We are a beachside dive resort with dive centre, self-catering log cabins, secure parking, swimming pool, restaurant, private wooden walkway to the beach. https://goo.gl/maps/ZgSpRL2mGKSiqxaC8

PADI Five Star Dive Resorts are awarded 5* status because they excel in providing quality services to divers in a fun, friendly and professional environment whilst adhering to internationally recognised safety standards for recreational scuba diving and diver training.

Minimum of 3-5 days

For a hassle-free dive holiday, escape the crowds and stay right here at Rocky Bay in self-catering log cabins. See our information sheet here. If you don’t mind driving to our dive centre every day and would prefer a hotel or B&B we can recommend some options, all within approximately 10-45 minute drive..

Yes, we offer fun boat rides and snorkeling trips that are suitable for adults and children of all experience levels.

Yes, book under Services

We pride ourselves on being a family friendly dive centre.

Boat rides & snorkeling Diving (Children aged 10-14 are considered Junior divers, from 15 years are considered adult divers). Bubbleblower Course - in the swimming pool. (Children from a minimum of 8yrs old can try diving with an instructor in the swimming pool to a maximum depth of 2 meters).

They can enjoy relaxing at the beach or going for a walk along the beach, enjoy a coffee or a meal at the restaurant, relax at the swimming pool.

Diver certification card & log books MPA Scuba Diving permits (All divers require permits to dive at Aliwal Shoal. Annual permits can be purchased at the post office, alternatively we can issue temporary permits at the dive centre, valid for 1 month).

The dive sites at Aliwal Shoal boast year-round shark activity. Below are guidelines of seasonal sightings of the various sharks on our reefs. All year round: oceanic blacktip sharks, white-tip sharks June to November: Ragged-tooth/Sand tiger Sharks (Adult sharks gather at Aliwal to mate during breeding season). November to May: Tiger Sharks, Zambezi/Bull Sharks September to March: Hammerhead Sharks June to November: Humpback whales (Annual migration along our coastline)

There is a huge diversity of fish life at Aliwal Shoal, from the biggest to the smallest! Aliwal is a rocky reef with a combination of tropical and subtropical fish species. The remains of an ancient sand dune, the reef is dominated by algae and sponges with a variety of hard and soft corals. We regularly see turtles, rays, sharks, dolphins, moray eels, potato bass/grouper, kingfish, barracuda, octopus, nudibranchs, paperfish, pipefish, porcelain crabs. Not to mention all the usual reef fish such as angelfish, triggerfish, scorpionfish, devil fire-fish, fusileers, butterflyfish.

The Northern Reefs of Aliwal Depth: 6-30 m | Suitable for beginners and advanced divers The Southern Reefs of Aliwal Depth: 19-25 m and 23-32m | Great for Advanced Divers

Raggies Cave, Cathedral, Howard’s Castle, Eelskin, Landers, Cowrie, Fern, Umzimayi Wall and many more.

We are perfectly positioned at Rocky Bay with our controlled launch site we provide divers with easy access to the northern and southern reefs of the Aliwal Shoal MPA

Aliwal Shoal is the best place to dive with Ragged-tooth Sharks/Sand Tiger Sharks in their natural environment without the need to participate in shark cage diving. The males arrive first signalling the beginning of mating season, then the females arrive and divers can see sharks right throughout the mating season. The reefs of Aliwal are also home to Oceanic Blacktip sharks and White-tip Reef sharks with year-round sightings.

Northern Reefs – Open Water (Great location to learn to dive with one of our instructors) Southern Reefs – Advanced (Nitrox certification is recommended to maximise dive times)

Aliwal Shoal is a subtropical reef system with a huge biodiversity of marine life (including various endemic and endangered fish, ray, shark and turtle species) rated by the legendary Jacques Cousteau as one of the Top 10 Dive Sites worldwide. Diving occurs in the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area, which has also been identified as a Hope Spot by Mission Blue, recognising that this reef system is critical to the health of the ocean. Dr Ryan Daly, Marine Scientist at Oceanographic Research Institutute (ORI) was quoted as saying “Aliwal Shoal presents a marine oasis for many threatened and endemic species along our coast. It is particularly important for many shark and ray species that aggregate there every year. Its diversity, beauty and uniqueness makes it one of my favourite dive sites in South Africa!”

A marine protected area (MPA) is a section of the ocean where a government has placed limits on human activity to help protect the environment and ensure sustainability for the future of both humans and nature. Various factors are taken into consideration and various zones allow different levels of activity. All scuba divers are required to purchase a scuba diving permit (valid for all MPA area’s) and adhere to the diving guidelines.