Diving in Mozambique
With direct access to the sea, the proximity of the continental shelf and pristine reefs, Nuarro is the perfect diving destination in Mozambique. Thanks to the owners’ passion for diving, we have a fully equipped PADI Dive Centre catering to all levels of recreational diver, offering a wide variety of dive sites from easy shallow shore entry to deep vertical walls and wrecks.
Here’s what’s on offer:
- Aluminium cylinders in 7, 10, 12 and 15 litre (DIN and INT)
- NITROX
- A comprehensive range of rental equipment including Scubapro regs/BCD’s and dive computers
- Wetsuits, masks and fins in a wide range of sizes
- Wash area, hot showers and safe equipment storage
- Trained local and experienced international staff
- Fully equipped motorised dive boats with a full complement of safety equipment
- Night dives including fluorescent dives (using UV lights)
- Wreck dives in the Baixo do Pinda area.
- Best time of the year: April-December
- Visibility: 20+m, often more than 30m
- Water temperature: 28-30C (summer) and 25-27C (winter)
- Sea Conditions: very calm, protected bay
- Ecosystems: Tropical coral reefs, drop offs, mucky (seagrass + sand)
- Marine life: High diversity of reef corals, turtles, huge gorgonians, seahorses, shrimps and nudibranchs
- Type of dives: Shore and boat dives, always exclusive small groups
- Special dives: Fluorescent Dive, Night Dive, Bio
- We have ideal dive conditions for underwater photographers excellent macro, caves and gorgonias for wide angle
• Stay 7 nights and receive 1 night for free +20% discount on Open water dive course / Advanced Open Water dive course / Nitrox course for USD$30 per person (excluding August & 30 Dec – 03 Jan 2017)
• Stay 10 nights and your partner sharing pays USD90 per night and receive 20% discount on the 10 dive package (excluding equipment rental) – excluding August & 30 Dec – 03 Jan)
• Stay 10 nights and receive 20% discount on Open Water Dive course / Advanced open water dive course or on the 10 dive package, Nitrox course for $30pp (excluding dive equipment rental)
Accommodation in one of the chalets, All meals, teas, coffees and snacks, snorkeling (unguided from the shore), kayaking (unguided), Eco trails and bike rides, Donations per bed/night ($5) and paid activity ($2) to Anan Clinica
Nampula / Nuarro –$255 per 2 persons, one way • Nacala / Nuarro – $140 per 2 persons, one way • Ilha de Moçambique / Nuarro – $195 per 2 persons, one way • Pemba / Nuarro – $490 per 2 persons, one way (subject to availability).
Transfers are done by an external company and rates are subject to change. Additional persons will cost 10% of the rates mentioned above. Maximum 4 adults per vehicle.
Our dive center has two underwater scooters and is the first lodge to be able to offer the Advanced Open Water course with Diver Propulsion Vehicle as one of the Adventure Dives. If you are already certified, you can join our exclusive scooter safaris and see how it feels to fly underwater.
Did you know that much marine life is fluorescent? We are pioneers of glow diving or fluorescent diving in Mozambique. Our calm water and easy shore entry allow excellent opportunities for night diving, so why not to discover something completely new?!
Your night dive and the way you see animals will never be the same! With the assistance of blue lights and special filters you will be able to see many marine organisms glowing in the dark, from coral polyps to crazy nudibranchs. Experience night diving as if you were at an underwater disco!
Fluorescent or “Fluo” diving has recently taken the diving community by storm and Nuarro is the first and only dive centre in Mozambique to off this experience to our clients. Chemical compounds contained in the tissues of many marine animals react to UV light causing them to fluoresce in brilliant reds, purples and greens, we take UV lights and filters on night dives to experience the reefs like never before! Be among the first to get the Fluo Dive bug!
The bay is ideal for all levels of diving as it offers the diver entry from shore, with a natural buffer to the prevailing currents, and has a gradual sloping bottom topography that slowly slips away towards the start of the shelf. The proximity to the continental shelf allows extraordinary shore and boat dives, where beginners can enjoy the shallow sites of the house reef, optimal water temperature and great visibility. The wall along the bay offers more challenging diving with awesome topography including vertical drop-offs, colourful pinnacles, swim-through’s and caves.
