Mantamaria Dive Center

Set on Santa Maria Island — the most southeasterly island in Portugal's Azores archipelago, out in the Atlantic — Mantamaria Dive Centre is a PADI Resort built around a moderate, sunny climate and genuinely spectacular water. Visibility here can range from 20 to 40 metres, and the centre sits right on the waterfront with its own dive boat.

Courses and diving

A team of 5 PADI instructors covers the full learning path, from the PADI Scuba Diver and Open Water Diver courses through Advanced Open Water, plus ReActivate refreshers, Open Water referral programmes and Half-Day Dive Trips. That range makes it a strong fit for first-timers, returning divers shaking off the rust, and certified divers alike.

The island is known for the Submarine Mount of Baixa do Ambrósio, a global ex-libris sought out for its pelagic life, while the Formigas and Dollabarat reefs rank among the top diving destinations in Europe and beyond for their crystal-clear water. Staff speak English, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese.