Inhambane, Mozambique, one of the worlds best kept secrets for diving. Here in Barra, we are a hidden gem for diving enthusiasts, offering some of the most spectacular underwater experiences in the world. Keep an eye out for magical encounters with the ‘Barra Big 5’; Turtles, Dolphins, Manta Rays, Humpback Whales and of course Mozambiques finest Whale Sharks! Whether you’re a seasoned diver or a beginner, we promise an unforgettable diving adventure for all ages and levels!
Amazon
This is our furthest dive site and is one of the most spectacular, making the journey to Amazon Reef worth the boat ride. The reef structure forms a beautiful horseshoe shape with an inner sandy/rocky bottom at 28 meters, while our outer reef top is 22-24 meters deep.
The Amazon Reef is an exceptional spot to encounter a variety of marine life. Keep an eye out for Whitetip Reef Sharks, Leopard Sharks, and the occasional Hammerhead Shark. The sight of large schools of Barracuda circling above and huge table-sized Blotched Fantail Rays on the sandy bottom or under overhanging areas of the reef is truly breathtaking. Other types of Rays, including Devil Rays, Leopard Rays, Manta Rays, and occasionally Eagle Rays, are also frequently spotted here.
The size and variety of different schooling fish are mind-blowing and extremely impressive. However, Macro life is just as good with Garden Eels, colourful Nudibranchs, Cowrie Shells, and Ribbon Eels.
Minimum experience level: Advanced Open Water
Distance: approx. 25min
Depth: 23-32 metres
Bottom airtime: ± 28min
Bottom time EANx 32% ± 35min
Arena
Remarkably similar in topography to Crocodile Rock, Arena is more profound and has higher walls. The potholes on this reef have deeper overhangs, and you can even find Green Tree Corals in certain areas on top of the wall. Hard and soft corals cover the reef top, thus making it beautiful and colourful. The sandy bottom has a depth of 14-18 meters, while the top of the reef ranges from 12-14 metres. Along the sandy bottom, you can expect to encounter unique marine life such as the elusive Crocodile Fish, the majestic Spotted Guitar Sharks, and the swift Torpedo Rays. The smaller caves are home to the impressive large Spiny Ornate Lobsters, often seen ‘hanging out’ with a variety of Moray Eels. And if you’re lucky, you might stumble across the rare Sea Apple, a sight exclusive to this shallow dive site.
Minimum experience level: Open Water
Distance: approx. 35min
Depth: 14-18 metres
Bottom airtime: ± 45min
Chamber of Secrets
Situated near Whale Shark Alley and Praia da Rocha reef, Chamber of Secrets is a nifty shallow site, just a 35-minute boat ride away. As it is close to Whale Shark Alley, the journey to and from the site is perfect for spotting whale sharks and swimming with the largest fish in the sea! Naturally formed in the shape of a giant horseshoe, the topography of Chamber of Secrets is beautiful, with impressive walls rising 6-8 metres above the sandy bottom and the depth of the main reef varying from 12-15 metres. It is the nature of this unique topography that provides nooks, crannies, corridors, and crevices galore to explore or find shy macro and micro life. It is named after its hidey-hole décor. Chamber of Secrets provides shelter for Spotted Guitar Sharks, Torpedo Rays, Spiny Painted Lobsters, Moray Eels, Banded Cleaner Shrimp, Porcupine Fish, Nudibranchs and, of course, tons of reef fish.
Minimum experience level: Open Water
Distance: approx. 35min
Depth: 15-18 metres
Bottom airtime: ± 45min
Coliseum
The reef is teeming with an astonishing variety of fish. Schools of Pencilled Surgeon Fish, Humpback Snappers, and Longfin Banner Fish are a common sight. The inquisitive big Potato Groupers are always ready to make your dive more exciting. On top of the reef, we have a fantastic swim-through where Leopard Rays, Leopard Sharks and Eagle Rays enjoy hanging out.
Minimum experience level: Advanced Open Water
Distance: approx. 25min
Depth: 23-29 metres
Bottom airtime: ± 28min
Bottom time EANx 32% ± 38min
Crocodile Rock
Many giant lobsters are hidden among the overhangs, little caves, and ledges, and where you find Lobsters, you will find the Marbled Octopus. We have one large resident, Green Turtle, and occasionally receive a visit from a friendly Hawksbill Turtle. It is expected to encounter Kuhl Stingrays, Torpedo Rays, and Spotted Guitar Sharks along the sandy bottom. Leaf Fish can be found camouflaged amongst the rocky sections of the reef, and even rare Harlequin Shrimp can hide in their little holes.
