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With
Tofo Scuba, divers have a choice
of 17 plus dive sites and we are
still discovering more! Our dive
sites range in depth from 10 meters
to 37 meters, catering for all
experience levels.
Tofo's
biggest attractions are the abundance
of Manta Rays and Whale Sharks
which can be seen on most of our
reefs. |
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| Mike's
Cupboard |
Average
Depth = 12 Meters Maximum
Depth = 15 Meters
Scenery = This reef is flat
with big holes and in these
holes are small caves, overhangs
and even a few arches with
swimthru's. Some parts of
the reef looks like boulders
stacked on top of each other
with sand patches in between.
Marine & Coral Life =Mike's
cupboard is really a true
description if that is everything
that can be kept there. This
is truly a busy place with
schools of Bluebanded Snappers,
Coachmen, Angelfish, Trumpetfish,
Kingfish and Tuna passing
by. In the holes itself we
found a brown Paperfish hiding
behind a rock so no one would
see him. Others that camouflaged
themselves just as well were
the Scorpionfish, Crocodile
fish and Lizardfish. The Octopus
changed his colours so quick
that we almost lost sight
of him moving into a hole.
In the small caves we found
a whole lot of Banded Shrimp
moving around, there was a
big Pufferfish hiding from
everyone, a very shy creature.
The coral on this reef consists
of Whip coral in various colours,
beige Fleshy soft coral, purple
and white Thristle soft coral
and lots of Lobed soft coral.
Plate coral, Porous coral
and Smooth-horned corals was
also seen throughout the dive.
This was a very nice dive
for the inquisitive diver. |
| Giants
Castle |
Average
Depth = 21 Meters Maximum
Depth = 32 Meters
Scenery = This reef consist
of a big wall almost 4 meters
high with dropoff's that leads
to sandy areas. All along
this wall is a ridge that
is rich in marine and coral
life. Big rock formations
add to the scenery of this
reef.
Marine & Coral Life =
Diving this reef was really
a very nice experience, with
a great variety of tropical
fish to be seen. A rare Weedy
Scorpionfish made his appearance
and was amazing how it blended
in with the surroundings.
This reef has a great variety
of starfish species. Big Green
coral trees where Goldies
and Longnose Hawkfish hide
from the predators. On the
plateau Manta Ray's surprise
you with a gracefull pasture
in flight. Under the ledges
are Dancing Durban Shrimp
waiting to perform their cleaning
duties. In the crevices and
hollows there are Triggerfish
and different species of Moray
Eels. On this reef the coral
is mostly untouched, from
Porous corals to different
species of Hard and Soft corals
in a variety of colours and
textures. Always keep an eye
out in the midwater for game
fish passing by. A nice dive
for the Advanced Diver. |
| Sherwood
Forest |
Average
Depth = 21 Meters Maximum
Depth = 31 Meters
Scenery = This reef looks
like a huge rock formation
planted in the middle of the
sea floor with a few scattered
rock placed here and there.
It has some ledges that form
overhangs about 3 meters in
diameter. There are also some
blowholes situated on the
one side of the reef. On top
there are holes that host
a number of Green coral trees,
with Goldies swimming in and
out. The one part of the reef
tends to flatten to the Southern
side.
Marine & Coral Life =
This is one of the deeper
reefs in this area but host
the most amazing scenery and
have to be experienced first
hand. Huge Honeycomb Moray
Eels, Black cheek Moray's
and even a Manta Ray made
his appearance. Two Blue spot
Ray's were spotted lingering
in one of the sand patches
on top of the reef. Devil
Fire fish, Rockcod, Coachmen
and a great variety of tropical
fish can be seen here. Fire
Gobies, as much as twelve
together have been seen hurdled
together in one spot. The
coral on the other hand ranges
from Plate coral, Whip coral
and Leather coral to colourful
Sea sponges. Soft corals include
Anemones, Thristle coral,
Palmate Sea fans and Fleshy
soft corals in various colours.
