Named after the island to its south, Mizab is an outstanding dive site on the northern barrier reef. It’s host to technicolour corals jostling for space and all kinds of species that flock to feed in the nutrient-rich current.
There are two dive options: either a sloping reef wall or a channel, 1km in width, with a flat sandy bottom.
With a reasonably strong current, the latter creates an exhilarating drift dive during high tide. You can simply jump from the boat and go with the flow, effortlessly floating for 2km. The second site traverses a sloping reef wall with fire corals, soft and hard coral formations, a sandy bottom, and a mild current when passing the mouth of the channel.
The yellow boxfish is a striking little fish, but be careful not to startle it or it might release a highly toxic substance. Unfortunately, this can be lethal to other fish or even the fish itself.
Thanks to the nutrient-rich current, Mizab is a hub of activity. The drifting plankton has resulted in exceptionally well-nourished soft and hard coral, including what seem to be entire forests of xenia and carnation corals in every colour of the rainbow, as well as sponges and anemones, all teeming with fish. The coral heads in the channel are also huge, healthy specimens that attract an astonishing diversity of fish, from bumphead parrotfish, batfish, threadfin butterfly fish, yellowbar angelfish and lionfish to smaller reef species that emerge from hiding to feast on the passing buffet.
Larger predatory fish, like jacks and trevallies, blackfin and yellowtail barracuda, also patrol the reef in search of prey. If you’re lucky, you might glimpse solitary loners like the Napoleon wrasse, green turtle, moray eel or whitetip reef shark.
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