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Mauritius Resort & Spa...
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Relax at the Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa, trying watersports or lazing on the Indian Ocean...
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Mauritius: Search Dive Areas
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Flic en Flac, West Mauritius
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Travelling the west of Mauritius, the region around Flic en Flac boasts with several attractions. Starting in the south west corner of the Island a twisting road winds from the village of Case Noyal to an interesting geological attraction, the 'Seven Colored Earth': an undulating landscape of different and contrasting shades of colours. The different shades of blue, green, red, purple and yellow earth are thought to be the result of the erosion of the volcanic ash. There is also a scenic waterfall nearby set amid jungle vegetation. Continuing further north from Chamarel with the different coloured earth you will get to Tamarin Bay, famous for dolphins. In groups of four or five, the dolphins are more than happy to perform their ballet in the water, to spectators. There are more dolphins in this area during autumn and winter - May to August. Also in the east you will find a bird sanctuary that is built on 20 acres and features 140 different species from all over the world. And if you are lucky, you can get a glimpse of the rare pink pigeon of Mauritius.
For all divers, the region around Flic en Flac is a true paradise with several thrilling sites. Among the top sites of the region, you will find Cathedral, Rempart Serpent and Tug II.
If you decide to dive
Cathedral, this dive begins at 18 m (59 ft) at the top of a rock formation that drops steeply along two connecting cliffs to a depth of 27 m (89 ft). If you use torchlight on your descent you will be able to peer deeply into the many interesting cracks and crevasses in the rock, playing host to an interesting array of smaller marine creatures. Continuing further, the dive proceeds into a high chamber where the water becomes warmer. Once inside this chamber, the dive culminates in a huge cave that opens at the rear. Passed the huge but shy giant moray eel, who is guarding the entrance, the cave with unfolds before the diver. Diffused light coming in through a crack in the ceiling, creates the feeling of visiting the interior of a Gothic cathedral. While there is some current on the outside, the water is calm and peaceful inside the cavern, creating the perfect opportunity to pause and look about. Soldier fish, squirrelfish, catfish, lobsters, crabs and shrimp and lionfish as well as kingfish and the giant trevally can be encountered on this dive. Depending on the current you might also encounter tuna or jack fish. Although the rocks are covered in a variety of marine growths, surprisingly few corals have locked on them. Of those that have done so, fire corals are the most dominant. Besides the chamber and the cathedral, the site has many nooks and crannies that add to the general attraction of the dive.
Rempart Serpent: here you are definitively in for a treat! Compromising of an approximately 100 m (328 ft) long, seaweed-covered rocky patch, that resembles a large snake moving across the sand it is easy to understand how the snake reef (Rempart Serpent) got to its name. Home to an abundant variety of typical tropical fish from which a good proportion are juveniles. From some extraordinary reason this barren region boasts with the widest range of stonefish, scorpion fish, lionfish and moray eels seen in Mauritius and possibly even the world. The range of varieties goes from the devil scorpion fish and the extremely rare weedy scorpion fish on to the decoy scorpion fish, Mauritius scorpion fish and devil fire fish. Further you will find the clear fin lionfish, dragonfly fire fish, ocellated dwarf lionfish, leaf fish, Indian wasp fish, common stonefish. Looking for moray eels (some say there is a variety of 32 different types to be encountered in this region), you will come across the leopard, yellow mouth and yellow edged moray eel as well as the white mouth and snowflake moray eel.
It is this wide variety of specialized fish life that makes this a five-star site for those who are interested in a marine extravaganza. However, due to the site's fragility and the need to reduce disturbance to an absolute minimum, combined with the inherent dangers the site can present to the uninitiated, access is restricted to experienced divers only. Very close to the reef there is a fantastic table of coral, surrounded by banner fish and if you take a closer look at the cracks and crevasses there you will find a huge number of juvenile lionfish.
If you fancy wreck dives, you will find several possibilities around Mauritius. An absolute must-see for all wreck divers is “Tug II”. Scuttled in 1982 this tug-boat is lying on a sand-bank at depths between 17 and 19 m, Tug II is a small boat and one on the best dive of the west coast. Diving around Tug II you will discover a wreck very rich in fish and invertebrates. The dive site is very rich in stonefish, lionfish, trumpet, big-eyed fish, snappers and surgeonfish. In fact, the concentration of fish per square meter is one of the highest around Mauritius. For example the leaf fish and a wide range of sand eels, almost guaranteed to be encountered every time you dive. Descending towards the boat, the outlines are starting to appear. A former freighter, loaded with car tyres, of which less are seen every year. The boat is nicely covered with corals. Head to the bow if you want to encounter the lionfish. It might happen, because they are usually quite curious, that they will come face to face just so that they can swim back to their starting position. Inside the boat an active marine life is waiting to be discovered. As is the outside, the inside is nicely covered with corals.
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