Cape Verde is a collection of volcanic islands around 500 km off the African coast. Further south then the Canary Islands they sit at 15 degrees north meaning great weather is to be expected all year round. On Cape Verde scuba diving holidays you can explore wrecks, caves, reefs and see a multitude of marine life in up to 40m visibility.
Exploring the spectacular underwater world of Cape Verde is very interesting due to the numerous volcanic rock formations such as canyons, rock ridges, sheer drop offs, ledges and caves. It adds an extra dimension to the wide range of marine life you will see populating every little nook and cranny.
On Cape Verde scuba diving trips you can see trumpet fish, the strawberry coloured coney grouper, loggerhead and green turtles, manta rays, massive balloon fish, nurse sharks, schools of hundreds of barracuda serenely cruising the water or conversely hundreds of yellow fin tuna speeding around like missiles. Around the reefs you will see plenty of colourful reef fish such as parrot fish, trigger fish and yellow-tailed snapper.
As well as fish you could find yourself diving with an inquisitive and playful school of Dolphins. In March and April it is possible to see hump back whales as Cape Verde is one of their breading grounds and grey whales as the pass through on their annual migration. Although it is unlikely you will get to dive with whales you can hear the hump back whale songs for many miles so they add a mesmerising soundtrack to your dive.
But Cape Verde scuba diving is not just about the marine life its also great for wreck diving as the sea floor is a veritable ‘ships’ graveyard’. With over 70 wrecks ranging from the 16th to 20th century and an estimated 3 times that number as yet undiscovered it is the ideal destination for a wreck diving holiday. Some wrecks are only partly above water so easily accessible and many others lay at shallow depths of less than 18m.
On a Cape Verde scuba diving holiday you could also experience cave diving. Near to Sal you can access the cave system of Buracona which includes a spectacular dome within the reef that has sunlight pouring in from above. Also you can dive the caves of Regona which are a series of interconnected horse shoe shaped caves teeming with wildlife with multiple entry and exits straight onto the reef.
So whether you are into diving to spot wildlife, exploring wrecks or navigating through caves there is something to keep you busy on Cape Verde scuba diving holidays.
