Your dive First experience Sao Miguel

Willing to discover the seabed for the first time? Here is the try dive you need, in the azure waters of the Azores! This is the perfect introduction to scuba diving, which will delight children and adults from 10 years old.

You are expected at the dive center at 8 am or 2 pm for your dive. Your instructor will first explain the safety rules and how to use the equipment. Once the briefing is complete, you will be ready to go off to a pre-defined spot (depending on the weather conditions and your wishes), equipped and accompanied by the instructor. During your 30 minutes dive, let yourself be surprised by the magical underwater beauty of the Azores, in full safety conditions thanks to the continuous presence of your supervisor. You will discover the seabed up to 12 meters, before going back to the surface and debrief on your experience. You will be back at noon or five o'clock.

Ponta da Cozinha

Facing Vila Franca do Campo is a small protected island of the same name, which is full of diving spots for all levels, including Ponta da Cozinha. Ponta da Cozinha is located on the east side of the islet, and goes from 12 to 18 meters deep with magnificent walls and rock formations. The area is full of fish: azores chromis, peacock wrasses, black-tailed perchs, parrot fishes, octopusses and even some rays hidden in the sand!

Tufo

Tufo is on the south coast of São Miguel Island. After getting to the top of the wall which is located at only 4 meters deep, you can dive through numerous passages in the canyons which form authentic walls with so many hidden species in the cracks of the rocks. You can also see moray eels, octopuses, blacktail combers, ornate wrasses, parrotfishes and Guinean puffers.

Azores anchors

The dive takes places in a small reef about 40 m long, situated just next to the Vila Franca Marina. Impressive archaeological remains like old anchors lies in the seabed, proof of the rich history of the island. The oldest anchor is more than 300 years old ! Apart from that particularity, the site has a rich wildlife with morays, stingrays and small mullets. The site goes up to 22 meters deep.

West Farilhão

Facing Vila Franca do Campo is a small protected island of the same name, which is full of diving spots for all levels, including Ponta da Cozinha. At the west of the islet, West Farilhão will welcome you for a dive between 8 and 22 meters deep in the rocky edges. The wildlife is as rich as the other spots of the islands with salema porgies, azores chromis, wrasses, yellowmouth barracudas, bluefishes, and even some hakes and stingrays! As for the flora, the rocky edges is scattered with nudibranchs.

Baixa do Pisão

Baixa do Pisão is located on the south coast of the island of São Miguel, just a few meters from the shore. This site goes up to 18 meters deep. Between 6 and 9 meters deep, explore the canyons where moray eels, nudibranchs, octopus, seahorses and many other species nestle. Follow the wall that hide black coral and white trevally flounders. Some rays even pass in this place!

Baixa das Castanhetas

Baixa das Castanhetas, located at 15 minutes from Vila Franca do Campo by boat, is very interesting with its maze of caves and canyons. In the first cave of 12 meters deep, you will be welcomed by a large school of white trevallies, before entering the tunnel where cardinal fishes are hiding in nudibranches. You can also meet various species like groupers, pelagic fishes and sometimes devil rays.

Baixa do Frade

At only 20 metres from the coast is awaiting this is excellent diving site. The reef is home to many colourful typical azorean fishes and blennies which lives in bedrock fractures. But most of all, you can see amazing black corals lying all over the rock. Other species live in that area such as stingrays, groupers, white trevalies and almaco jacks. Two caves are to explore to meet these species !