Aqua Africa

Aqua Africa is a PADI Dive Resort sitting right on the shore of Lake Malawi, in Nkhata Bay — a place long legendary among travellers to Africa for its crystal clear warm water and laid-back atmosphere. Below the surface, Malawi's Rift Valley scenery repeats itself as dramatic rock formations, caverns and cliffs, and the lake teems with tropical fish, including hundreds of species found nowhere else on earth.

Courses and diving

Both PADI and NAUI courses run here, from beginner through to professional, and no previous experience is required. Newcomers can pick a half-day Discover Scuba Diving experience or the full four-day Open Water course, while certified divers have refresher and advanced courses plus a variety of speciality dives to choose from. There's an onsite training pool, air fills, and English is spoken.

Some of the lake's best diving is right on the doorstep, including the site featured in David Attenborough's BBC series Planet Earth — at its best on a night dive, alongside hunting dolphin fish. For many, this is a first freshwater dive, and a first dive at altitude.