BLUE OCEAN DIVE RESORT I 4 NIGHTS + 6 DIVES I UMKOMAAS I SOUTH AFRICA

THE DIVE RESORT

Blue Ocean Dive Resort is the leading dive operator at Aliwal Shoal, you are assured of the best service. Located on beautiful grounds with magnificent views of the Indian Ocean and the Umkomaas golf course, we are the only operator to have a Lodge, an ocean-view restaurant and bar, and a dive center, all conveniently located in the same facility. Built in 1934, this grand old hotel is a colonial-style icon of Umkomaas and the southern coast of Kwazulu-Natal.

As always, we focus on comfort, convenience and value to make your getaway as pleasant as possible. From the moment we pick you up at the airport until we drop you off again, we want this to be your happy place. A home away from home where you can escape the city, let your hair down and maybe jump on a few dives. We are a family of divers ready to surprise you! You'll have a lot of fun when we have our braai (barbecue) afternoons sitting around the campfire having a relaxing drink, showing some awesome pictures and chatting about that day's diving. We had a lot of fun going down to the local fish restaurant on the beach for our Shrimp/Seafood Dinner. We love what we do, we have as much fun as you do, so you'll have a great time.

Due to the amount of accommodation we have available, we do NOT charge a single supplement. This means that you are NOT penalized for traveling alone! Our facilities allow us to accommodate large groups of up to 24 people (we have 3 boats, 8 per boat, but we can rent a room if necessary for groups of 32 people) and our Dive Lodge can accommodate up to 54 people.

ACCOMMODATION IN THE NATIONAL PARK

The safari included in the package includes: 2 nights accommodation in a shared apartment in St. Lucia Lake, accommodation only, transfers, safari on the Umfolizi reserve with breakfast and lunch on the same day.

THE DIVE

Our dives and dive packages are customizable to your time and adapt to your diving addiction!

Whether it's a weekend getaway to escape the rat race or a long vacation to explore the wonders of Aliwal Shoal, you can be sure that the 5-star Blue Ocean Dive Resort will not disappoint you. We are a family of divers ready to surprise you! We are the only operator with a Lodge, an ocean view restaurant, a bar and a dive center, all conveniently located in the same facility and we pride ourselves in being able to make all of our guests feel at home and relax and, of course, have an unforgettable diving experience.

Dives are generally done in the mornings to take advantage of the best sea conditions. Coffee and breakfast are served in our restaurant. We use rubber ducks (zodiacs/ribs) with a maximum of 8 divers, a dive master and a boat skipper to access the Aliwal Shoal dive sites. The exit to the sea is about 7 km from the mouth of the river Mkomazi, which takes between 10 and 15 minutes. Aliwal Shoal forms the crown of a Marine Protected Area, which means that no form of fishing is allowed at the dive sites. Divers are not allowed to touch the reef, any of the animals or remove anything other than shark teeth from the sand.

Reef / Wreck Diving

Aliwal Shoal is on the list of Jacques Cousteau's top 10 dive sites to dive in the world. The beauty of Aliwal Shoal is that it caters to all skill levels. The reefs are alive with a diversity of marine life that you would travel to multiple destinations around the world to see. Being a Marine Protected Area makes life flourish absolutely. Our Wrecks, The MV Produce and SS Nebo are suitable for advanced qualified divers because their depths are less than 18 meters.

 Shark Diving bait  no cage

Highly misunderstood, misrepresented, and falsely accused, these apex predators offer you the mind-boggling, unmissable experience of a lifetime. The bait dive takes place in the crown area of Aliwal Shoal and attracts up to 40 black-tip pelagic sharks all year round. A summer guest appearance of the always shy and elusive tiger shark causes visitors to flow into Aliwal. Face your fear, come dive with shark bait and you will be speechless and afraid. There are no words to describe the euphoria of a dive with these magnificent creatures from the shores of Umkomaas.

Shark snorkel bait  

A revealing experience of being on the surface in the presence of these incredible pelagic creatures. Our snorkeling experiences with sharks are a sure way to dispel the "jaw syndrome" and myths surrounding our misunderstood species.

• 11:00h (local time). Arrival in Johannesburg, at destination we have to pick up the suitcases to identify them and check them into the following airline (this has to be done due to the local laws of entry into the country).
• 15:40h Flight to DURBAN where we will arrive on the
• 16:50h approx. Once in Durban we will have a rental car of 8 seats, driven by Diego Sanchez, with which we will go directly to Umkomaas, place where is the diving center, Blue Ocean.

• 20 spacious newly-renovated rooms – twin rooms, family rooms, double rooms and single rooms – all en-suite
• onsite restaurant and bar

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Amenities

• one-stop shop for dive enthusiasts including gear retail and rental
• pet-friendly establishment (prior to arrangement)
• we can arrange a number of land-based activities for you including safari, horse-back riding and nature walks
• Car rental through our partner company First Car Rental
• buffet breakfast on weekends
• renowned wood fire pizza every day
• 24/7 security and onsite parking
• complimentary Wi-Fi
• sun deck
• swimming pool

WHAT IS INCLUDED AND NOT INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE

• 4 nights accommodation in double room or single breakfast included
• 6 dives
• Diving equipment not included extra charge per day 25€.
• NITROX extra charge for immersion of 5€.
• Courses and PADI certification fee NITROX course, NOT included. (120€)
• PADI certification fee shark course, INCLUDED.
• Extra charge of 5€ per dive for 15 litre bottles.
• Dive with bait extra charge 45€ (in the package includes a dive
• with bait)
• Safari in St. Lucia Lake, 329 
• Transfers airport 56 Euro
• There will be no refunds for unrealized dives.

Cancelation policy

• Once the total payment has been made, no refunds will be accepted.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

• Climate: water temperature between 19 and 23 degrees and visibility 20m. approx.
• Outdoor temperature between 22 and 28 degrees approx.
• Documentation: passport (6 months validity), diving certificate, diving insurance and book of dives.
• Cash: No need to carry cash, there the currency is the RAND (15 Rand / 1
• euro) can be easily withdrawn from ATMs and paid for with a card at the hotel and/or establishments.
• Clothes and neoprenos: Summer clothes and maybe some jersey for the night, neopreno of 5mm will be enough.
• The dives are made from boat, with skipper, guide, bottle and lead provided by the local diving center.
• Plugs: 220v with three-point circular adapter, there also have adapters, but carry some just in case.
• The bottles are made of 12 litre steel, with DIN system, if someone has an international adapter.
• Payment of the reservation required to confirm the place. 50%
• Payment for the remainder of the trip must be made to the account provided 30 days prior to the departure date.
• The price of the package is 1.290€ + flights (the flights will be bought by each diver being the responsibility of the diver the choice of his own flight).