Minimum experience level: Open Water
Distance: approx. 20min
Depth: 12-17 metres
Bottom airtime: ± 45min
Galleria
This reef consists of a beautiful long wall that runs parallel to thecurrent, thus becoming an amazing drift dive. At the bottom of the reef, you will find a sandy/rocky landscape ranging from a depth of 28-34m, while on top of the wall, we have a depth of 25-28m. Along the top of the reef, you can encounter a couple of different cleaning stations, which is where you are most likely to find Reef or Giant Reef Manta Rays being cleaned. Smalleye Stingrays are often seen down here, Blotched Fantail Rays, the smaller Kuhls Rays, and a resident Loggerhead Turtle who always enjoys relaxing in one of the caves at the bottom. Down in the southern area of the reef, we can find many stunning Green Tree Corals with a variety of different Moray Eels hiding around them. Throughout the reef, there are many large Lobsters that can be found under overhangs or in holes, as well as a few special Sea Moths on the sandy bottom.
Minimum experience level: Advanced Open Water
Distance: approx. 20min
Depth: 26-34 metres
Bottom airtime: ± 20min
Bottom time EANx 32% ± 30min
Khabini
In these areas, we keep a lookout for the magnificent Giant and Reef Manta Rays and the special Smalleye Stingray. You can find Kuhl Stingray, giant Blotched Fantail Rays, Kuhl rays and a large Loggerhead Turtle hiding out along the sandy bottom. Among the more petite guys, do not be surprised to encounter the Samoan Pipefish and Sea Apples amid the rocky bottom.
Minimum experience level: Advanced Open Water
Distance: approx. 20min
Depth: 28-35 metres
Bottom airtime: ± 17min
Bottom time EANx 32% ± 27min
Manta Reef
With five cleaning stations here, this is a reef to find macro life such as Reef and Giant Manta Rays, our two resident turtles, one Loggerhead and one Green Turtle, which you can find along the pinnacles and overhangs, Blotched Fantail Rays, Torpedo Rays and on occasion large groups of Cow-Nose Rays passing over are often seen. Potato Groupers are pretty standard and eager to inspect all divers as they tend to pass close, allowing you to get a closer look at them. The reef structure starts shallow, around 18-20 metres on the top and South side, we can reach a depth of 26-28 metres on the bottom. Macro life is abundant on this reef. It is the best site to find the Leaf Fish, sometimes Stone Fish camouflaged along the reef, Juvenile Ribbon Eels, Banded Pipefish and what is known as a Dragon Moray Eel (this being the only reef where we can find them in Barra & Tofo). Colourful Nudibranchs and Tiger Cowries are also found scattered around the reef.
Minimum experience level: Advanced Open Water
Distance: approx. 50min
Depth: 19-26 metres
Bottom airtime: ± 32min
Bottom time EANx 32% ± 50min
Marble Arch
This area is where you can encounter lobsters, Durban Dancer Shrimps, Banded Boxer Shrimps, and the occasional Green Turtle. Spanish Dancers and the rare Stone Fish can also be discovered on the outskirts of the reef from time to time, as well as many distinct types of beautiful Nudibranchs. This is also another one of those reefs that you will find in the ‘Whale Shark Alley,’ so keep checking above you during the dive for the majestic whale shark.
Minimum experience level: Open Water
Distance: approx. 35min
Depth: 13-18 metres
Bottom airtime: ± 45min
Office
A few more resident fish were found hiding on the sandy bottom, including a few leaf fish and two camouflaged weedy scorpionfish. Large Potato Groupers are inquisitive and tend to swim up nice and close to get a better view of the divers. As for the macro, Juvenile Ribbon Eels, Sea Apples and colourful Nudibranchs can be found here.
Minimum experience level: Advanced Open Water
Distance: approx. 20min
Depth: 23-26 metres
Bottom airtime: ± 31min
Bottom time EANx 32% ± 43min
Reggies
Dropping down onto this reef is mind-blowing as Green Tree Corals are everywhere, covering the pinnacles and top of the dive site. Starting at the drop point, the maximum depth in this area is around 28-30 metres on the bottom, with the top of the reef ranging anywhere from 23-26 metres. Along the reef, you will find an abundance of soft corals, all different and brightly coloured, as well as some amazing hard corals. Whitetip Reef Sharks, Grey Reef Sharks and Leopard Sharks are often sighted throughout this dive. We also have two resident turtles here: a Hawksbill Turtle and a giant Loggerhead Turtle. Two massive cleaning stations along the wall allow us to watch the peaceful Manta Rays while Jenkins Whiptail Rays can be scattered along the sandy bottom. We often find a few Longnose Hawkfish on the drop area and a few Leaf Fish along the way and frequently encounter large schools of Longfin Bannerfish.