One privilege of diving at Nuarro is that there are only the lodge divers on the reefs. So, you get the whole reef to yourself and dive times are usually dictated by air supply not the need to get back for the next boat of divers.
Discover Scuba Diving
Have you always wondered what it’s like to breathe underwater? This program allows you to experiencing scuba diving in a relaxed and supervised manner.
What You Learn : You learn the basic safety guidelines and skills needed to dive under the direct supervision of a PADI Professional.
Get ready to : Go over the scuba equipment you use to dive and how easy it is to move around underwater with your gear.
Find out what it’s like to breathe underwater. Learn key skills that you’ll use during every scuba dive. Have fun swimming around and exploring. Hear about becoming a certified diver through the PADI Open Water Diver course.How long will it take? This is a half a day day course to include one knowledge development session and 1 dive.
What qualifications do I need to start? 10 years old
Scuba Diver
For those who are already Scuba Divers but want to go further and become an independent diver. With this upgrade you get the Open Water certification and gets the permission to go up to 18 meters.
What you learn ? You learn the basics of diving, diving gear and techniques. Also learn the diving in buddy system.
How long will it take? Two knowledge development sessions with a knowledge review after each one. Three pool classes and two open water dives. Two days, usually on the weekend, however it may be during the week with flexible working hours.
What qualifications do I need to start ? Be Scuba Diver.
Open Water Diver
Worldwide recognized first-level scuba certification. Ideal for those who want to start diving in a regular basis. This is the most recognized diving Education Course. The diver gets the certification to dive independently to 18 meters.
What You Learn ? Learning the fundamental concepts of scuba diving, gear and scuba techniques, as well as buddy system, planning a dive, underwater navigation and managing problems.
How long will it take? 4 days, where you’ll have 5 knowledge development sessions followed by a quiz and a global exam in the end. 5 confined water sessions and four open water sessions.
What qualifications do I need to start? 10 years old
Advanced Open Water
Advanced scuba diver course. For those who are willing to dive in more demanding situations up to 30 meters.
What you learn ? Five adventure dives: Deep Dive and Underwater Navigation are mandatory.
How long will it take ? Five Adventure dives with knowledge reviews. Two days, usually during a weekend, however it may be during the week with flexible working hours.
What qualifications do I need to start ? Be a PADI OWD or equivalent.
Rescue Diver
Rescue diver course. For those who want to go a little further in their diving abilities.
What you learn ? Rescue Diver training will prepare you to prevent problems and, if necessary, manage dive emergencies: Self-rescue and diver stress, dive first aid, surfacing the unconscious diver, panicked diver response.
How long will it take ? Knowledge development sessions, pool modules and open water final scenarios. Two days.
What qualifications do I need to start ? Be a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent, be an Emergency First Response, proof of at least 20 certified dives.
Dive Master
The first PADI professional level. Certification for dive guide and certified assistant.
What you learn ? Development of theoretical and practical knowledge. Knowledge of PADI standards and the scuba business. Preparation to manage a dive center or dive school.
How long will it take ? Theoretical component with eight exams, Open water circuit with various demonstrations of exercises of Open Water, developing a map and an Emergency Plan, physical tests for admission and demonstration of skills underwater. Six days for knowledge and pool sessions, follow up of a complete Open Water diver course.
What qualifications do I need to start ? PADI Rescue Diver certification or similar, EFR valid certification, minimum 40 registered dives to begin course, minimum 60 logged dives to obtain certification, medical form signed by a physician.
PADI’s eLearning®
Do you want to take an open water dive course with us but don’t want to spend hours of your holidays in the classroom? PADI’s eLearning® is perfect for you!
The open water dive course involves video-theory, quizzes and exercises that you can now complete at home, leaving you more time to enjoy your holiday. It is important to point out that you don´t necessarily save on costs but you do save on holiday time! Even if you are not here at Nuarro, we will be available online to answer any questions you may have and we will go through key points upon your arrival.
