Five-Mile Reef
Sodwana Bay · South Africa
Less-visited reef north of Two-Mile with deeper bommies and more pelagic action. Big potato bass cruise the gullies; eagle rays and the occasional manta drift over the top. Longer boat ride keeps crowds down.
Conditions
Depth
14 to 27 m
Open water and up
Current
Can be moderate
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
15 to 25 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
21 to 28°C
Temperate wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 26 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| Vis (m) | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Current | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Potato bass
Last confirmed Apr 15, 2026 · 130 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Bluespotted Fantail Ray
Last confirmed Jun 15, 2026 · 15 records
Very likely
Most dives
Laced Moray
Last confirmed Jun 22, 2026 · 16 records
Very likely
Most dives
Redlip Parrotfish
Last confirmed Apr 3, 2026 · 20 records
Very likely
Most dives
Green turtle
Last confirmed Apr 8, 2026 · 14 records
Very likely
Most dives
Emperor Angelfish
Last confirmed Feb 4, 2026 · 13 records
Very likely
Most dives
Reef manta ray
Last confirmed Jun 25, 2026 · 10 records
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Eagle ray
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear