Princess Alice Bank is a mid-Atlantic seamount rising from 2000 m to within 40 m of the surface near Faial in the Azores, considered one of the world's elite big-animal dive sites. Seasonal aggregations of blue sharks, mako sharks, hammerhead sharks, and huge schools of Atlantic amberjack gather above the summit, with blue marlin and whale shark encounters adding to the spectacle in summer. The site is current-swept and remote, demanding open-water confidence and liveaboard access.
The outermost of the Ribbon Reefs, this site features a dramatic vertical wall on the ocean-facing side descending past 30 m, festooned with sea whips, gorgonians, and nudibranchs. The sheltered inner lagoon side is perfect for beginners with sandy slopes hosting garden eels and blue-spotted rays. Minke whale encounters are possible here between June and August.