When is the best time to dive Silhouette Island?

The best months to dive Silhouette Island are March, April, May, October, November, when conditions are most favorable.

What certification do I need to dive Silhouette Island?

Silhouette Island requires a minimum certification of Open Water. Currents are typically moderate and the maximum depth reaches 35 m.

How much does it cost to dive Silhouette Island?

A 2-tank dive at Silhouette Island averages around $140 USD. The destination is in our luxury tier.

What will I see diving Silhouette Island?

Silhouette Island is known for whale shark, hawksbill turtle, batfish, Napoleon wrasse, moray eel, with 12–28 m visibility and 25–30°C water temperatures.

Why does Silhouette Island score 64.3/100 on OkToDive?

Silhouette Island earns a 64.3/100 Score based on 12 weighted categories including marine life, coral health, visibility, operator quality, and value. Backed by 63 operator reviews.

Silhouette Island Diving — Score: 64.3/100 | Conditions, Operators & Guide

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World Class

Intermediate

Silhouette Island

SeychellesIndian Ocean

64.3

SCORE

-4.4800°N

55.2400°E

Silhouette Island's granite boulders create dramatic underwater topography unique to the Seychelles, with swim-throughs and overhangs draped in soft corals. The island is 93% national park, and its reefs show strong recovery from the 1998 bleaching event. Whale shark encounters peak during the inter-monsoon transitions.

Seychelles' Untouched Granite Diving

Visibility12–28 m

Temperature25–30°C

Max Depth35 m

Currentmoderate

2-Tank Dive$140

Best MonthsMarch, April, May, October

CertificationOpen WaterIntermediate

Score Breakdown

Click any score to see a detailed breakdown

Marine Life

72.0

Species diversity, megafauna encounters, reef fish abundance, macro life, and endemic species.

Species Diversity

Megafauna Encounters

Reef Fish Abundance

Macro Life

Endemic Species

Marine Life Diversity

72.0

Coral & Reef Health

68.0

Visibility & Conditions

65.0

Dive Site Variety

55.0

Water Temperature

88.0

Depth & Access

62.0

Operator Quality

72.0

Topside Experience

68.0

Getting There

40.0

Value & Cost

42.0

Crowding

90.0

Social Proof

50.0

Key Species

whale sharkhawksbill turtlebatfishNapoleon wrassemoray eel

Dive Types

reefwallgranite boulders

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

jungle hiking to Mont Daubangiant tortoise breeding centreAnse Mondon beachnature reserve walks

Nearby Cultural Sites

La Passe village
Dauban Plantation ruins

Non-Diver Partner Score

7/10

Good topside options for non-diving companions.

Family FriendlyYes

Restaurants & Nightlifebasic

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.org

Hyperbaric Chamber20 km — Victoria Hospital, Mahé

Nearest Hospital20 km

Boat to Mahé (45 min); chamber at Victoria Hospital

Skill LevelIntermediate

Current Strengthmoderate

Top Operators

Silhouette Cruises Diving

PADI

4.5

35 reviewsNITROX

Blue Sea Divers

SSI

4.4

28 reviews

Compare This Dive Site

Honest reality check

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.

Recommended logged dives

40+

Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.

Recommended certification

Advanced Open Water

“Accessible to most certified divers with basic open water skills.”

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 35 m). Gas planning and NDL tracking matter.
→Variable visibility
→Deep profiles

What will surprise you

→Thermoclines can drop water temp by 5°C between the surface and depth. Your wetsuit choice should match the minimum, not the average.
→Silhouette Island has more marine life variety than most divers expect
→Local operators know spots the guidebooks miss

Time of day

When to dive it

Every dive shop gives you this briefing at 7am. We just wrote it down. Tidal dependency: slight. Optimal window: First light to 11am for best visibility..

Morning

Viz
high
Current
moderate
Crowd
light

reef exploration
photography

Best light and calmest conditions before afternoon wind picks up.

Afternoon

Viz
moderate
Current
moderate
Crowd
moderate

drift diving
second tank

Wind chop can reduce viz. Still diveable but morning is better.

Month-by-month

Dive forecast

Realistic conditions by month. Viz ranges are what you should actually expect, not best-case marketing numbers. Confidence % is the share of days that match this profile historically.

Month	Viz (m)	Temp (°C)	Current	Sea	Rain	Confidence	Highlights
Jan	20–28	28	Mod	Calm	Light	70%	reef fish active, peak season crowds
Feb	20–28	28	Mod	Calm	Light	70%	reef fish active, peak season crowds
Mar	20–28	28	Mod	Calm	Light	70%	reef fish active, peak season crowds
Apr	20–28	28	Mod	Calm	Light	70%	reef fish active
May	20–28	28	Mod	Calm	Light	70%	reef fish active
Jun	12–20	29	Mod	Mod	Wet	70%	reef fish active
Jul	12–20	29	Mod	Mod	Wet	70%	reef fish active, manta season
Aug	12–20	29	Mod	Mod	Wet	70%	reef fish active, manta season
Sep	12–20	29	Mod	Mod	Wet	70%	reef fish active, manta season
Oct	12–20	29	Mod	Mod	Wet	70%	reef fish active
Nov	20–28	28	Mod	Calm	Light	70%	reef fish active
Dec	20–28	28	Mod	Calm	Light	70%	reef fish active

Shoot here

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.

Macro subjects64

Wide angle71

Viz stability58

Hover friendliness70

Natural light46

Recommended kit

→Wide-angle or fisheye (8-15mm range), dual strobes for close-focus wide angle

Level up here

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.

Deep diving comfort
advanced
Regular dives past 30m build confidence at depth.

What it costsEstimates — calibration pending

7-day trip, per person

Rough ranges anchored to existing regional data — not booking quotes. Land-based trip, standard breakdown.

Budget

$3,000–$4,400

Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats

Flights (RT from US): $1,150–$1,450
Accommodation / day: $100–$180
Diving / day: $120–$140
Food / day: $40–$80
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Mid-range

$4,900–$7,450

3-star hotels, standard boat ops, mix of restaurants

Flights (RT from US): $1,700–$2,100
Accommodation / day: $220–$400
Diving / day: $140–$180
Food / day: $90–$160
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Splurge

$8,550–$14,400

Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators

Flights (RT from US): $2,500–$3,100
Accommodation / day: $500–$1,000
Diving / day: $180–$240
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.

Pair with

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.

Best dive types here

Silhouette Island Diving — Seychelles

Score Breakdown

Marine Life

Key Species

Dive Types

Traveling with Non-Divers?

Activities for Non-Divers

Nearby Cultural Sites

Non-Diver Partner Score

Safety & Emergency

Dive Insurance

Top Operators

Silhouette Cruises Diving

Blue Sea Divers

What your dive shop won't tell you

When to dive it

Dive forecast

Photography brief

What this site will teach you

Deep diving comfort

7-day trip, per person

Build a trip around it