Inner Arch

Inner Arch is a submerged coral formation on Bazaruto Island's western lagoon side where a series of natural arches and swimthroughs are colonised by carpets of encrusting sponge, feather stars, and sea fans, creating an otherworldly passageway that channels tidal flow into concentrated feeding opportunities for resident fish. The shallow depth and protected position inside the lagoon make this the calmest and most accessible site in the archipelago, and the mix of hard coral gardens, sandy clearings, and limestone overhangs hosts an extraordinary density of macro life — ghost pipefish, ornate ghost pipefish, and an unusual array of nudibranchs that thrive on the sponge-covered rock. Turtle encounters inside the arch are near-guaranteed on morning dives when green turtles shelter from current under the widest overhangs.