How does it work?
After enrolling, PADI’s eLearning® system presents you with interactive presentations that include videos, audio, graphics and reading. Short quizzes let you gauge your progress, and review and correct anything you might happen to miss. This lets you move through the program efficiently and at your own pace.
What else is required to complete the course?
Prior to certification as a PADI Open Water Diver, you’ll come to Nuarro Activity Center to complete your training. You'll take a short eLearning Quick Review to confirm your understanding of safety-related material from the course and you must successfully complete five confined water dives and four open water training dives with our PADI Instructor.
Are the requirements for PADI e-learning and the certification the same as in a regular classroom?
Yes.
How much does it cost?
The PADI Open Water Diver Course online is about $169.00 (US), billed to you directly by PADI. The fee covers your knowledge development training and gives you unlimited access to an electronic version of the PADI Open Water Diver Manual (course textbook). Nuarro charges a fee of $380.00 (US) for the in-water portion of your certification. This fee covers all of your confined water sessions, rental equipment, dive trips and certification card.
How do I begin?
Easy, enroll in the PADI e-learning system in the link below and follow the steps. After successfully completing your theoretical course you will receive a code which you should bring for us. Please do not forget to register Nuarro Lodge/23951 as your dive center.
Follow the link bellow:
Book one of the Dive Courses
Nuarro Diving it’s located in the protected Nanatha bay at the southern point of Memba Bay on the Baixo do Pinda Peninsula. The bay has been turned into a marine reserve with the local village being integrated in this project of conservation. As a result illegal fishing is forbidden in the bay.
Topografia
The proximity of the continental shelf allows for extraordinary shore and boat dives within Memba Bay. The more challenging dives are along the stunning, current washed Baixo do Pinda walls which can be reached by boat (15 to 40 min. boat rides). The bottom topography in Nanatha Bay is very dramatic, with sections of vertical drop-offs, shallow caves and colourful pinnacles.
For the novice or divers looking for a mellow experience, the shallow areas (6 to 15 metres) of nuarro house-reef are full of life and can be dived from shore. These areas are full of coral bommies, sandy stretches and sea grasses. The proximity to the mangroves, optimal water temperature and visibility is reflected in the great diversity of coral and coral dependent species. Large pelagic life is found along the Baixo do Pinda walls where currents are stronger.
The bay is ideal for all levels of diving as it offers the diver entry from shore, with a natural buffer to the prevailing currents, and has a gradual sloping bottom topography that slowly slips away towards the start of the wall. The proximity to the continental shelf allows extraordinary shore and boat dives, where beginners can enjoy the shallow sites of the house reef, optimal water temperature and great visibility. The wall around the bay offers more challenging diving with awesome topography including vertical drop-offs, colourful pinnacles, swim-through’s and caves. The bay is 360m deep in the middle and the wall is near vertical to over 100m in places. Further afield we have the current washed wreck of a steam ship which ran into Baixo do Pinda which is a great dive for those with suitable experience.
Another privilege of diving at Nuarro is that we only have our divers on the reefs. So, you get the whole reef to yourself and dive times are usually dictated by air supply not the need to get back for the next boat of divers.
With 2 full time instructors and Nitrox available, Nuarro Diving offers pristine reefs with diverse topography and marine life.
Full rental equipment is available and includes Scubapro regulators, BCD’s and fins, a range of full length and shorty wetsuits and various sizes of mask.
For divers bringing their own equipment, all our cylinders can take both DIN and INT style regulators and come in 7, 10, 12 and 14L sizes.
Rebreathers can be supported with boosted oxygen and Sodasorb and we have two APD units here, contact us for more information.
1. Enupa Reef (house reef)
Minimum qualification: Open Water
Shore entry: 100m swim or boat entry
Maximum depth: 12m
Description: Enupa Reef lays in front of the Activities Centre about 100m from the beach and is part of the Nuarro Marine Reserve. This is an easy and relaxing dive down to 12m that can be done at most times of the day. Photographers will be delighted with the macro life where they can spot many kinds of shrimps and crabs, snake and moray eels, nudibranchs, flatworms, and other marine life like gobies, egg cowries, butterfly-fish, wrasse, damsel-fish, blue spotted stingrays and puffer-fish.
