Introduction

Tofo (also known as Praia do Tofo, Tofo beach in Portuguese) is a village in south-west Mozambique, about 500 km by road north-east of the capital, Maputo. This destination is very often reached from Inhambane airport, which lies just 22 km from Tofo, a preferred option especially attractive due to direct flights from Johannesburg. Although Tofo was originally almost exclusively a fishing village, tourism has developed significantly in recent years. The destination is far from being a mass-tourist one, however, as almost exclusively divers travel there. Thanks to its location on the Mozambique Channel, Tofo is famous for its manta rays and whale sharks - it is simply one of the places in the world where you're most likely to see these animals. It is also one of the best places to dive in Mozambique. The dive sites are located 10-45 minutes from the beach, from which all the boats depart, as no specific infrastructure (not even a small harbor) is available. Divers have to help launch the boats - all of which are small and have very limited space. This, plus the fact that the sea is often rough, makes diving quite an adventurous activity here. Note that the water temperature can vary considerably from season to season, as well as from day to day: from a potential minimum of 16°C in July to 28-29°C between January and February (this is also the typhoon season, but typhoons are rare). If you're not too sensitive to temperature, you can dive all year round in Tofo. The best time for whale sharks is between October and May, and for humpback whales it is between June and November. To be avoided at all costs: the South African vacation periods and Christmas-New Year, when Tofo is completely saturated!

Travel facts

Diving type

Destination

easily accessible

bargain destination

Diving level & type

for beginners

for advanced divers

shore diving

liveaboard

Diving Characteristics

pelagics

lots of fish

lots of corals

interesting underwater scenery

Other activities

attractive natural spots

gastronomy

night life

beach

snorkeling

Infrastructures

• diving center
  

  Diversity Scuba
  Diversity Scuba (diving center)
  telephone : 258 293 29002

  fax : 258 293 29042

  address : PO Box 194, Inhambane, Mozambique

  email : info@diversityscuba.co.za

  internet : www.diversityscuba.com
  rating : 3 / 4 stars

  comments :

  Diversity Scuba is a reputable dive center located approximately 200 meters from the shore in Tofo. It operates three semi-rigid boats ranging from 7.4 to 8 meters. The center offers lockers for divers' equipment, but when it's busy, sharing lockers can lead to equipment mix-ups. The dive briefings take place on a covered terrace upstairs. Divers are grouped by boat, typically going on outings with one or two cylinders. Unfortunately, there's often no choice between two morning dives or one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The journey to dive sites varies in duration, sometimes reaching up to 45 minutes, which can be challenging when the wind is strong. Divers should be prepared for physically demanding conditions. Overall, Diversity Scuba is a decent dive center with dedicated divemasters. However, during peak periods, service may be less than ideal.

        
  
• travel agency
  

  Terra Profunda
  Terra Profunda (travel agency)
  telephone : 258 293 29047

  address : Praia Do Tofo, Caixa Postale 109, Inhambane, Mozambique

  email : contact@terra-profunda.com

  internet : www.terra-profunda.com
  rating : 4 / 4 stars

  comments :

  Founded and managed by Christophe, who also serves as the Honorary Consul of France in Mozambique, Terra Profonda is the leading travel organization agency in Mozambique, particularly in Tofo. The agency's small and efficient team handles transportation, diving, accommodation, and tours to southern Africa's top tourist attractions, including South Africa's Kruger Park. Terra Profonda also manages the Baia Sonâmbula hotel, providing excellent value for money and high-quality accommodations. It's a top choice for travelers seeking a well-rounded experience.

    
  

Diving Sites

• 

  Amazon

  rating : 3.5

  depth : 30 m

  visibility : 5-8 m
  description :
  
  It takes 45 minutes by boat to reach this site to the north, the furthest from Tofo beach. But it's worth it! The reef forms a horseshoe, inside which a sandy bottom lies at a depth of around 28 meters. Because of the geometry of the site, part of the dive can be done against the current. We observed a large turtle, more than half a dozen moray eels, schools of radiofish and triggerfish - the triggerfish hide in the asperities as soon as they see divers approaching. Several groupers, including two orange ones with blue spots. Lots of corals, especially those with the appearance of red trees. This was also the only dive where we saw a shark, in this case a leopard shark.
          
