Africa is not only the second largest continent, covering 11.7 million square miles, but also the second most populated. This part of the world has long been a favorite vacation destination for a variety of reasons. With a unique blend of tranquility and adventure, Africa is a diverse destination with something special to offer everyone who visits. Even climate is unique depending on the region being visited. For instance, this continent shares multiple climates to include tropical rainforests, humid subtropical, Mediterranean, Savanna, Steppe, Desert, Highland, and Marine.
With more than 50 countries to visit, there is never a problem of selection or diversity. Because of the vast options, vacationing in Africa provides a unique opportunity to experience different histories, cultures, languages, topographies, flora, fauna, wildlife, and marine life. Therefore, people would need to start with an idea of the experience wanted and then choose the destination accordingly. Typically, the most challenging aspect of visiting Africa is the decision-making process of where to go and what to see.
The beaches in Africa have been appreciated by Americans and Europeans for many years, and are known for being clean and beautiful. In fact, for anyone who enjoys surfing and sunbathing, the beaches in South Africa are considered the best. Then on the Indian Ocean side, Kenya is a popular destination for beaches as well, along with Zanzibar, Diani, Malindi, Mombasa, and Lamu. However, for someone who prefers off-the-beaten track destinations, a beach in Ghana called Kokrobite is simply stunning. In addition to the pristine beaches, Africa is also home to many beautiful lakes, ideal for swimming.
Of course, tourists are also drawn to Africa for its natural beauty. Throughout the world, this continent has a reputation for its breathtaking scenery, which has often been used as backdrops in movies. This beauty can be seen in Victoria Falls, located on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, the Namibia’s Fish River Canyon, known globally for its incredible hiking and backpacking trails, and the rainforests in the Virunga Mountains where the last known Mountain Gorillas live.
Africa also offers a wide range of accommodations to fit virtually any budget and preferred style. Visitors looking for quiet and unpopulated areas might consider some of the more tranquil beachside locations, choosing to stay in a hut or cottage near the water. On the other hand, for someone who wants to be pampered and treated as Royalty, many lavish four and five-star resorts proudly offer exemplary service throughout Africa.
For dining out, food is unique to the region. In North Africa, couscous is a main staple, with many dishes boasting a Moroccan flavor due to spices used. Then in East Africa, cuisine has definite Arab influences, consisting of fresh citrus, chili peppers, and pork while in Central Africa, most cuisine features peanuts, chili peppers, and cassava greens. Moving on to West Africa, visitors would expect to find dishes quite spicy, coupled with fresh seafood. In South Africa, cuisine is a mixture of many cultures and countries, thanks to spices and other ingredients introduced by European, Dutch, British, and Portuguese settlers.
Most people equate Africa to wild animal safaris and while this is certainly one of the many adventures to experience, this continent has bragging rights for being one of the world’s premier destinations for scuba diving safaris as well. Being surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Red Sea, Suez Canal, and Sinai Peninsula to the northeast, Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Indian Ocean to the southeast, dive opportunities are in abundance.
Africa boasts numerous destinations for diving to include Cape Verde, Egypt, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, and Tunisia. Because each region is unique, incredible diving opportunities exist for novice divers, as well as seasoned divers, many who return year after year. With an extremely long coastline, divers enjoy vast waters of varying conditions. Underwater exploration reveals an impressive variety of marine life and vibrantly colored coral growth and sponges.
While Africa offers an abundance of dive destinations, one in particular has the recognition as one of the 10 ten dive sites in the world. Aliwal Shoal is situated just over three miles off the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, and is actually a rocky reef developed by ancient sand dune remains. Named after the sinking of the Aliwal, the 3 Masted vessel captained by James Anderson in 1849, this area is also known for two additional wrecks consisting of the Nebo, which sank in 1884 and the Produce, a Norwegian bulk carrier that sank in 1974.
Although the main attraction for diving the Aliwal Shoal is the vast marine life, in August through November the migration of Gray Nurse Sharks, referred to as “raggies” or “ragged tooth sharks” by locals, is a bonus. Additionally, different species of sharks are seen throughout the year in different regions and at different times of year. For instance, the following are migration times that divers could enjoy while in Africa.
- April and May – Tiger Sharks
- June and July – Great White Sharks and the Sardine Run
- August and September – Sharks and Whales
- October and November – Hammerhead and Bull Sharks
- December and January – Bull Sharks
- February and March – Whale Sharks and Manta Rays
Moving from the warm, 75-degree water of the Red Sea down the coast toward Cape Town, temperatures becomes noticeably cooler, averaging 57 degrees on the Western Seaboard side and 62 degrees around False Bay. However, cooler waters provide the ideal environment for kelp forests and in this area divers can swim in the only place in the world where all three different kelp species grow side-by-side. The experience of diving through giant kelp and the vibrant coral beneath the canopy is like being in an enchanted underwater forest.
Typically, the better dive destinations are located along the east coast from Egypt to South Africa although for people who enjoy shipwreck diving, hundreds of sites are found in East Africa, West Africa, North Africa, and South Africa. As an example, in the eastern region, the HMS Pegasus was sunk at Zanzibar in 1914 and in the western region, Medusa, a French passenger ship sunk in 1816 near the Bank of Arguin. For the northern region of Africa, the Mahdia was sunk in 1907 in Tunisia, and finally, in the southern region the Joanna sunk near Cape Town in 1682, the first East Indiaman to be wrecked off the South African coastline.
Regardless of the time of year visited or the specific region, a trip to Africa is full of excitement and new experiences on land and in the water. For scuba divers, this continent offers an array of natural wonders, making it a must-see destination.