Tofo
Mozambique · Indian Ocean
Tofo on Mozambique's southern coast is one of Africa's great big animal destinations — manta cleaning stations, year round whale sharks, humpback whales in season, and a relaxed beach town base. Conditions can be challenging.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Whale sharks and mantas drive trips. Coral cover has declined steadily since the late 2010s.
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
No unusual heat right now.
Fishing
Protected on paper, but boats are still busy nearby.
Sources · GCRMN reef surveys · NOAA Coral Reef Watch · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
Coral cover over time
Live coral cover, by survey year
Across surveys in 2014 and 2024, live coral cover here has fallen from 34% to 21%. Every point is a real survey reading, never a projection.
Live coral cover, percent by year
| Year | Coral cover |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 34% |
| 2024 | 21% |
What you will see
13 species across the dive sites here
Giraffe Seahorse
Seen 1 month ago
at Manta Reef
Indian Lionfish
Seen 1 month ago
at Manta Reef
Least concern
Laced Moray
Seen 1 month ago
at Manta Reef
Least concern
Honeycomb moray
Seen 1 month ago
at Giants Castle
Least concern
Whale shark
Seen 2 months ago
at Manta Reef
Endangered
Smalleye stingray
Seen 3 months ago
at Giants Castle
Reef manta ray
Seen 4 months ago
at Manta Reef
Vulnerable
Yellow-Blocked Nudibranch
Seen 6 months ago
at Manta Reef
Potato bass
Seen 10 months ago
at Manta Reef
Least concern
Zebra Shark
Seen 10 months ago
at Giants Castle
Endangered
Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse
Seen year round
at Manta Reef Tofo
Least concern
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Seen year round
at Manta Reef Tofo
Critically endangered
Bull shark
Rare sighting
at Manta Reef
Vulnerable
Dive sites
What divers say
Two mantas circling above me and a whale shark passing on the surface, all on the same dive. Tofo does that.
Good to know
Surf launches
Boats launch through surf. Hold on.