This dive site, Princesa Alice Bank, is a world-renowned mid-Atlantic seamount located approximately 85 km offshore from Pico Island in the Azores. The seamount dramatically rises from depths of over 1,000 meters to just 35 meters below the surface. Dives typically explore the shallower parts of the bank, with maximum depths around 26 meters and average depths of 13 meters. Due to its remote, open-ocean location, dives are exclusively boat-accessed from Horta or Madalena, requiring an approximately 3-hour journey.
Princesa Alice is celebrated for its incredible pelagic encounters. Divers can expect to see large numbers of devil rays (Mobulas) and giant mantas (Manta birostris), which are the main draw. The area is also teeming with schools of jacks, Atlantic bonito, barracudas, and massive tunas. Encounters with Galapagos Sharks are common, alongside dusky groupers, hogfish, and various vibrant wrasses that inhabit the seamount's topography.
While specific best times for visiting are not provided in the description, the summer months typically offer the calmest seas and best chances for pelagic encounters in the Azores. Due to potential strong and variable currents, this site is recommended for intermediate to advanced divers. Freedivers will also find this site highly rewarding for its exceptional big animal encounters.