Night dives are made here and are especially good with new moon or crescent moon, where a star filled sky and bio-luminescence in the ocean with all the polyps active, spiny and slipper lobsters, shrimps and crabs of many kinds, hermits, basket stars, brittle stars and a good chance to spot the Spanish Dancer, the largest of the nudibranchs!
Enupa
2. Fish Alley
Minimum qualification: Open Water
Boat entry
Maximum depth: 30m (in places sheer wall drops to 80m+)
Description: Fish Alley offer great conditions for all levels. Coral bommies offer every diver their own patch of colourful coral and fish are plentiful. Garden eels, cowries, ribbon eels, gobies, sand perches, mullets and puffers are found. This is a site where many fish come to visit cleaning stations; bi-colour and common cleaner wrasse compete to service the gills, skins and fins of all kinds of clients, sometimes not much bigger than themselves. Lyre tail and saddle back hog-fish are usually seen around as well as the Indian and African sand wrasse. There is varied topography from large shallow areas of hard coral, sloping bottom and vertical wall to choose from, truly something for everyone!
Fish Alley
3. The Guardians
Minimum qualification: Advanced Open Water
Boat entry
Maximum depth: 30m
Description: This site is part of the Nuarro Marine Reserve. The Guardians are five pinnacles that face out to the deep blue, as if they were a line of defence against the ocean’s forces. Rising from 40+m to 15m below the surface, they form part of the Nanatha Wall that runs in a semi-circle around Nanatha Bay. Part of this wall breaks into a sand falls that spill out from the inner reef and cascade down the upper reef slope. You will also see several swim troughs and many nooks and crannies to be investigated. One can follow the wall to the left, to the right, or alternatively hang with the Guardians and enjoy their delights. Garden Eels, Leaf-fishes, cleaning Wrasses, Butterfly-fish, Angelfish, Napoleon Wrasse, Groupers, king fish, a resident turtle, nudibranchs, parrot-fish and other schools of fish.
The Guardians
4. The Gorgonian Forest
Minimum qualification: Advanced Open Water
Boat entry
Maximum depth: 30m
Description: On the eastern side of the Nanatha bay is Nanatha point. On a spring tide, currents are awash on the point making for a great drift dive. Large species of fish such as Sailfish, Giant Trevallies, Dog Tooth Tunas, Spanish Mackerels, Skip Jack Tunas, Bonitos and Napoleon Wrasse can be found here, you might even get the chance encounter with a Humpback Dolphin. Mobila and sea horses have been seen, so expect the unexpected! The main feature of this dive site is the forest of huge Gorgonian Fan corrals, with specimens more than 3m in diameter, which runs for more than 100m along this part of the wall and can occupy a whole dive. Photographers will love the morning light. You may even get a shot of the Long Nose Hawk-fish perched on its Gorgonian home. In the deepest part of the dive, divers are rewarded with small colonies of purple fire Gobies.
Gorgonian Forest
5. Sacred Sands
Minimum qualification: Open Water
Boat entry
Maximum depth: 30m (wall drops to 100m+)
Description: Dotted along the coast of Memba Bay are numerous little beaches. They are framed by high rocks that form semi-circles reaching into the sea. Some of these beaches are considered sacred and flags are mounted upon the rocks. It is from one of these beaches that sand falls cascade down a steep wall creating a beautiful setting for embarking upon your dive. As currents sweep the area on a spring tide, it’s a good choice for a drift dive. At the edge of the wall divers can “fly” over the 100m vertical drop off, truly exhilarating! Tunas are common here, chasing their smaller prey, which take shelter in the cracks of the wall. 5 different species of fusiliers are never too far from the reefs. Humpbacks Whales are all around during winter and their songs enchant the whole time underwater, if we are rely lucky we can spot them in the blue.