  
• 

  Galleria

  rating : 3.5

  depth : 30 m

  visibility : 3-10 m
  description :
  
  This site is close to Tofo beach, and can usually be reached in 10 minutes by boat. It's a prime site when the sea is rough... even if the journey then becomes longer and can be tedious! This was precisely the weather we had both times we dived the site, with poor visibility (3 metres visibility down to a depth of 15 metres, 8-10 metres below). The site itself is magnificent, with a wall between 27-34 meters and a plateau around 25 meters. Huge rays (2 mantas and 2 stingrays), as well as large schools of jacks in the blue. Finally, a dive where the corals are interesting, with tree-shaped green corals in particular. Large (potato grouper and four lobsters.
  
  
• 

  Manta Reef

  rating : 3.5

  depth : 25 m

  visibility : 5-10 m
  description :
  
  The renowned Tofo Beach site, often hailed as one of the most beautiful in Africa by local dive centers. It features an extensive coral plateau with a north-south orientation at a depth of 20 meters. This plateau hosts several cleaning stations that attract majestic manta rays, making it a prime destination for manta enthusiasts. To minimize any disruption to these graceful creatures, divers typically remain on either side of the plateau, exploring the sandy bottom between 20-25 meters. However, specific crossing points are marked for guided dives to ensure that mantas are not disturbed. The site boasts numerous faults, crevices, and intriguing relief. During our dive, we encountered a massive shoal of lutjans and black surgeonfish. The most captivating moment occurred at the beginning of the dive (north-west of the site), where we encountered two magnificent mantas. Additionally, we spotted moray eels, scorpionfish, leaf fish (expertly located by our divemaster), a grouper, and numerous scorpionfish towards the end of the dive.
            
  
• 

  Oasis

  rating : 3.5

  depth : 25 m

  visibility : 5-8 m
  description :
  
  Situated in close proximity to Tofo Beach, Amazon shares similarities in terms of location and quality. It features a lengthy plateau with multiple cleaning stations at around 20 meters depth. Our dive began with the thrilling sight of not just one, but two manta rays that displayed no shyness! However, once the mantas departed, the dive may become slightly monotonous. Nevertheless, we encountered a stingray in the sandy terrain and a couple of moray eels.
      
  
• 

  Arena

  rating : 3.0

  depth : 15 m

  visibility : 5 m
  description :
  
  A relatively small and straightforward dive site, characterized by an almost circular reef encompassing a sandy area at approximately 17 meters depth. This sheltered region hosts a wealth of fish, some forming schools, and others occupying cavities (including sergeant majors and snappers). During our dive, we were treated to the sight of three crocodilefish, an octopus, a sizable lobster, a moray eel, and a few boxfish and pufferfish. The presence of numerous nudibranchs and starfish added to the delight of this accessible dive.
            
  
• 

  Salon

  rating : 3.0

  depth : 15 m

  visibility : 5 m
  description :
  
  A shallow site with a rather monotonous topography, marked by extensive sandbanks. Stingray Alley is notable for hosting over 10 nudibranchs from three different species, making it one of the richest sites for these creatures in Tofo. Our dive also featured sightings of three crocodile fish, two leaf fish, one turtle, at least 10 stingrays, numerous pufferfish, and a few boxfish. An additional highlight was encountering the largest octopus we've ever seen underwater!
        
  
• 

  Crocodile Rock

  rating : 2.5

  depth : 15 m

  visibility : 8 m
  description :
  
  Primarily used for adaptation dives, this site offers shallow waters and is relatively less captivating. The relief is somewhat monotonous, featuring a combination of sand, rocks, and a few faults. Visibility may be disappointingly average. Nevertheless, we did encounter a few schools of fish and two guitar sharks (or guitar rays). An octopus nestled within a cavity, along with 3-4 rays and 3-4 lionfish, were among the noteworthy sightings. Despite the presence of five nudibranchs, the absence of visually striking corals (with the exception of a few anemones) renders this site less engaging if you do not spot larger marine creatures.
        
  
• 

  Kingfisher

  rating : 1.0

  depth : 30 m

  visibility : 3 m
  description :
  
  Named after the pelagic fish that frequent this area, Mioskon Island offers a reef rising from 40 meters to 23 meters. The site is known for hosting manta rays around cleaning stations. In addition to these gentle giants, divers can spot turtles and observe garden eels on the sandbanks. Unfortunately, on the day of our dive, strong currents were prevalent, even at a depth of 30 meters, and visibility was limited to a mere 3 meters!