Reunion Island is an island apart, exciting on land as under the sea, where the diver will find beautiful drop-offs, coral barriers, passes with strong currents, wrecks full of history but also incredible underwater architectures. But beyond the underwater landscape, diving in Reunion allows to observe a rich and varied fauna. To better understand the dive spots, we have prepared a list of the best dive sites in Reunion Island.
GREAT FALLING OF THE POSSESSION
- Region: The Port
- Type of diving: Falling
- Location: To the right of the East port exit
- Recommended dive level: Advanced open water divers and more experienced divers
- Depth of the dive site: between 38 and 60 meters
- Time to destination: 20 minutes
Superb scuba diving site in Reunion Island, the “Grand tombant de la Possession” is huge V-shaped rocky shoal. To the east, the magnificent drop off is made up of two shoal then falls quickly to a depth of nearly 60 meters. You will also find many asperities and small crevices on this slope. On the West side, on the other hand, the plateaus are less clear but the drop-off is equally vertiginous. The site has a wide variety of wildlife and is particularly known for its large pelagic fish such as wahoo, tuna, schools of jacks, banana tuna and you migh even be able to dive with sailfish swordfish, particularly impressive. You may spot a huge grouper rather friendly and easygoing! Note that we go down directly in the blue. A superb dive site, not to be missed.
L’ECOLE
- Region: The Port
- Type of diving: Falling
- Geographical situation: Off the port
- Recommended dive level: Advanced open water divers or more experienced divers
- Depth of the dive site: About 35 to 45 meters
- Time to destination: 20 minutes
During this dive at the port of the Reunion Island, we arrive on a beautiful flat sprinkled with black sand which quickly becomes rocky before turning into gigantic scree to a depth of forty meters. This rocky universe is also a beautiful playground for scorpion fish and moray eels that we meet everywhere on the site. Further down, in the blue, you might spot great balistes, a large loach and pelagic such as jacks or tuna.
WRECK OF THE SEA AVENTURE
- Region: Saint Paul’s Bay
- Type of diving: Wreck diving
- Geographical situation: Directly in the bay
- Recommended dive level: Level 2, PE40 or Advanced Open Water
- Depth of the diving spot: From 40 to 49 meters
- Distance with boat: 20 minutes
Superb wreck dive in Reunion Island, the Sea Venture, which rests 49 meters deep, is upside down and completely upside down. The two huge propellers, on which toad fish hide by mimicry, are still in very good condition and particularly impressive. The hull of the ship is pierced and there are large flying carcasses and beautiful lobsters. It is best to bring a diving lamp to explore the wreck. As you turn around, you will be able to observe the blue to see, with a little luck, magnificent pelagics such as sea bream, tuna and even sharks.
THE BARGE
- Region: Saint Paul’s Bay
- Type of diving: Wreck diving
- Geographical situation: Directly in the bay
- Recommended dive level: Advanced Open Water
- Depth of the diving spot: 25 meters
- Distance from the coast by boat: 30 minutes
On a beautiful bed of black basaltic sand, a small vessel of nearly 10 meters long, surrounded by imposing anchors awaits you for an exploration out of the ordinary. This little oasis of life in the middle of a big black desert is visited by magnificent torpedo rays. You will certainly encounter stone fish, antennaries, fish drivers, leaf fish and more traditional reef fish. Memorable diving in Reunion, you can even, with a little luck, cruise dolphins. The site is really teeming with life. Moreover, it is particularly known for night diving in Reunion. Notice to the amateurs.
CAP LA HOUSSAYE
- Region: Saint Paul’s Bay
- Type of diving: Reef diving
- Location: South of the Bay
- Minimum diving level: Try diving
- Depth of the diving spot: between 4 and 18 meters
- Distance from the coast by boat: 40 minutes
Perfect for learning scuba diving in Reunion, this dive site is located north of the Marine Nature Reserve and offers a real playground for beginner divers. There are reefs, sandy bottoms, faults, drop offs but also a small cave of nearly 6 meters all the same. Superb diving full of surprise, there is even a small cannon at five meters and a herbarium in the east. But the fauna is not left out because you will be able to spot lobsters, catfish, molluscs, colorful reef fish and even turtles. Perfect to pass your open water in the Reunion Island.
