Country Guide
Two oceans, kelp forests, sharks, and winter pelagic expeditions
Updated Mar 4, 2026 • 14 sources
Overview
South Africa is a two-ocean dive country: cold-water kelp forests and wrecks around Cape Town and the Whale Coast Gansbaai, plus warm-current shark and coral diving in KwaZulu-Natal around Aliwal Shoal and Umkomaas, Protea Banks and Shelly Beach, and Sodwana Bay. Winter adds the iconic Sardine Run on the Wild Coast, an open-ocean wildlife safari.
Expect big variation by coast and month: Cape waters can sit around 14°C to 20°C, while the subtropical east can run 22°C to 27°C. Many signature days involve surf launches, strong currents, and wind-driven changes, so flexibility and good briefings matter. Topside, you can pair dives with world-class road trips, whale watching, and safari, often in the same week.
Plan one trip that spans temperate kelp forests in Cape Town and warm-current reef diving in KwaZulu-Natal.
Sharks and pelagics headline Aliwal Shoal and Umkomaas, Protea Banks and Shelly Beach, and the Whale Coast around Gansbaai.
Sodwana Bay sits inside iSimangaliso Wetland Park, with clear rules, gate fees that fund conservation, and a true bush-and-beach itinerary.
The Sardine Run on the Wild Coast is a seasonal open-ocean safari best treated like an expedition with flexible scheduling.
Top species linked to approved dive spots across South Africa.
Compare destinations and dive spots before opening the full plan.
DiveJourney country guides are living documents built from local knowledge, operator experience, and publicly available sources. Conditions, regulations, and logistics can change. Each guide shows its last update date and sources used.
Last updated: March 4, 2026 • 14 sources
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