La Cheminée

Divesite Image
© Corail Plongee, 97434 Saint-Gilles les Bains

La Cheminée

★★★★☆ (447)

Fifteen metres below the surface, a natural chimney of basalt rock filled with lobsters and other soldier fish leads you eight metres down under an arch from where you can explore a small network of faults on one side or emerge from the gloom to wander between white sand and rock tongue on the other.

On this dive, with its mountainous terrain, you’ll discover parrot fish, magnificent gorgonians, not forgetting the tuna and barracuda that often visit.

Dive Activity

Courses and Events

Deep Diving

The SSI Deep Diving Specialty will teach you everything you need to dive to depths between 18 and 40 meters, through a mix of theory sessions and open water dives. You'll learn how to safely plan and execute your deep diving adventures, and how to use computers and gas consumption calculations to get the most out of your deep dives. On completion of this course, you'll receive your Deep Diving SSI Specialty certification and be able to explore beautiful deep dive sites wherever you choose. This SSI Specialty is also a prerequisite for certain additional training courses, making it the next logical step in your diver training.

April 28, 2026 +246 More
$368.77
€315.00

Navigation

In this specialty program, you'll develop the advanced skills and knowledge you need to navigate safely and confidently underwater. You'll learn how to use a compass and natural navigation techniques, estimate distance, leave and return to a designated point, as well as basic navigation patterns. You'll also learn how to combine navigation techniques to enhance your diving experience. All this sharpens your underwater observation skills, improves your diving safety and helps you get the most out of every dive. On completion of this course, you'll be awarded the SSI Navigation specialty certification.
On Request

Deep Diving & Enriched Air Nitrox (32%)

As a Nitrox diver, you can increase your dive times and safety margins, and shorten your surface intervals - so you can spend more time diving and less time waiting! In this program, you'll learn new skills and increase your diving knowledge while learning to plan and dive safely with enriched air mixtures containing up to 40% oxygen. On completion of this program, you will be awarded SSI Enriched Air Nitrox 32% or 40% certification.

April 28, 2026 +246 More
$439.01
€375.00

Potential Wildlife Sightings

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography

Green Turtle
38 Sightings
J
3
F
4
M
4
A
0
M
5
J
0
J
2
A
2
S
5
O
5
N
6
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 200

Alamy-WaterFrame

Moray Eel
34 Sightings
J
3
F
4
M
9
A
0
M
3
J
0
J
0
A
2
S
5
O
5
N
3
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 28

Udo Kefrig

Clownfish
17 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
6
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
3
A
2
S
3
O
3
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 40

iStock-wrangel

Triggerfish
16 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
6
A
0
M
4
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 8

Alamy-Reinhard Dirscherl

Bannerfish
16 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
5
A
2
M
3
J
0
J
2
A
2
S
0
O
2
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 90

Shutterstock-Rich Carey

Angelfish
14 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
3
A
2
M
3
J
0
J
2
A
2
S
0
O
2
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 250

Shutterstock-Henry_and_Laura_Whittaker

Grouper/Basslets
13 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
3
A
0
M
4
J
0
J
0
A
2
S
2
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 85

iStock-mirecca

Surgeonfish
11 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
4
A
0
M
3
J
0
J
2
A
2
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 100

iStock-burnsboxco

Parrotfish
10 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
4
A
0
M
4
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 130

Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek

Butterfly Fish
9 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
3
J
0
J
2
A
2
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0
Show More

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Soldierfish
7 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
3
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
2
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 40

iStock-Hoatzinexp

Jackfish
6 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
3
A
0
M
3
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3

Shutterstock_Leo Lorenzo

Trumpetfish
6 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
6
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 12

iStock/cinoby

Lionfish
5 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
3
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 350

Alamy-Andre Seal

Damselfish
5 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
3
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 250

iStock-Miguel-Angelo-Silva.

Scorpionfish
4 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
2
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 130

AdobeStock-JirinaVFR

Pufferfish
4 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 25

AdobeStock_Vladimir Wrangel

Boxfish
4 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 150

Shutterstock-aquapix

Sweetlips and Grunts
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
3
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3

Shutterstock-Miroslav Halama

Cornetfish
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
3
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 110

iStock-Rainer von Brandis

Snapper
2 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3000

SSI-Peter-Schinck

Nudibranch
2 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

Dive Centers Catering This Dive Site

Corail Plongee

Port de Plaisance, 97434 Saint-Gilles les Bains, Reunion

LE DODO PALMÉ

20 rue Berthier, 97420 LE PORT, Reunion

O Sea Bleu, SARL Subarent

local 19 - Enceinte portuaire, 97434 Saint-Gilles les Bains, Reunion

Dive Sites Nearby

PLONGÉE SALÉE, 97427 ETANG-SALÉ

Petit Tombant (★4.6)

Coral plateau and drop off close to the coast, less than 5 minutes by boat behind the barrier reef. Dive for beginners, training courses up to Divemaster level. Maximum depth 18 metres.
PLONGÉE SALÉE, 97427 ETANG-SALÉ

Ali Baba (★4.4)

Come and discover this beautiful arch in 35m of water. Be curious and look up under the arch to observe the lobsters. At the entrance to the arch, you can admire the magnificent gorgonian sea fan and its falcon fish.
PLONGÉE SALÉE, 97427 ETANG-SALÉ

Les Grottes du Portail (★4.5)

20 - 30m - This is a surprising and incredible maze of tunnels and caverns created by the ocean’s relentless assault on the lava over thousands of years.
PLONGÉE SALÉE, 97427 ETANG-SALÉ

L'Arche de Noël (★4.4)

