Did you know St Helena has a Category VI Marine Protected Area (MPA)?

Having a Category VI MPA means that the water surrounding St Helena is carefully managed to protect marine ecosystems. Our MPA covers 448,411 square kilometers of ocean, which is about the same size as France. Our waters are home to over 800 marine species. This includes at least 18 species that are not found nowhere else in the world.

St Helena’s waters
St Helena is a bucket-list destination for divers, snorkelers, and anyone who loves the ocean. St Helena’s seascape is freely accessible year-round making it ideal for many water activities. Annual sea temperatures range from 19 to 25°C (66°F to 77°F), and visibility ranges from 25 m to 40 m (82 ft to 131ft). Visibility and temperatures peak from December to May.
Year-round, it is possible to sight Chilean devil rays; pantropical, bottlenose, and rough-toothed dolphins; turtles; and seabirds. Humpback whales visit generally from June to December and whale sharks generally from January to April. Within our waters, only one-by-one, sustainable fishing is allowed. Casting off from the rocks and deep-water fishing are both enjoyed leisurely.

Diving on St Helena
Our waters are home to world-class dive sites with varying depths from 5m to 30m+ (16 to 130 ft). St Helena has dives suitable for every level, from affordable SCUBA courses for beginners to advanced dives. Dive site habitats vary from rocky reefs and areas of boulders to cobbles and sand, as well as eight historical shipwrecks, abundant with marine life.

Marine tour operators
All of our marine tour operators are licensed under the St Helena Marine Environment Accreditation Scheme. This gives you a great option to explore our oceans responsibly environmentally friendly operators. Some excursions include sunset cruises, around-the-island tours, dive trips and marine wildlife tours including whale shark tours when in season.

Book your adventure with St Helena’s accredited marine tour operators:

• Wicked Wahoo
• Enchanted Isle Limited
• Dive Saint Helena

Book your flight and explore our Marine Protected Area, responsibly.