Scuba Diving in Saint-Leu: 2 options compared, 2026 prices

This is the go-to guided dive in Saint-Leu bay: €65 per dive with Excelsus, a long-established club at Saint-Leu harbour, listed on Manawa with flexible cancellation. The club is one of the island's best known for its access to deep sites (Level 2 and above) and its high-end Mares equipment. Rated 4.7/5 from 10 Manawa reviews, which regularly praise the quality of the supervision and the professionalism of the guides.

The club dives 9 major sites in Saint-Leu bay, from the easiest to the most committing: Passe de l'Ermitage (0-25m, a must, open to Level 1), Tour de Boucan (6-30m, turtles and eagle rays common), Boxy's Canyon (0-35m, Level 2+ for the deep canyon) and Jardin des Kiosques (0-35m, coral spurs and crevices). For Level 2/PE40 divers: Pointe au Sel (25-60m, the island's deep dive par excellence, a drop-off reaching 71m), the Antonio Lorenzo wreck (32-40m, an artificial reef) and l'Arche (0-45m, a 10m-wide arch in a jagged underwater landscape).

Who it's for: certified divers (Level 1/Open Water and above) who want to explore Saint-Leu bay specifically (unlike Saint-Gilles, which focuses on Cap La Houssaye and Pointe Saint-Paul); Level 2+ divers after deep sites (Pointe au Sel, Antonio Lorenzo: rare in mainland France, exceptional in Reunion Island); and travellers based on the south-west coast (Saint-Leu, Étang-Salé, Saint-Pierre) who don't want to drive up to Saint-Gilles. Who it's not for: non-certified divers (see my Try-Dive page) or divers who'd rather stay in the west coast beach resorts (see my Scuba Diving in Saint-Gilles page, Réunion Diving, €45/dive).

Manawa price: €65 per dive. It takes half a day, 3h30 in total (45-60 minutes underwater, standard for recreational diving, with the rest spent on the briefing, kitting up, the boat ride and the safety stop). Multi-dive packages are available directly from Excelsus (e.g. a discounted 5 or 10-dive card; ask when booking to plan your dives). The Excelsus centre is fully equipped: showers, changing rooms, toilets and a terrace overlooking the harbour. Flexible cancellation with Manawa.

This is the cheapest way to go diving in Saint-Leu: €45 per person on Funbooker. It takes half a day with a local club, on a guided dive for divers certified to Level 1 or above.

How it works: you check in at the club, show your certification card and dive log, get a briefing on the site and safety, kit up (tank, regulator, BCD, fins, mask), take the boat out to the site and descend to the drop-off or reef flat for a guided dive with an instructor or dive guide.

Who it's for: divers certified to Level 1 (or PADI Open Water) or above looking for a good price, travellers who want a taste of Saint-Leu's marine nature reserve, and occasional divers on a short stay. Who it's not for: non-certified divers (see my Try-Dive page) and divers who want premium supervision or a named operator (choose the Manawa listing with an identified club instead).

Funbooker price: €45 per person, with free cancellation. Included: full equipment, instructor supervision and the boat. Not included: personal diving insurance (recommended) and optional underwater photos.