Don' t forget to keep an eye
out for game fish passing
through in the midwater! |
| Buddies |
Average
Depth = 8 Meters Maximum Depth
= 10 Meters
Scenery = Buddies reef is
a reef that lays parralel
to the shore and consists
of two rock banks that has
a strip of sand in between
separating the reef at some
places.
Marine & Coral Life =This
is a nice dive for the beginner
and is excellent for a night
dive because it is close to
shore and relatively shallow.
The tops of the reefs are
broken but in between the
crevices the reef is blossoming.
There are lots of juvenile
reef fish and some rare fish
found in the small caves and
overhangs. We found a White
Paperfish, Brown Rockmover
wrasse and various kinds of
Stonefish were spotted camouflaging
themselves on the reef. A
Peacock Mantis Shrimp was
spotted during brought daylight
and at night different kinds
of Crayfish, Sea Cucumbers
and a rare Tropical Flounder
was seen on one of the rocks.
The coral are mostly broken
but to make up for that there
are various kinds of Anemones
and Polyp coral. We even found
Daisy coral in a soft pink
and Fleshy soft coral in some
places. Interesting sea creatures
can be found when taking time
to look in all the small places. |
Office |
Average
Depth =18 Meters Maximum Depth
= 27 Meters
Scenery = This reef has a
flat part on the Northern
side and further on there
is a part that have some small
caves and overhangs as well
as a wall in some places with
hollows and crevices where
small fish hide during the
day.
Marine & Coral Life =
Here is a Manta cleaning station
on the flat part of the reef
where Manta Rays do a flyby
and get cleaned by all the
cleaner Wrasse. A big Honeycomb
Moray Eel was lying in one
of the crevices and a giant
Shortspine Porcupinefish was
joining him in this space.
The reef fish in this area
are peaceful and aren't scared
of divers. They even come
to inspect us. Great amount
of Rubberlips, Potato Bass,
Triggerfish, Goldies and Wrasse
was spotted in this area.
In the small hollows were
Dancing Cleaning Shrimp and
Banded Shrimp busy performing
their duties. In the midwater
we saw Manta Ray's, Devil
Ray's and two Bull Ray's were
playing around us for a few
moments. This reef is rich
in hard and soft coral with
various colours and shapes.
There are luscious green Whipcoral
to circular big Plate coral.
Pink Fleshy coral and Orange
sponges are just a few of
the corals found on this reef.
This was one of the best reefs
in this area. |
| Amazon |
Average
Depth = 20 Meters Maximum
Depth = 28 Meters
Scenery = A big rock formation
with a wall along the one
side and a flattened area
on the other side with big
gullies, hollows and crevices
where a great variety of marine
life can be found.
Marine & Coral Life =
When entering the water, a
huge school of silvery Barra
cuda passed us by. On the
reef itself we found a big
Honeycomb Moray Eel lying
in a big crevice. Underneath
the one overhang we found
a Green Turtle still sleeping.
Manta Ray's with a wingspan
of approximately 7 meters
were flying through the water
like magic carpets. On the
flatter part of the reef another
turtle came out to mingle
with the divers and play around
for a while. A whole school
of grey Stumpnosefish came
passing by. On the reef there
were allot of Green Coral
Trees with Painted Surgeonfish
hiding in between. Clouds
of Goldies also surrounded
the coral and in the crevices
were allot of tropical fish
swimming in and out. Whip
coral, pink Thristle coral
and Anemones were found al
over this reef. This was really
a magnificent dive and it
made driving out worth our
while. |
| Philosophers
Stone |
| Summary
coming soon |
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| On this page: Praia do Tofo area information, Praia do Tofo dive packages, Praia do Tofo reef / dive details and links to Praia do Tofo resorts. |
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Tofo
is situated in the province of Inhambane
and is 22km from the City of Inhambane.
