This is a normal boat launch procedure for this part of the coastline and for most guests, probably the first time they will have experienced a launch of this nature.
Nature and Wildlife
10 persons
iSimangaliso Wetland Park | KwaZulu-Natal
Become a local on the reef! SCUBA diving at Thonga Beach is phenomenal, with reefs located only a short distance from the lodge. Shoals of game fish, sharks and schools of bottlenose dolphins are often encountered. All enthusiasts are welcome, from the beginner to the veteran. SCUBA training is also available at our PADI dive centre.
Our professional lodge diving team accommodates all enthusiasts wanting a tour of the very best our reefs have to offer. 1,250 fish species occur on the reefs in this area (the Great Barrier Reef has 1500). Dives are from a semi-rigid dive boat which accommodates a maximum of 8 divers at a time.
To get to our reefs, we start with a shore entry boat launch, where the skipper, dive master and divers, with the help of a tractor, push our 7 metre boat into the surf, directly in front of the lodge. This is a normal boat launch procedure for this part of the coastline and for most guests, probably the first time they will have experienced a launch of this nature. It is exciting and adventurous however the launch can be strenuous, so a reasonable level of fitness is required.
SCUBA training is available at our PADI dive centre. If you are already certified, please bring proof of your diving qualification. We regret no children under 10 years, but kids aged 10 and up can do a Discover SCUBA Diving (DSD) or Open Water Diver Course. Please note that guests must be of a reasonable fitness level to dive. Diving is weather and tide dependent, as these affect boat launchings and at times can be cancelled at the last minute.
Our resident Instructor is PADI trained and certified and offers a variety of courses to suit your individual requirements to get you breathing underwater and exploring the spectacular coral reefs at Thonga. Diving at Thonga has been rated as some of the best in the world by seasoned divers. This coastline is typically verged by a continental shelf stretching for about three to five kilometres out to sea, before giving way to deeper, abyssal waters, but the shallow shelf immediately offshore is cut through by several canyon like reefs, relics of riverine erosion from a time when the ocean level was lower than it is today. Our PADI trained and certified instructors are passionate about the Indian Ocean and are able to share this infectious love of the sea by taking you to beyond the breakers and below the surface.
Dive Sites Include: Gogo’s | Brewer’s Gardens | Pineapple | Coral Alley | Slingers | Water World | 3 Sisters / Coachman’s Ledge
🔰We have added special provisions to our booking terms and conditions to make allowance for changes due to COVID-19. Please view below important facts you need to know before booking:
ACCESSIBILITY AND TRANSFERS