Sacred Sands
6. Lobster Coves
Minimum qualification: Open Water
Boat entry
Maximum depth – 30m
Description: The top of the wall sits at around 8m-10m and then falls away in a vertical drop to the first ledge at 80m and then on down into the abyss of 200m+. The wall snakes along the coast and has many little inlets that have been named the Coves. Towards the end of the dive you will find a hole in the wall at about 16m which is the entrance to a large swim through with an overhang and finishes with an exit like a chimney through the top of the reef at 8m.
Many Cave and Yellow Sweepers find shelter here during the daylight hours, as well as Dancing, Partner and Cleaner Shrimps. This dive usually ends on top of the coral rich plateau where Butterfly-fish are found in great diversity with 15 species counted regularly, as well as Surgeon-fish, Fang Blennies and Red Fire Gobies, among other reef fish. Like most of the wall dives in Nuarro, the topography lends itself to great multi-level profiles where we can finish our dive in 6m while still on the reef.
Lobster Cove
7. B.P. Wreck
Minimum qualification: Advanced Open Water
Boat entry – 40min from Nuarro
Maximum depth – 20m
Description: The fringing reef of Baixo do Pinda is vast and long, but this part of the continental shelf slopes away more gently than the Memba Bay Wall. The edge of the reef is dramatic with swim troughs, shallow caves and small canyons and is covered in hard and soft corals. This steel cargo ship has been broken up over the years but still retains some good structure, with the boilers and engine rearing up from the sea bed as well as parts of the hull. The anchor and its chain are the deepest part and are surrounded by schools of Long Fin and Circular Bat Fish. A large Potato Bass has made its home here as well as Marbled Groupers, Scorpion-fish, Cave Sweepers, Soldier-fish, 4 species of Squirrel-fish, 2 species of Lion-fish, large school of Five Line Snappers. For the keen eye, coral Sponges and Ascidians are a delight in all corners of the wreck. As with the rest of Baixo do Pinda, Hawksbill and Green Turtles can be seen.
BP Wreck
8. Napoleon Point
Minimum Qualification: Open Water
Boat entry
Maximum depth – 30m (the wall drops to 80m+)
Description: Another dive that combines shallow water reef with the drop off of the wall. As currents sweep the area on a spring tide, it’s often a drift dive. The wall is again vertical here and we usually have excellent visibility. Tunas, king fish and schools of sweetlips are common here. There is a resident Napoleon wrasse living here so keep your eyes peeled for this shy beauty. Also expect to see the common reef fish as well as different kinds of shrimps, nudibranch and incredibly colourful soft coral.
Napoleon Point
9 – Mangrove Bush
Minimum Qualification: Advanced Open Water
Boat Entry
Maximum Depth – 30m
Description: Close to the mangrove forest here we have a sloping bottom that in places drops off to vertical wall, this reef has some beautiful bush corals which we do not find elsewhere. The bush corals are home to several different shrimp and goby species. Although just around the corner and a 10 minute boat ride away, it has a markedly different feel to the reefs in the bay.
Mangrove Bush
10 – Unicorn Castle
Minimum Qualification: Advanced Open Water
Boat Entry
Maximum Depth – 30m
Description: Named after both the abundant unicorn surgeon fish found here and the dramatic rock formation at the drop, this site has become a favorite despite only recently being discovered. Plenty of different surgeon fish, snappers and sweetlips are waiting to greet us as we start our dive at the “gatehouse” of the castle, then we can turn either left or right to make our way along the deep and steep wall. Later in the dive we make our way up to the sand flats inside the wall which are festooned with coral bommies. This mixture of coral and muck gives us a great chance to find mantis shrimp, eels and flatfish in the sand as well as exploring the coral to find the usual suspects of Nuarro.