About 17 km east of Inhambane is where
Bar Babalaza marks the crossroads to
Tofo and Barra. Tofo is a small (about
40 houses) beach town, with a hotel
and other accomodation, a lovely open
beach, nice reefs for fishing and snorkling,
spazas, beach bars and dive schools,
where you can slow down your pace of
life, do nothing, relax and just leave
your footprints. Tofo
has been popular with Zimbabweans
and South Africans since before the
war and Tofo has now also become a
firm favourite on the international
backpacking trail and offers a variety
of accommodation and places to eat
and drink. Tofino, less than a kilometre
south, is situated on a more exposed
and rocky headland and the waves at
Tofino are known for very good surfing.
The headland is also a favourite spot
for fishermen when a high tide covers
the shelf, allowing casting for the
plentiful kingfish into the deep waters
beyond. Tofino is also the site of
the Frelimo Monument to Fallen Heroes,
near to where unfortunate victims
of the colonial period were thrown
into a sea cave, to be drowned by
the rising tide. A spectacular blow
hole near the tip of the point can
give a raw display of power, when
there is a large swell running. |
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Manta
Reef is Tofo's showcase dive.
World famous for the two Manta
cleaning stations, first discovered
by Carlos do Rocha in the 1960's.
Since then this site has attracted
marine biologists, cameramen and
divers from around the world.
Generally
the visibility is between 10 and
30 metres with an average of 20
metres. The water temperature
in the Indian Ocean varies from
29 to 23 C. All our dive sites
feature an abundance of coral
and are all reef dives.
Distance
to Travel: 22km. Depth: 21
to 26 meters. Max: 26 meters
. Time of Travel: 50 minutes
. Bottom Time: 32 minutes
. Visibility: 10 to 30m. Nitrox:
EanX 40. General: Tofo's showcase
dive. World famous for the
two Manta cleaning stations,
first discovered by Carlos
do Rocha in the 1960's. Since
then this site has attracted
marine biologists, cameramen
and divers from around the
world. A gentle drift dive
from North to South, your
dive begins with a negative
entry into 26m into the middle
of a small amphitheatre teeming
with life. The dive progresses
through a series of pinnacles
before the first cleaning
station is reached, a shallower
(21m) sandy area. At this
cleaning station Mantas circle
overhead to be cleaned by
Goldies, Cleaner Wrasse and
Butterfly fish. In good visibility
this dive is amazing with
upwards of ten Mantas circling
overhead. Even in poor vis
the sight of Mantas appearing
from the mist above you is
haunting and a moment to be
cherished. At the end of the
dive your ascent is often
accompanied by groups of inquisitive
Devil Rays wheeling about
your safety stop. This dive
is a must do in Tofo. Because
of the depth this is only
suitable for advanced divers
but is a favorite for people
completing their advanced
course or deep adventure dive.
Ask about nitrox. |
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Potat Bass at Praia do Tofo |
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Leopard shark at Praia do Tofo |
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Diving Tofo |
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Praia do Tofo whale shark diving |
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Contact Scuba Mozambique |
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| Reefs continue.... |
| Anchor
Bay |
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| Distance
to Travel: 2km . Depth: 9
to 12 meters. Max: 12 meters.
Bottom Time: 50 minutes. Visibility:
10 to 20m. General: This is
a large flat circular reef
made up of rock and large
plate corals with an assortment
of beautiful soft corals and
sponges. All the normal tropical
fish can be seen as well as
Crocodile fish, Stonefish,
Lionfish and often a school
of juvenile Barracuda. This
is one of the only inshore
reefs where Manta's can be
seen, often cavorting on the
surface. It is common to see
Whale Sharks, Humpback and
Bryde's Whales on the journey.
This reef is named after the
very large and old sailing
ship's anchor which can be
seen there. After the recent
underwater cleanup this reef
is once again pristine. With
no current and little surge
Anchor Bay is a favorite for
divers in training and for
those who want a long slow
shallow dive to help them
get back into the swing of
things. |
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| Clownfish
Reef |
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| Distance
to travel: 600m from Tofo
Beach. Approximately a 3 minute
boat ride . Depth: 9 meters
to 10 meters. Bottom Time:
50 minutes. Topography: A
fairly flat reef with a lot
of living Rock and Plate Coral
and small tropical fish. This
reef is ideal for student
training as it is situated
in the Tofo Bay and is very
gentle with no current and
surge. Not recommended for
advanced divers, but good
for those who are diving for
the first time or after a
long layoff. Degree of difficulty:
A very gentle dive. Visibility:
Ranges from 15m to 30m. General:
The perfect dive for those
just starting out, very gentle
dive with lots of tropical
fishes. |
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| Simons
Town |
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| Distance
to Travel: 7km from Tofo Beach.
