The Habibas Islands have been classified as a marine nature reserve since 2003. In 2005, they joined the list of specially protected areas of Mediterranean importance, maintained under the Barcelona Convention. This is the most solid official reference we have found to talk about diving off the coast of Bouzedjar.
Our previous page told a different story.
It praised a “Bouzedjar island” with crystal-clear waters, 30 meters of visibility, water at 18-22 °C year-round, turtles, rays, and an access fee of 115 dinars. We found no source for these figures. So we revisited the topic starting from the map.
Where is Bouzedjar located, and is there really an island?
Bouzedjar is a coastal municipality in the wilaya of Aïn Témouchent, in western Algeria, between Oran and Béni Saf. We found no reliable source describing a “Bouzedjar island.” The nearby islands cited by scientific organizations are the Habibas, a small archipelago located about ten kilometers off the coast, northwest of Oran.
The original title therefore mixed two places.
The Habibas consist of two main islands and a few islets, without a marina or village, and the largest one, to the west, has the lighthouse. Their administrative affiliation is debated. The Regional Activity Center for Specially Protected Areas (CAR/ASP) places them in the wilaya of Oran, while other sources place them in the municipality of Bouzedjar. For you, this detail matters little. It only reminds you that the starting point for a boat trip to the islands is arranged directly with the club and cannot be guessed from a map.
However, keep the name Bouzedjar in mind to locate the coast. What you are really looking for is an excursion to a marine reserve.
What does the Habibas marine nature reserve protect?
The reserve protects marine and terrestrial species that CAR/ASP describes as endemic and rare. The best-documented species is a large threatened limpet, Patella ferruginea, monitored by researchers on the coastal rocks. A 2009 study links the size of individuals on the Habibas to the reserve status.
This study, authored by Free Espinosa in the journal Animal Biodiversity and Conservation, compares the western Habibas island and Plane island, in Oran Bay. The teams counted 1,017 limpets there. On the Habibas, the average density reaches 4.8 individuals per meter of coastline, for an estimated population of about 50,400 individuals. The limpets measure on average 4.45 cm, compared to 2.78 cm on Plane island, a difference the author associates with the reserve status of the Habibas. These figures are over fifteen years old.
In short, the scientific interest of the site is first read on the rock, at sea level.
This limpet lives at sea level, on the rock. Do not cling to it, and reread why you should never touch marine life, even to stabilize yourself. For sun protection, our file on sunscreen and the seabed details what is really known.
CAR/ASP conducted a field mission from June 20 to July 3, 2019, to the Habibas and Plane islands, with the Algerian Ministry of Environment, the National Coastal Commission, the Barbarous association of Oran, and the University of Alicante. The goal was to map key marine habitats and measure their vulnerability to fishing. The results were intended to inform management recommendations, with possible new zoning. Access rules may therefore have changed since then.
Can you dive around the Habibas, and under what conditions?
Impossible to decide from here. We found no official text available online that sets the diving rules in the Habibas reserve, nor the list of structures authorized to lead divers there. The access fee of 115 dinars announced by our previous page appears in no source, so we removed it.
Start with the trip itself. The Algeria fact sheet from France Diplomatie, consulted in October 2026, indicates that French nationals must obtain a visa in advance. It also specifies that the short-stay visa application requires insurance covering repatriation and emergency care. Oran is among the cities where tourist travel is allowed, with caution. The same sheet advises avoiding photos outside tourist sites, a point to keep in mind with an underwater camera around your neck.
But the visa does not solve the question of diving.
Our old page mentioned “authorized centers” without naming a single one. No Algerian federal regulation published online regarding recreational diving was found. So ask the club, in writing, for its affiliation, the authorization that allows it to enter the reserve, and the name of the person responsible for the outing. For what level? The old page promised sites up to 12 meters for beginners, without source. Only the professional on site can judge if a site suits you, once they know your certification and recent experience.
What season and what water conditions to expect off Bouzedjar?
No official dated source provides the temperature or visibility of the water at the Habibas. The range of 18-22 °C year-round, cited by our old page, does not hold in the western Mediterranean, where the water cools significantly in winter. Take the period from April to October as an indicative order of magnitude, no more.
The wind and swell decide the outings.
A crossing of about ten kilometers in open sea changes all day depending on the state of the water, and the club can warn you the evening before as well as the morning at the port. A rough sea can cancel the outing or make it difficult, even in the middle of summer. However, clear water says nothing about the current around an islet, nor about the ease of getting back on the boat. The 30 meters of visibility promised have disappeared from this page. No one can guarantee them in advance.
Regarding equipment, a 5 mm wetsuit remains an indicative choice for summer, to be adjusted according to your sensitivity to cold, and appropriate dive boots will help you on the rocks. In open sea, far from shore, knowing how to deploy a safety sausage becomes a basic skill. If you are looking for a better documented Mediterranean for a first experience, compare with the dive sites of Malta, where the offer is public and detailed.
What to ask before booking a trip to the Habibas?
Before any deposit, get five answers in writing: the required level, the authorization to enter the reserve, the expected current, the supervision on board, and the fallback plan if the sea rises. An offer that does not answer any of these questions does not give you enough to decide, even with beautiful photos.
| Point to check | Question to ask the club |
|---|---|
| Level | What certification and how many recent dives do you require for these sites? |
| Authorization | What authorization allows you to dive in the Habibas reserve? |
| Current and sea | From what wind or swell do you cancel the outing? |
| Supervision | How many guides for how many divers, with oxygen on board? |
| Fallback | What replacement site near the coast if the crossing is impossible? |
A vague answer about authorization is enough to postpone.
Thus, the decision depends less on the color of the water than on the clarity of the club. A beautiful photo does not replace a written answer. If no one can tell you who authorizes the outing, nor what happens when the wind changes, you take a visa, a flight, and leave for a day that may remain docked. The real cost of a vague booking is counted in lost days and non-refundable money. Would you book it like that?
FAQ
Is there a Bouzedjar island?
No serious source describing it was found. Bouzedjar is a coastal municipality in the wilaya of Aïn Témouchent. The nearby documented islands are the Habibas, a marine nature reserve located about ten kilometers from the coast.
Is a visa required to dive in Algeria?
Yes for French nationals, who must obtain a visa before departure according to the France Diplomacy sheet consulted in October 2026. The short-stay visa application also requires repatriation insurance. If you have another nationality, consult your country’s sheet.
Can you dive in the Habibas islands reserve?
No official text published online specifying the diving rules in the reserve was found. Ask the club, in writing, what authorization it holds to take divers there. Without a clear answer, choose another site.
What is the best season for diving near Bouzedjar?
No official dated source sets this season. The period from April to October remains an indicative timeframe. The wind and swell decide day by day whether the crossing to the islands is possible.
Sources
- Towards better protection of Habibas Islands and Paloma Island in Algeria (CAR/ASP, UNEP/MAP, 2019)
- Populational status of the endangered mollusc Patella ferruginea Gmelin, 1791 (Gastropoda, Patellidae) on Algerian islands (SW Mediterranean) (Animal Biodiversity and Conservation, 2009)
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