About the country
The Azores archipelago is a Portuguese province in the North Atlantic. Of volcanic origin, the islands are full of natural beauty. We based ourselves on São Miguel, the largest and most populated island of the archipelago. With more than 40 dive sites, mostly along the south coast, there’s plenty to explore. The sites are mostly arches, small caves and old lava flows, with beautiful marine life and rather good visibility. There’s also a lot to discover on the island itself, and it would be a shame to focus only on diving.
There are a few dive cruises offering offshore dives and dives around Santa Maria, departing from São Miguel. The visibility and the sites are remarkable. We had a lot of interactions with big groupers, mobula rays and schools of amberjacks. We saw hammerheads and dolphins from the boat, with the captain explaining that the Azores aren’t known for sharks, contrary to what you might think, except during smelling practices, which we don’t approve of.
The Azores remain, for us, the most beautiful dives we’ve done in the Atlantic.
the best of : Dori, Mirror, Formigas, Gruta Azul, Ambrosio
Our opinion
Difficulty
Visibility
Diversity
Atmosphere
Practical
In July 2024.
Excellent dive club, Best spot Azores runs small groups of 4-5 divers max depending on levels, on 2 rigid inflatable boats. Very well organized, the dive masters are really friendly and attentive to their divers, both at the club and underwater. There are two morning dives with a stop back at the marina in between for tea, coffee and biscuits, and a shallow dive in the afternoon. The dive sites are 10-20 min from Ponta Delgada. There’s almost nothing to carry. Nitrox is available for an extra fee, though everyone dives on air. The club also offers offshore dives, but you need a group of 8 people.
Water and Wind , based at the Vila Franca do Campo marina and affiliated with the Espirito Azul club, runs dive cruises. A large, very well fitted-out catamaran for 8 guests, everyone finds their spot and the cabins have big beds. The crew changes week after week. We were lucky enough to have Claudia as our dive instructor. Passionate about the sea, the crew is committed to making sure everyone has a great time. The itinerary isn’t fixed, and they won’t hesitate to take detours to look for bird flocks or pelagics. The good local dishes and desserts from Wouri, the chef, warm you right back up. We did three dives a day from the catamaran.
In July 2024.
There are various types of accommodation on São Miguel. We found rentals in Sao Roque, near Ponta Delgada, and in Vila Franca do Campo, at Maria’s, our favorite for the breathtaking view and her kindness. A car is essential, as there’s no convenient public transport.
In July 2024.
São Miguel is nicknamed the green island : you can dive, hike and surf there.
- Hiking, with our top picks : Serra Devassa PRC05, an easy and very varied hike near Sete Cidades, with the beautiful viewpoints over the Blue and Green lakes, along a road that’s very popular with tourists, and Janela do Inferno PRC37, on the Lagoa side, for the views and the aqueducts along the way.
- The Nordeste road and its beautiful miradouros are stunning, and less crowded too.
- No need to linger in Ponta Delgada, but plan a few hours to admire the center and the fine buildings, including the churches. The 3 museums are quite small and free on Sundays. There are also two lovely botanical gardens.