Chole Bay
Depth is the range from the top of the site to its usual maximum; "recommended cert" is the mainstream-agency level operators usually ask for, not a legal rule. Currents and visibility change daily, so treat everything here as planning ranges.
The sheltered water inside Chole Bay is where Mafia does its quiet, detailed work. Coral gardens rise from seagrass and sand in a patchwork that suits long, shallow dives: ribbontail rays and juvenile fish nurseries in the grass, dense hard-coral heads with anemonefish and sweepers, octopus and lionfish on the rubble edges, and nudibranchs enough to slow any photographer to a crawl. Because the bay is protected from the open swell, it dives in almost any weather (including the windy kusi months when the outer walls are off the menu), and it doubles as the park's training ground and night-dive venue.
The moment you come for: All-weather lagoon diving; seagrass-and-coral mosaic full of juveniles and macro
Topography: Lagoon mosaic of coral gardens, seagrass beds, and sand channels
Current: Sheltered inside the bay; tidal movement is gentle away from the passes.
Know before you splash
Hazards: Shallow coral heads on low spring tides.
Permits & rules: Marine-park daily fee applies.
Conservation: Seagrass is nursery habitat: fins well clear when crossing the shallows.
Who you'll meet
Nudibranchs
Clownfish & Anemonefish
Lionfish
Blue-Spotted Ribbontail Ray
Common Reef (Day) Octopus
Leaf Scorpionfish
Peacock Mantis Shrimp
Seahorses
Also recorded nearby
"Charted here" species were listed by our editors from the sources on this page. Counts are GBIF occurrence records: observations logged within about 5 km of the charted position since 1990, matched only against the species in our catalogue. They show what has been seen there, not a promise of what you will see.
For photographers
Wide angle: ★★★☆☆ · Macro: ★★★★☆ (editors' 1–5 rating of what this site gives each style of shooting)