HAI SIANG
- Region: Saint Gilles les Bains
- Type of diving: Wreck and drift diving
- Location: Opposite Cape Egrets
- Recommended dive level: Level 3 confirmed
- Depth of the diving spot: 54 meters
This dive site, particularly exotic with its Asian name, is a diving wreck in the Réunion Island reserved for experienced divers. The wreck was deliberately sunk in the eighties and its name means wild pig in Taiwanese. It was a large lobster fishing boat, nearly 50 meters long however, is surrounded by a teeming life between schools of snappers, scorpion fish and stingrays. Sometimes divers meet some large pelagics. But it is above all its imposing structure that will fascinate the wreck diver. We go down in the blue to discover its imposing mat before the large metal structure is unveiled. The currents can be particularly strong on this diving site.
PASSAGE OF THE ERMITAGE
- Region: Saint Gilles les Bains
- Type of diving: Diving
- Location: In front of the lagoon of the same name
- Level: Level 1 and Open water diver
- Depth of the diving spot: 25 meters
This beautiful dive in Reunion marks the separation between the Hermitage and Saline Les Bains. It is actually a large ravine having dug the coral reef. The pass is particularly rich in plankton and nutrients. Note that due to the currents and the plankton, the visibility is not always exceptional but this real underwater restaurant has a particularly dense fauna. We come across turtles coming to be cleaned or large eagle rays basking in the water or on the reefs. There is also a beautiful cave to visit.
THE CHIMNEY, CAP HOMARD
- Region: Saint Gilles les Bains
- Diving type: Fireplace dive
- Location: North of Saint Gilles
- Level: Level 2 and Advanced open water diver
- Depth of the diving spot: 15 to 30 meters
On this dive site in the Reunion Island, you will have the chance to go down a large basaltic rock chimney. This chimney, filled with lobsters, goes down to about 22 meters deep. Set your BCD and buoyancy well and enjoy the descent. At the bottom of the chimney, a magnificent arch will allow you to explore small faults and canyons before to come out on a stretch of white sand. There is also a lot of life, such as parrotfish, tuna, barracudas, moray eels, snappers, groupers and magnificent gorgonians. This dive can be a little technical in case of strong current. According to us one of the best dive site in Reunion.
ANTONIO LORENZO
- Region: Saint Leu
- Type of diving: Wreck diving
- Location: South of Pointe des Châteaux
- Diving level: Level 2, Pe40 or Advanced open water
- Depth of the diving spot: 40 meters
One of the best diving wreck in the Reunion Island, the Antonio Lorenzo is a large longliner who has deliberately been sunk on a sandy area to create an artificial reef. And the game is won because there are now many Lutjans, antennas, leopard rays, stingrays and even lion fish. For a little history, this Chilean ship was boarded while fishing illegally on the Kerguelen Islands, in the middle of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. It is now about 38 meters deep.
FALLING OF THE “POINTE AU SEL”
- Region: Saint Leu
- Type of diving: Diving on Tombant
- Geographical location: Off the salt peak
- Level: Level 2, Pe40 or Advanced open water
- Depth of the diving spot: 20-80 meters
And we keep the best for the end with the exceptionnal “tombant de la pointe au sel” diving site. Probably the best dive site in Reunion Island, this legendary spot has some great secret to be unveiled. Advanced open water divers can enjoy the shoal while level 3 divers can descend to 60 meters with a good dive computer.
Surrounded by fusiliers and banner fish, we go down in the blue to face an extraordinary drop-off. In the faults of the fall, we meet Javanese moray eels and Harlequin Gaterin. When the current is a strong, you can dive with whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins, tuna and marlin. Between october and November, you may even be lucky enough to dive with hammerhead sharks. Best dive of the Reunion Island according to us.
Feel free to share your opinion on this article, on dive sites or other spots of the Reunnion Island in comment. Also, if you are a beginner diver, check out our article on the best dive sites in the meeting.