Approximately a 20-minute
boat ride. Depth: 14 meters
to 18 meters . Bottom Time:
40-minutes . Topography: Large
chimneys of rock with an amazing
amount of holes and gullies
running outwards in all directions.
A great dive when visibility
is good, with large shoals
of game fish swimming overhead.
Degree of Difficulty: A perfect
dive site for those just starting
out or wanting a long slow
and relaxing dive with lots
to see. Visibility: Ranges
from 10m to 30m General: An
intriguing reef with varying
topography, home to many game
fish and also often spotted
on this reef is the Whale
Shark. |
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| Chamber
of Secrets |
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| Distance
to Travel: 12km . Depth: 14
to 21 meters. Max: 21 meters.
Bottom Time: 40 minutes. Visibility:
10 to 20m. General: This reef
is shaped like a horseshoe.
At 14 meters around the top
and 19 metres around the base
it forms a ragged wall lined
with 6 swimthroughs and numerous
overhangs and caves. The center
of the horseshoe is a flat,
white sandy area frequented
by Blue Spotted Rays, Blue
Stingrays and Whip-Tailed
rays. This is the best inshore
reef we have found. As the
name suggests it is full of
surprises. Covering a large
area it is a reef worth diving
twice, once to focus on the
wildlife and once to do the
funky swimthroughs. Wildlife
is typical of the area and
depth: Morays, Lizardfish,
Trumpetfish, Lionfish (Common
and Clearfin), Scorpionfish,
and a multitude of reef fish. It is also the reef with the
best chance of seeing Whale
Sharks on Scuba, as it is
right in the path of the migrating
Whale Sharks. As we use this
dive for OW qualifying dive
4 there are many opportunities
to dive here. Two chances
may not be enough. |
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| Pria
da Rocha |
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| Distance
to Travel: 8km from Tofo Beach.
Approximately a 20-minute
boat ride. Depth:
10 meters to 15 meters . Bottom
Time: 50-minutes. Topography:
This reef is made up of lots
of huge boulders, all cut
away on the bottom to form
a maze of gullies and swim-throughs
to the point where it resembles
a grotto. A vast variety of
soft coral can also be found
on this reef. All the usual
small Tropical Fish can be
seen. This is an offshore
reef and is therefore not
generally affected by currents
but can be affected by surge
as the shore side of the reef
is a rock face (as the name
suggests “Place of the Rocks”).
It is therefore not dived
with a large swell running. Degree
of Difficulty: This is an
easy dive and is suitable
for all levels of experience.
Especially suitable for those
looking for a long, slow,
gentle and interesting dive.
Will also be of particular
interest to the underwater
photographer. Visibility: Ranges from 10m
to 30m. General:
This is a really slow and
relaxing dive with lots and
lots to see. |
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| Krakatoa |
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| Distance
to Travel: 15km. Depth: 14
to 18 meters . Max: 18 meters
. Time of Travel: 35 minutes
. Bottom Time: 40 minutes
. Visibility: 10 to 30m. General:
This inshore reef resembles
a sunken volcano crater or
caldera. The “crater” is on
average 2-4 metres lower than
the surrounding rock creating
a wall around the site. This
supports coral life typical
of Tofo's inshore reefs. Hard
and soft corals abound as
well as reef and game fish.
The center of the crater is
dominated by a number of rocky
out crops amidst the sand
offering a slow winding dive
with a couple of swimthroughs
. This dive also offers one
of the best chances to see
and snorkel with Whale Sharks
on the journey to and from
the dive site. As with Anchor
Bay and Mike's cupboard this
is a gentle dive for OW divers
or those doing a refresher
dive after a break from diving. |
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