Blue Ocean Dive Resort

Perched in Umkomaas on South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal coast, Blue Ocean Dive Resort is a PADI 5 Star IDC Resort built around one goal: exploring the wonders of Aliwal Shoal. A fully-equipped dive center and a seaview deck restaurant sit conveniently in the same place, so you can grab coffee and breakfast before the boat. Dives generally run in the mornings to catch the best sea conditions, and zodiacs carrying a maximum of eight divers make the roughly 15-minute run out to the shoal's finest sites, including Aliwal Shoal Reef and Cathedral.

Courses for every level

With 12 PADI Instructors, the center offers a broad slate of training. Newcomers can try the Resort Course PADI Discover Scuba Diving, while certified divers keep skills sharp with a PADI Scuba Refresher. There's the Aware Shark Conservation Diver, PADI Enriched Air Diver, Emergency First Response, Rescue Diver, and an Advanced Open Water Diver Course with Sharks.

Facilities include an onsite training pool, free Wi-Fi, a retail shop and a dive boat, with air fills, nitrox, mixed gas and scuba equipment rental on hand. English is spoken throughout, making it a natural fit for divers chasing Aliwal Shoal's underwater reputation.