Minimum experience level: Advanced Open Water
Distance: approx. 20min
Depth: 24-30 metres
Bottom airtime: ± 28min
Bottom time EANx 32% ± 38min
Rob’s Bottom
This is one of the few dive sites where we spend most of the dive along the top surface of the reef. On top of the reef, we have scattered smaller pockets and one impressive arch leading into a giant crater. Dropping off the wall and onto the reef will bring you to a depth of around 30-34 metres, while staying at the top will allow a depth ranging from 24-27 metres. This is a magnificent reef when looking for lobsters and a large variety of different moray eels, including massive honeycomb, geometric, white mouth, yellowmouth, and even the rarer golden morays. With the Moray Eels and Lobsters, you encounter many of the smaller Cleaner Shrimps hiding amongst them. A couple of cleaning stations throughout the reef allow close Manta and Guitar Shark sightings. Giant Frog Fish, some Leaf Fish and the rare Seagrass Ghost Pipefish can also be seen along the rocky bottom. Circling Barracuda and Bigeye Trevally schools are often found above the reef.
Minimum experience level: Advanced Open Water
Distance: approx. 45min
Depth: 27-35 metres
Bottom airtime: ± 22min
Bottom time EANx 32% ± 30min
Salon
The salon takes its name from that of a ‘Beauty Salon,’ in the sense that many varieties of shrimp are located on the dive site, and if you patiently place your hand out in front of you, they will clean your nails. As you can imagine, Salon’s topography is like a mountain range around 70 metres long, with the surrounding valley at 15 metres and the range rising steeply to 10 metres. There are a few resident Turtles found here, two Green Turtles and one Hawksbill Turtle, which you often come across resting amongst the rocky bottom. Plenty of Kuhls Rays can be seen, Torpedo Rays hiding in the sand, and occasional Spotted Guitar Sharks and Crocodile Fish are also encountered. If you are interested in macro life, this is your dive site. Various colourful Nudibranchs, Leaf Fish, Cleaner Pipefish, Seagrass Ghost Pipefish and sometimes Juvenile Frogfish are found along the reef. Marbled octopuses may also be found displaying their many assorted colour patterns, and even Stone Fish have been seen occasionally.
Minimum experience level: Open Water
Distance: approx. 20min
Depth: 9-15 metres
Bottom airtime: ± 45min
Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest got its name because of the vivid Green Tree Coral that covers the reef. It is a reef that offers a dive full of colour and diverse life unlike any other in Barra. Sherwood Forest is a massive mushroom-shaped rock about 7 metres tall and about 80 metres wide. It is home to hundreds of Goldies, Anthias, Bue Tang Fish, and distinct types of Snapper. The green forest provides plenty of shade and shelter on top of the overhangs, where you can spot Turtles, Manta Rays, Whiprays, Devil Rays and Blotched Fantail Rays while Brindle Bass and Potato Groupers keep a lookout for divers and other significant Macro life. You can explore the crevices, caves, cracks, and swim-throughs at the bottom of the reef for a ‘playground-like’ dive. A small swim North takes you to a large boulder decorated with beautiful and sensitive Green Tree Corals and houses the Longnose Hawkfish (spot them if you can)! Here, you are in a great locality to spot Whale Sharks, so keep looking above you to spot them passing by. Due to its sensitive topography, this site must be dived with experienced divers when there is little to no current.
Minimum experience level: Advanced Open Water
Distance: approx. 20min
Depth: 26-33 metres
Bottom airtime: ± 20min
Bottom time EANx 32% ± 30min
Table Top
This expansive dive site is a unique wall with plateaus that resemble table tops, a sight you won’t find elsewhere. It’s best explored in mild current conditions. The top of the reef is a vibrant tapestry of luscious Green Tree Corals, providing a stunning backdrop for the Redtooth Triggerfish, Surgeonfish and Trevally that seek shelter here. The top of the main reef, at a depth of 27 metres, offers a breathtaking view, while the sandy bottom, reaching depths of 33-35 metres, is a haven for marine life. The sandy bottom/sand channel towards the end of the reef is home to numerous Stingrays, and just a bit further are two cleaning stations. Here, you have a high chance of spotting Manta Rays, as well as cleaning Wrasse, Fairy Basslets, Goldies, Angelfish and Butterflyfish, making it a paradise for underwater photographers. You can explore the cracks, crevices and overhangs for Moray Eels and large Potato Bass and be sure to watch for groups of Devil Rays during your safety stop! This site makes a great drift dive in the correct conditions, as this site can also be challenging during solid currents, so you must be an experienced diver to dive this reef. Keep an eye out for Kuhls Rays, Sea Apples, Honeycomb Whip Rays, Moray Eels, Shrimp, Frogfish, and large schools of pelagic fish, too.
Minimum experience level: Advanced Open Water
Distance: approx. 20min
Depth: 26-34 metres
Bottom airtime: ± 18min
Bottom time EANx 32% ± 28min
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