Unicorn Castle
11 – Stables
Minimum Qualification: Open Water
Boat or Shore Entry
Maximum Depth – 15m
Description: Stables is a typical muck dive site, where we will NOT see the beautiful coral reefs found in other areas, instead we dive on sand at the border of the seagrass looking for the most exotic creatures of the ocean. We stand a good chance to see seahorses, two banded pipefish, seagrass pipefish and even the rare and stunning hairy pygmy pipehorse. The harlequim crab is almost always found hidden on the hell fire anemone together with commensal shrimps. Between the seagrass we often see moray eels and burrow on the sand the serpent eel. It is an ideal place for macro photographers and people who like to go “treasure hunters” precious creatures.
Stables
12 – Nuarro Rock
Minimum Qualification: Open Water
Boat Entry
Maximum Depth – 30m
Description: In front of the restaurant is a small islet which provides the name for this site which is a very short boat ride from shore. A gently sloping bottom full of corals leads to the drop off, which here is gradual and not as steep as in other parts of the bay. Small canyons and gullies provide shelter for marine life and are great fun to explore while the sloping nature of this site makes it a perfect spot for the less experienced diver.
Nuarro Rock
13 – Nuarro Wall
Minimum Qualification: Open Water
Boat Entry
Maximum Depth – 30m
Description: Part of the wall which follows the contour of the bay, here we have a vertical drop from around 14m to more than 40m, where the bottom then slopes off fairly steeply to the abyss! This is a dramatic wall full of lettuce coral which even Open Water divers can enjoy from the top, while the more experienced can venture deeper. Encounters with pelagics such as trevallies, turtles and maybe even a wale in season will keep you with one eye on the reef and one on the blue!
Nuarro Wall
14 – Lost Eden
Minimum Qualification: Open Water
Boat Entry
Maximum Depth – 30m
Description: Off the western shore of the bay is a gently sloping bottom leading to a pronounced shelf which in turn leads to a steeply sloping bottom. With varied topography we can find plentiful macro critters hiding amongst the corals such as leaf fish, nudibranchs, various shrimps and invertebrates as well as schools of our most common fish species in the water column. With its distinct ledge creating shallow and deep areas, this dive site is great for both novice and more advanced divers.
Lost Eden
15 – Nimpanana
Minimum Qualification: Open Water
Boat Entry
Maximum Depth – 30m+ (average depth 18m)
Description: Nimpanana is a good choice for macro photographers who wants to mix and combining coral bommies on sand bottom with the beautiful east side of the last Pinnacle from the Guardians formation. On the bommies you are likely to see leaf scorpionfish, moray eels, several kind of shrimps such as squad shrimps and banded cleaner shrimps and the tiny butterfly of the ocean the Cyerce sea slugs. Moving through the wall the scenery change drastically with lots of lettuce corals and pipe corals. On the top of the pinnacle we often see a resident sea turtle.
Nimpanana
16 – N’zizi
Minimum Qualification: Advanced Open Water
Boat Entry
Maximum Depth – 30m
Description: The diving starts on a slope going down to 30m deep and moving toward a vertical wall. At the start of the dive the garden eels are everywhere. The giant mantis shrimp with its arm size hole is often seen here with squat shrimps over its body. Bush corals, tubular sponges and giant fan corals are found there serving as a safe home for shrimps, gobies and small crustraceans.
N’zizi
17 – Nuarro Corner
Minimum Qualification: Open Water
10 minutes from the Lodge by boat
Maximum Depth from 12 meters to 40 meters
Visibility: 20 meters + all year round
This dive site combine sand patches with coral bommies and the drop off. Typical high diverse of colourful reef fish can be seen here, including one of the weirdest and camouflaged fish the leaf scorpion fish. Hundreds of spotted garden eels are burrow in the sand with their head out feeding in plankton that pass with the current. A diver may pass by without notice them, as these shy eels will quickly get inside the hole if they notice any movement. Thus, to see these interesting species you need to get close to the bottom and slowly and quietly closer to them. A challenge for photographers!
For the mollusc and shell lovers you have a good chance to see the massive helmet shells (the largest of all helmet shells) and great variety of cowries. This is also a good nudibranch dive sites, with many pyjama nudibranchs and several species f Phyllidiidae.
Please do not hesitate to contact our dive instructors on diving@nuarro.com for more information on diving or any of the dive sites!
We look forward to diving with you soon!
