Shark Bank
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.
Shark Bank is Mahé's big-fish dive: a granite rise far enough offshore that everything on it comes in extra size. Marbled rays the width of car hoods rest between the boulders, yellow snapper and big-eye trevally form permanent walls over the plateau, and barracuda hang up-current in the ranks. The name overpromises on sharks these days (whitetips and the odd passing whale shark in season, not reliable schools), but the site's mass of fish, granite architecture, and open-water character keep it at the top of the island's list. Current and the deep, referenceless descent make it an advanced trip.
The moment you come for: Huge marbled rays; permanent snapper and trevally walls over granite
Topography: Granite plateau and boulder field rising from deep sand well offshore of Mahé
Current: An offshore plateau with current on most tides; the crossing from Beau Vallon takes half an hour or more.
Know before you splash
Hazards: Current, open-ocean surface conditions, and a bottom that starts below 14 meters.
Conservation: Wild encounters only; operators run no feeding of any kind.
Nitrox: Worth it here: profiles sit in the range where enriched air meaningfully extends no-stop time (with the training to use it).
Who you'll meet
Giant Moray Eel
Great Barracuda
Marbled Ray
Spotted Eagle Ray
Whale Shark
Whitetip Reef Shark
Nudibranchs
"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)