Cabo Diving Center

Located in Santa Maria on Sal Island, Cabo Verde Diving Center operates within one of the most geologically diverse marine environments in the Atlantic. The archipelago is defined by its volcanic origins, creating a seabed of rugged rock formations, natural arches, and intricate cave systems.

As the largest dive centre in the area, they manage multiple locations across Santa Maria, including sites near the Melia Tortuga and the Cabo Verde Diving Aquarium. This allows them to coordinate diverse itineraries that range from shallow reef explorations to more demanding offshore dives.

The centre holds both PADI and SSI 5-star affiliations, ensuring a high standard of training and safety across their entire range of services. They maintain a focus on continuous staff training and strict safety protocols to manage the varied conditions of the Atlantic.

To ensure a personal experience, they prioritise small group sizes. This approach allows for more individual attention during technical dives or when navigating complex sites like the local caves and swim-throughs.

The training programme covers the full spectrum of scuba certification through both PADI and SSI. Beginners can start with the SCUBA Diver course or move through to Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water Diver.

For those looking to progress their skills, they offer specialty courses including PADI Deep Diver, Wreck Diver, and Peak Performance Buoyancy. Professional divers can also undertake the Divemaster course, while the Emergency First Response (EFR) programme is available for all divers.

The centre provides a full range of rental kit for those not travelling with their own equipment. This includes wetsuits, regulators, BCDs, dive computers, and fins.

Cylinders and weights are included in the diving service. For those looking to extend their diving time or explore specific sites, they also offer specialized equipment hire for night dives.

The volcanic reefs and sandy channels are home to a wide variety of marine life. You will regularly encounter large schools of fish, including jacks and barracuda, alongside rays (Batoidea) and various tropical fish. Nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) and moray eels (Muraenidae) are frequently seen patrolling the rocky structures.

In the shallower areas and sandy banks, turtles and stingrays are common residents. During the months from June to December, turtles are frequently spotted near the Dunas and Champignon walls.

For macro enthusiasts, the area offers plenty of interest. Look out for endemic Nudibranch (Chromodoris willani), octopus, and various crustaceans such as lobster. Frogfish are also present seasonally.

Larger pelagics can be seen depending on the time of year, with Humpback whales appearing between March and May.

Diving in Sal is influenced by warm Atlantic currents. The underwater topography varies from shallow reef flats to vertical walls and deep sandy banks, which can affect local flow.

Planning your trip around the seasons can enhance your sightings, particularly for nesting loggerhead turtles between July and October.