0-45m - An outcropping arch 20m below the surface and resting on the bottom by 42m. The beauty and interest of this spot lies in its relief of peaks and plateaux. As you continue out to sea, do a bit of caving in the small tunnel that can be seen when you come up slightly.
PLONGÉE SALÉE, 97427 ETANG-SALÉ

Grotte aux Dentelles (★4.2)

A perfect dive site for practising buoyancy skills with numerous drop offs, arches and caves. A dive on a plateau where you can discover the coral fauna of the Indian Ocean!
PLONGÉE SALÉE, 97427 ETANG-SALÉ

Sec Jaune (★4.6)

The sec jaune is one of the dives where you have to be curious, especially on the plateau when the swell allows it, as the mimicry of the fish is incredible. We also make the most of the various arches of varying sizes.
PLONGÉE SALÉE, 97427 ETANG-SALÉ

La Pointe au Sel (★4.4)

This is said to be THE dive of Réunion Island. Open water diving, often with a strong current. The drop-off starts at around 25 m and ends at over 60 m.
Mares

Tombant des Grottes (★4.6)

You’ll be diving on a drop-off ranging from 20 metres to 50 metres, with a plateau that is extremely rich in flora and fauna. Alcyonarias highlight the rocks.
Aqualung

Bossy’s Canyon (★4.5)

You descend to a small drop-off down to 20m , which takes you northwards to several isolated coral heads. Heading out to the open sea, experienced divers will find the edge of another drop-off at 25m, descending to 60m
Mares

Nez du Pharaon (★4.6)

0-65m - A rocky plateau over 27 metres overlooking a drop-off plunging to 65 metres. On the edge of the drop-off, you’ll come across schools of of bannerfish that populate this coral reef.
Scubapro

Banc Doré (★4.6)

A sandbank running alongside a beautiful coral reef, at between 6 and 12m, gives the site its name. Towards the south you will find a series of coral cracks.
Scubapro

Le jardin des kiosques (★4.6)

0 - 35m - Facing Saint-Leu in the west of La Reunion, to the south of the Kiosques site, you will discover an alternation between coral and sand (ravines).
Mares

Deux Arches (★4.4)

0-25m - As soon as you make your first dive, you’ll be able to slip through the coral reef as far as a 5-metre-deep arch, the remains of a lava flow. Others will continue to the second arch at a depth of 9m...
Mares, Janez Kranjc

Le Bowl (★3.7)

5 to 20 meters - Located just off the port of Saint-Leu, this coral-rich site is suitable for all levels of diver, from beginner to advanced. Damselfish, butterfly fish, hawksbill turtle, trumpet and flute fish, clams,...
Mares

Sec à Zitte (★4.5)

15 - 32 meters - A corail head on a sandy bottom ranging from 32mto 15m, where you will find many clown fish in their anemones as well as an anchor on 32m.
PLONGÉE SALÉE, 97427 ETANG-SALÉ

Antonio Lorenzo (★4.6)

The Antonio Lorenzo was arrested for illegal fishing in the TAAF seas in 1998 and brought back to Réunion. As the vessel threatened to sink in the Port of Pointe des Galets, the regional diving committee asked the government to sink it in an area accessible to divers.
Scubapro, Stephen Frink

Passe de 3 Bassins (★4.4)

6 - 30 meters - On this site, you descend along the reef to the sand on which are scattered several coral heads sheltering a multitude of different species.
Aqualung

Piège à Requins (★4.0)

Off the Ermitage pass. After a descent of some forty meters into the blue, a moving mass a few meters high appears against the light on a flat, rocky bottom. This is the legacy of a fisherman who had installed a mini fish concentration device to hold his baits.
O Sea Bleu, 97434 Saint-Gilles les Bains

Passe de l’Ermitage (★4.4)

Formed by a gully that “hollowed out“ the coral reef, the pass is a place of exchange, rich in plankton and nutrients. Although visibility is sometimes uncertain, apart from the scenery, the food chain is in full swing, making this an unmissable dive! Particularly for these turtles and rays
Mares, Janez Kranjc

Pierre au préfet (★4.2)

Facing the old house of the former Prefect of Réunion, this site is particularly rich in marine fauna. The rest of the site is made up of rock formations set against white sand, offering a vast playground for divers. An ideal site for first-level training.
Scubapro, Stephen Frink

Pierre aux Platax (★4.3)

This dive site is renowned for its rich marine biodiversity and offers diving accessible to divers of all levels, with a maximum depth of 20 meters. It is marked by a magnificent seabed, with rock formations, corals and faults that are home to a multitude of marine species.
Corail Plongee, 97434 Saint-Gilles les Bains

Canyon (★4.3)

A must-see site. This dive site is suitable for all levels. It is made up of ancient lava flows, colonized by coral. It’s a photographer’s delight, with both macro and wide-angle shots.
O Sea Bleu, 97434 Saint-Gilles les Bains

Site Archéologique (★4.4)

This site, as its name suggests, offers a route over historic relics, such as three cannons and four anchors, resting on a reef between 4 and 6 metres deep. This site is ideal for beginners, snorkellers and first-time divers.
O Sea Bleu, 97434 Saint-Gilles les Bains

Navarra (★3.9)

The Navarra is a 47 meters long fishing vessel that was deliberately sunk by the French Federation of Diving (FFESSM) of La Réunion in 1996. She lies at a depth of 53 meters and was broken into two pieces by the swell. The top of the wreck is at 45 meters. The wreck is sometimes subject to strong currents.
Mares

Cap Homard (★4.5)

Located in the west of La Réunion, this diving spot lies between the coast and the Hai-Siang wreck. At a depth of 15 meters, a natural chimney of basalt rock stands out, home to lobsters and also soldier fishes.