cosmopolitan culture. The city is well known for its picturesque landmarks like the Table Mountain or Cape Point and is also well known for its harbor. Along with its incredible scenery, a lot of great food and wine, beautiful skies, magnificent beaches and unending adventure, Cape Town is one of the most interesting diving destination in the world.
Scuba diving in Cape Town has been an amazing experience for many as it has a very diverse coast line which has a lot to offer to scuba diving. Scuba diving around Cape Town is quite challenging as the water temperature keeps varying between cold and very cold and the visibility can also be poor at certain times. But if you are out there for diving on a good day then the challenge is totally worth it. For the cold issue you can wear a proper wetsuit and in extreme conditions use a dry suit. If you are lucky enough then you may see a great white shark and attacks are unheard of.
10 Best Places For Scuba Diving In Cape Town
Scuba diving in South Africa, Cape Town isn’t cheap, it starts at $45 for a boat with diving gear. Here, we have compiled a list of the best shore dives and deep sea dives that you can enjoy in Cape Town.
1. The False Bay Side
The inside of false bay is an interesting scuba diving spot You can roam around with seals here also with some cow-sharks and some interesting nude beaches.The good roads here make it easy to reach the shore dives and big cow-sharks can also be seen from the shore. The False Bay is best dived in the winter months, that’s when the prevailing winds flatten and you get a clean bay. The visibility in winter is about 5 to 10 meters and the temperature of the water is around 16C.
Location: False Bay, Cape Town.
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2. The Clan Stuart
“SS Clan Stuart” is a British turret steamer that was used to transport coal and it weighed 3500 ton. SS Clan Stuart dragged her anchor on 21st November 1914 and is a wreck since then.The wreck is a shallow dive and is suitable for divers of all levels. It is a great shore drive, and is suitable for night dives and training. This area has a diverse range of reef animals. The interesting wrecks here are covered in growth and several types of small fish. This is a winter dive and is suitable for both night and day dives. The maximum depth is 8 meters and the average is 6 meter.
Location: Mackerel Bay beach, Simon’s Town Road, Cape Point, Cape Town.
3. The A-Frame
This is an interesting dive as you enter through an easy opening and get to see a variety of marine life. You enter through a flat plateau, a rock one and then descend down a shallow sandy space where the tour starts through Kelp Forest past the huge boulders. The deep holes and overhangs create an interesting swim through where you will observe several colorful invertebrates. The site is suitable more for a night dive. Cuttlefish, octopus and shy sharks are a common sight here.
Location: Simon’s Town, Cape Point Road, Cape Town.
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4. Castle Rock
This is a huge rock buildup formed by boulders in a small bay area. The entry is through a big Kelp forest, passing which you find the small bay to enter. The swim around this rocky site is filled with a vivid fish life including Cape Knifejaw, Bank Steenbras, Butterfish, Red Roman, Shy Sharks, Pyjama Sharks, and many more.The maximum depth is 15 meters.
Location: Near Cape Point Nature Reserve, Cape Town.
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5. Justin’s Caves
This is a popular summer dive. This shore dive has clean and cold waters in summers. The large caverns make a fun swim through with nudibranchs, sponges, anemones and crayfish, all in these caverns. Hottentot and many other harmless small fishes swim through this area. This is a typical day dive.
Location: North of Twelve Apostles hotel, Victoria Street, Cape Town.
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6. The Maori
This is a famous wreck dive around Cape Town. This vintage dive is of a 5317 ton ship that went down in 1999. This cargo ship was carrying explosives from London to New Zealand. The interesting parts of this dive are the steam engines, the cargo lines, and several other vintage wrecks. This ship is stranded on a rocky reef that is about 122m tall. The maximum depth is 21 meter.
Location: 7.5km from Hout Bay Harbour, by Duiker Point.
7. V&A Waterfront
The Aquarium diving in V&A allows you to get personal with ragged tooth sharks, dusky kobs and several other predators. The tank has large windows so your companions can click or watch you through it. It is a good option for new divers to experience a basic dive. Advance divers here dive into the kelp forest to exhibit and feed a multitude of fish staying here. V&A is a famous spot for scuba diving in Cape Town, Waterfront.
Location: Waterfront, Cape Town
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8. SAS Pietermaritzburg
The formerly known HMS Pelorus, this ship that led the invasion of Normandy was bought by the South African Navy to form an artificial reef in 1994. This intact wreck is a beautiful night dive and the moderate depth and short distance from the start site makes it very accessible.
Location: Millers Point, Cape Town.
9. Alpha Dive Center
This dive center is located in Strand but dives all around False Bay. The owner has 20+ years of diving experience and there are several great diving instructors for shore as well as boat dives. The rental for full scuba gear is $25 a day and the boat dies cost about $40 or so depending on the site. Scuba diving courses are also provided.
Location: Strand, Cape Town.
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10. Pisces Divers
This dive center is run by Mike Nortje and is on a great location on long beach, Simonstown. This is a popular training beach with a swimming pool on site and a coffee shop as well. Two shore dives cost $87 and two boat dives cost $130. They have a wide range of scuba diving courses.
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This guide will allow you to access the best scuba diving in Cape Town as well scuba diving near Cape Town. Scuba diving is one of the most wished things to do for people visiting Cape Town. Apart from all the tourism and touring going on in Cape Town scuba diving offers a new perception of the reefs and marine life here. So if you’re planning a vacation to South Africa anytime soon, then don’t miss out the chance to explore scuba diving experience.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Scuba Diving In Cape Town
What is Cape Town known for?
Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in Australia. Famous for its the peaking Table Mountains, beautiful ocean and a small city nestled between the mountains and the shores is simply alluring. The unpredictable weather adds to the charm of the place.
Is the Cape Town a good place for diving?
Cape Town is one of the best diving sites in Australia and flaunts diverse diving reefs such as shipwrecks, even kelp forest dives and dive with cow sharks and seals.
What to do in Cape Town?
some of the best things to do in Cape Town on your vacation are:
1. Witness the rich wildlife and birdlife.
2. Go street shopping at Long Street.
3. Enjoy exciting water activities.
4. Take a Cable Car ride to Table Mountain.
5. Take a wine tasting session at Cape Winelands.
Is scuba diving in Cape Town safe for first-timers?
Yes. It’s perfectly safe for first-timers to scuba dive in Cape Town. With proper training and assistance, you can have a wonderful first-time experience of scuba diving.
How much does scuba diving cost in Cape Town?
Scuba Diving is not very expensive. A boast dive with all necessary equipment will cost you approximately INR 3200( $45)
Which is the best scuba diving centers in Cape Town?
If you are looking for the best diving centers where you can try scuba diving in Cape Town, here is a list of the top training and diving centers in Cape Town:
1. Ocean Experiences – Dive & Tour Centre
2. Scuba Diving SA Cape Town
3. Cape Town Dive Centre
4. Table Bay Diving
5. Ollava SCUBA
Which is the best time to visit Cape Town?
The dry months of March to May and September to November are the best time of the year to visit Cape Town and enjoy exciting activities and outdoor excursions.
Is a diving certificate necessary for scuba diving in Cape Town?
Yes. A diving certificate is very much necessary for scuba diving in Cape Town. If you do not have one yet, you can easily get it form any of the PDAI diving centers.
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