South Africa has many different types of scuba diving available throughout the country including many opportunities for adventure diving. Sodwana Bay to the north on the Kwazulu Natal coast offers some of the best diving in the world. In the south, the cooler Western Cape waters offer an entirely different experience with kelp diving and the world famous cage diving with Great White sharks.Other areas such as Aliwal Shoal on the southern Kwazulu Natal coastline offer more erratic conditions but also world class diving conditions at times. With the main economic center of South Africa based inland in the province of Gauteng, many courses take place inland at places such as Bass Lake and Miracle Waters with qualified divers often travelling to the coast to dive at places such as Sodwana Bay.
Due to local conditions, much of the offshore scuba diving in South Africa takes place with beach launches using inflatable semi rigid boats launching through the surf. Many of the dive sites, in particular in the north, can have strong currents therefore the most common form of diving exercised is drift diving.
Neighboring South Africa is the country of Mozambique with world-class diving opportunities, much of it with yet to be discovered coral reefs. To the immediate north of South Africa on the southern Mozambique border is Ponta Do Ouro, a very popular diving destination for South Africans. For those willing to travel further afield, the warm waters off Inhambane and the Bazaruto Archipelago await.
