Reunion Island Diving — France
Reunion's volcanic geology creates dramatic underwater topography — lava tubes, arches, and caverns that you won't find on coral islands. The west coast's lagoon-protected reefs are the primary dive area, with healthy marine life in a marine reserve. Being a French overseas territory means European-standard dive operations.
- Score
- 58.4 / 100
- Country
- France
- Region
- Indian Ocean
- Area
- Reunion
- Nearest airport
- Roland Garros (RUN)
- Visibility
- 9–30 m
- Water temperature
- 22–29 °C
- Max depth
- 40 m
- Current strength
- moderate
- Dive types
- wreck, pelagic
- Best months
- June, November
- Minimum certification
- Open Water
- Access type
- boat
- Average 2-tank dive cost
- $70 USD
- Budget tier
- mid range
- Key species
- sea turtle, moray eel, lionfish, grouper, octopus, nudibranch
- Google rating
- 0 (0 reviews)
- Top operators
- Corail Plongee, Bleu Marine Reunion
- Nearest hyperbaric chamber
- CHU de la Réunion Hyperbaric Unit, Saint-Denis (~5 km)
SCORE
-21.1151°N
55.5364°E
Reunion's volcanic geology creates dramatic underwater topography — lava tubes, arches, and caverns that you won't find on coral islands. The west coast's lagoon-protected reefs are the primary dive area, with healthy marine life in a marine reserve. Being a French overseas territory means European-standard dive operations.
France's Volcanic Underwater Lava Tubes
Score Breakdown
Marine Life
59.0Species diversity, megafauna encounters, reef fish abundance, macro life, and endemic species.
Click any score to see a detailed breakdown
Key Species
Dive Types
Traveling with Non-Divers?
Your non-diving travel companions will find plenty to enjoy topside while you're underwater. Here are some activities to consider.
Activities for Non-Divers
Nearby Cultural Sites
- Piton de la Fournaise observatory
- Kélonia sea turtle museum
- Stella Matutina sugar museum
Non-Diver Partner Score
Excellent for non-divers — they'll love it here.
Safety & Emergency
Dive Insurance
Dive insurance is essential. Standard travel insurance often excludes scuba diving. We recommend DAN (Divers Alert Network) for comprehensive dive accident coverage.
Learn More at DAN.orgFrench hospital system — excellent medical care; chamber on island; SAMU emergency response
Top Operators
Corail Plongee
PADI
Bleu Marine Reunion
PADI
What your dive shop won't tell you
The minimum certification printed on a brochure is the legal floor, not the honest recommendation. Here's what we actually think you should bring to this site.
Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.
What will challenge you
- →Moderate currents. Expect to drift — this is not a skill-builder site for a first trip after certification.
- →Recreational limit of 40 m is reachable here (max depth 40 m). Gas planning and NDL tracking matter.
- →Wreck penetration requires Wreck specialty training at minimum, and often decompression planning. Don't improvise inside.
What will surprise you
- →Thermoclines can drop water temp by 7°C between the surface and depth. Your wetsuit choice should match the minimum, not the average.
- →Short dive season — only 2 months worth going (June, November). Book well ahead or miss it.
Photography brief
Subjects are only half the shot. A perfect macro site is useless in a three-knot drift, and a wide-angle dream is useless at 35 m with a murky ceiling. These are the conditions, not the hype.
Recommended kit
- →Dedicated video light for dark wreck interiors; don't rely on strobes alone
What this site will teach you
The dives that made you a better diver are the ones that made you uncomfortable for the right reasons. Here's what this site will quietly train you for.
Wreck penetration fundamentals
advancedLine laying, gas planning for the way back, and silt-out response. Learn it on a site with clear-water wrecks before you try it in darker water.
Deep profile discipline
advancedMax depth 40 m puts you at the edge of recreational limits. You'll build NDL tracking instincts, gas reserve management, and safety-stop discipline you can't get on 18 m reef dives.
7-day trip, per person
Rough ranges anchored to existing regional data — not booking quotes. Land-based trip, standard breakdown.
Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats
- Flights (RT from US)
- $1,150–$1,450
- Accommodation / day
- $50–$100
- Diving / day
- $60–$70
- Food / day
- $40–$80
- Transfers + misc
- $50–$150
3-star hotels, standard boat ops, mix of restaurants
- Flights (RT from US)
- $1,700–$2,100
- Accommodation / day
- $120–$220
- Diving / day
- $70–$90
- Food / day
- $90–$160
- Transfers + misc
- $50–$150
Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators
- Flights (RT from US)
- $2,500–$3,100
- Accommodation / day
- $260–$500
- Diving / day
- $90–$120
- Food / day
- $180–$350
- Transfers + misc
- $50–$150
Flights priced round-trip from a major US hub. Figures are per person on a shared room. Solo travelers add ~30% to accommodation.
Build a trip around it
Most divers fly across the world for one destination and don't realise another worth-it site is 90 minutes away. Here are the honest pairings.
- Maldives78.8Maldives
Regional neighbour with a different dive type. Worth the extra flight if you want variety.
- Nosy Be65.9Madagascar
Regional neighbour with a different dive type. Worth the extra flight if you want variety.
- Andaman Islands65.8India
Regional neighbour with a different dive type. Worth the extra flight if you want variety.
- Mahe & Praslin64.2Seychelles
Regional neighbour with a different dive type. Worth the extra flight if you want variety.
- Tofo Beach59.7Mozambique
Regional neighbour with a different dive type. Worth the extra flight if you want variety.
- Aliwal Shoal57.9South Africa
Regional neighbour with a different dive type. Worth the extra flight if you want variety.
Best dive types here