Dive centre · Porto Novo · Cape Verde
4.635 Google reviewsGreen Turtle Diving Center
Explore the immense biodiversity of Santo Antão from an SSI centre equipped with a BAUER SECURUS compressor and a dedicated semi-rigid boat.
What sets this centre apart
- SSI affiliated centre established in 2014
- BAUER compressor with SECURUS air quality system
- Based at the 4-star Santoantao Art Resort
- Full equipment hire available on-site
- Night diving programmes available
- Opportunities to see manta rays and whale sharks
- Wide range of SSI courses from OWD to Instructor
- Access to diverse sites including wrecks, caves, and walls
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Green Turtle Diving Center about the centre
Green Turtle Diving Center, established in 2014, is located in Porto Novo on the island of Santo Antão, Cape Verde. Operating as an SSI affiliated centre, it serves as a gateway to some of the most diverse marine environments in the archipelago.
The centre is based at the Santoantao Art Resort, which is accessible via ferry from the island of São Vicente. This location provides a central base for divers looking to explore the volcanic coastline and the deep drop-offs that define the local waters.
The club and its team
The centre is run by a team of qualified SSI professionals who manage everything from beginner introductions to advanced instructor training. They focus on maintaining a safe and attentive atmosphere for all divers, regardless of their experience level.
Instruction is available in English, French, and Portuguese, ensuring clear communication for international divers. The team is experienced in guiding divers through a range of conditions, from calm reef explorations to more challenging advanced dives.
The centre at a glance
- Affiliation
- SSI
- Certification level
- Instructor Training Center
- Operating since
- 2014
- Website available in
- English · French · Portuguese
- Boats
- 1 · semi-rigide
- Equipment rental
- complet
- Night diving
- Yes
- Access and transfers
- The centre is located at Santoantao Art Resort, 1310 Porto Novo, Cape Verde. Porto Novo can be reached by ferry from the island of São Vicente.
- Accommodation
- The diving centre is based at Santoantao Art Resort, a modern 4-star hotel with 55 standard rooms, 15 superior rooms and 3 suites, all equipped with a bathroom, hairdryer, air conditioning, satellite TV, minibar and balcony. Most have a sea view. Other accommodation options are available nearby: Cap-Azul (rooms with an outdoor swimming pool, free WiFi and private parking), VANNIMAR Lounge Apartments (T1 and T2 apartments with a fitted kitchen, living room, bathroom and balcony with sea view), Quinta Cochete (rural tourist resort with a swimming pool, vegetable production and grogue), and Pedracin Village (rural tourist resort with basalt cottages, 30 double rooms and 2 suites).
- Phone
- +238 979 55 60
- Address
- Santo Antao Art Resort Porto Novo Santo Antão CV, 1310, Cape Verde
- Official website
- greenturtledivingcenter.com ↗
Courses on offer
The centre offers the full spectrum of SSI certifications. This includes the Open Water Diver course for those starting their journey, as well as Advanced courses such as Advanced Mixed Gas CCR.
For those looking to progress professionally, the centre provides pathways through to Master Scuba Diver and Instructor levels.
The boats
The centre operates a semi-rigid boat for its dive excursions. This vessel is used to reach various sites around the Porto Novo area, including offshore reefs and the more distant points of the channel.
Equipment and gases
For shore-based operations, the centre utilises a BAUER compressor equipped with a SECURUS system, ensuring high air quality for every cylinder. Full equipment hire is available on-site for those not travelling with their own kit.
The facility is designed to support both day trips and night dives, which are a regular part of the local diving programme.
Dive sites with Green Turtle Diving Center
Wish you Were Here is an iconic reef and wall site with depths between 6 and 12 metres. The reef forms a labyrinthine structure perpendicular to the shore, offering large schools of fish in low-current conditions.
Hanging Garden is a significant wall dive reaching depths of 30 metres. The descent begins on a rocky and sandy bottom before following the edge of the drop-off, where you can find gorgonians, black coral, and frequent sightings of turtles.
Pared Bitxon is an advanced site featuring a sandy descent leading to a 33-metre drop-off. Divers can swim along the wall to observe life in the blue before finishing the dive with a safety stop on the sandy bottom.
Vapor is a shallow wreck dive consisting of an old industrial steamship. The wreckage has spread over approximately 80 metres, creating a complex habitat for marine life, though the site can be sensitive to wind and swell.
And some of the dive sites the centre runs.
Marine life around Porto Novo
The pelagic life in these waters is a major draw, with opportunities to encounter manta rays, whale sharks, nurse sharks, wahoos, and various species of tuna. You may also see common dolphins, amberjack, snapper, grouper, and moray eels patrolling the reefs.
The reef habitats are rich with larger species including threshers, mackerel, and mullet. In the deeper sections, such as the walls and drop-offs, the scenery is defined by gorgonians and black coral.
For macro enthusiasts, the 'Find Wally' site offers dedicated muck diving to locate frogfish. Other sites like 'Critters Walk' are ideal for those looking for small, rare creatures tucked into the reef structure.
Diving conditions
Diving is best experienced between February and December. The local topography offers a variety of environments, from shallow, calm reef flats to deep walls and drop-offs.
Some sites, such as Ponta Tubarão, can experience moderate currents, particularly during certain lunar cycles, which often brings an abundance of marine life. The wreck at Vapor is notably sensitive to wind and swell, which can affect accessibility.
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