Picturesque Santa Maria is the most south easterly island in the Azores where larger pelagic species are commonly encountered, most notably the devil rays at Baixa do Ambrósio where snorkellers are also welcome.
The ‘Sun Island’ of Santa Maria is warmer, flatter and drier than the others in the Azores archipelago. There’s something here for everyone, no matter what your certification level. The majority of the local dive sites are protected by the marine park and sea mounts rise from the deep to just below the surface, making sites accessible for both snorkellers and divers.
Explore the volcanic topography amongst a plethora of marine life from nudibranch to colourful wrasse, shoals of pelagic fish and crustaceans seeking shelter in the caves. Devil rays are annual visitors to Baixa do Ambrósio and more experienced divers can head out to the natural reserve of Formigas and Dollabarat, known as one of the best diving spots in Europe.
You will be met on arrival in Santa Maria and transferred to Hotel Colombo for a seven night stay.
Your pre-booked dive package begins today. It includes 10 local boat dives over the next five days.
Enjoy exploring the volcanic topography of the local dive sites around the island. Expect to encounter dusky grouper, colourful wrasse, sponges, black corals, nudibranch, crustaceans, schools of amberjack and other pelagics. The majority of dive sites are in a marine reserve where the marine life is plentiful.
Diving highlights from Santa Maria include the devil ray aggregation at Baixa do Ambrósio and the islets of in the nature reserve of Formigas and Dollabarat for more experienced divers. Trips to these sites are made regularly from Jun-Oct but are subject to weather conditions and minimum numbers. As such, they are booked locally for a supplement.
In the afternoon, transfer back to the airport for your flight to Lisbon where you will need to spend the night due to current flight schedules.
Please note: Snorkelling at Baixa do Ambrósio and diving at Formigas and Dollabarat are subject to weather conditions, minimum numbers and local supplements.
The 'Sun Island' is warmer, flatter and drier than the others in the archipelago. It offers local dive sites to suit all levels, as well as blue water diving with devil rays at Baixa do Ambrósio and plenty of pelagic encounters in the natural reserve of Formigas and Dollabarat. Find Out More about {acc:title}
Explore the waters around Santa Maria from this comfortable and well-located hotel, located in the town of Vila do Porto. With an excellent on-site dive centre, it is the ideal base for scuba divers. Find Out More about Hotel Colombo
