Off L’Estartit on the Costa Brava, dusky groupers longer than a diver’s arm hang in the water and let you swim right up to them. The Medes Islands, a cluster of limestone islets a kilometre offshore, have been protected for decades, and the fish behave as if spearguns never existed. That is the pattern across Spanish diving: the best sites are the marine reserves, where fishing is limited and life has come back.
Spain has two very different dive seas. The Mediterranean, from the Costa Brava to Cabo de Gata and around Mallorca and Menorca, has seagrass meadows, caves, red coral, octopus and moray eels, with visibility of 20 to 30 m on good days and water that swings from about 13°C in winter to 25°C in late summer. The Atlantic around the Canary Islands stays near 18 to 24°C all year and adds angel sharks, rays, turtles and volcanic arches.
Diving is by day boat from small harbours, rarely by liveaboard, and prices are European rather than Asian. In return you get the reserves, the wrecks of Cabo de Palos and the clear water of El Hierro.
At a Glance#
- Best Mediterranean reserves: the Medes Islands off L’Estartit, Cabo de Palos and Islas Hormigas in Murcia, and Tabarca near Alicante, all with big groupers and quotas on divers.
- Wrecks: the Sirio and other ships off Cabo de Palos, one of the best wreck areas in the Mediterranean.
- Balearic Islands: caves and seagrass meadows around Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and the Cabrera archipelago, which needs a permit.
- Canary Islands: the Mar de las Calmas reserve off La Restinga on El Hierro, plus Tenerife, Gran Canaria and the underwater sculpture museum off Lanzarote.
- Andalusia: volcanic reefs at Cabo de Gata and the cliffs of Maro near Nerja.
- Season: June to October in the Mediterranean; all year in the Canaries.
Costa Brava#
The Medes Islands are the most famous dive area in mainland Spain. Seven small islets off L’Estartit, inside the Montgrí, Medes and Baix Ter natural park, they have tunnels, walls covered in red gorgonians, and resident groupers, barracuda, octopus, conger eels and moray eels. Dofí Nord, La Vaca and the Pedra de Deu are classic sites, and the Meda Petita tunnel runs right through an islet. Diver numbers are capped each day, a small per-dive reserve fee is added to the price, and in September the boats fill, so book a couple of weeks ahead.
Further north, Cap de Creus near Cadaqués is a wild headland of folded rock where the Pyrenees meet the sea, with walls, arches and red coral in deeper water. Strong tramontana winds can cancel dives here for days at a time, so plan some slack.
Murcia and Valencia#
The marine reserve of Cabo de Palos and Islas Hormigas, off Cabo de Palos near Cartagena, is often ranked the best Mediterranean diving in Spain. The Bajo de Fuera and Bajo de Dentro pinnacles swarm with groupers, barracuda, amberjacks and the occasional sunfish, and the area is littered with wrecks: the Italian liner Sirio, which sank in 1906, the Naranjito and the Stanfield. Diving needs an authorisation handled by the dive centres, which share a daily quota of dives; in July and August it fills, so book early. Currents can be strong and many wrecks are deep, so an Advanced certificate helps.
Tabarca, a small inhabited island off Santa Pola, was the first marine reserve in Spain and has easy, shallow dives over seagrass full of fish, good for new divers. The Columbretes Islands, a remote volcanic archipelago off Castellón, have untouched lobster and grouper populations, but diving is limited by quota and boats need a full day.
Balearic Islands#
Around Mallorca, dive centres at Port de Sóller, Port de Pollença and the southwest coast visit caves, arches and the walls of Dragonera, the island off the west tip. The Cabrera National Park south of Mallorca is the most protected sea in the Balearics; scuba diving needs a separate park permit and is limited to set zones, so go with an authorised centre. Menorca is known for its sea caves and clear water, especially on the north coast.
Ibiza and Formentera sit on vast Posidonia seagrass meadows, the reason their water is so clear. Dives around Es Vedrà and the islets off Sant Antoni have caves, barracuda and big shoals.
Canary Islands#
El Hierro, the smallest and westernmost main island, has the best diving in Spain for many experienced divers. The Mar de las Calmas reserve off the fishing village of La Restinga is sheltered from the trade winds, with visibility often around 30 to 40 m, volcanic arches and caves, and El Bajón, a pinnacle where groupers, rays and the occasional whale shark or manta pass. A double dive costs around 80 to 95 euros (about 95 to 110 USD).
Tenerife has turtles off the south coast and walls below the cliffs of Los Gigantes. Gran Canaria has the El Cabrón reserve at Arinaga, with angel sharks and rays on the sand. Off Playa Blanca on Lanzarote, the Museo Atlántico is a field of underwater sculptures by Jason deCaires Taylor at about 12 to 15 m, dived by boat, and Fuerteventura has easy shore dives and the channel to Lobos Island.
Andalusia#
Cabo de Gata-Níjar in Almería is volcanic: dark rock, seagrass and arches, with dives from San José and the fishing village of La Isleta del Moro. Near Nerja, the Maro-Cerro Gordo cliffs are a protected stretch with easy shore dives and snorkelling. The Atlantic coast towards Tarifa has strong currents and cold upwellings and is diving for locals rather than visitors. See our beaches guide for these coasts above the water.
When to go#
In the Mediterranean, June to October brings the warmest water, around 22 to 26°C by August, and the calmest seas; September is the sweet spot, with warm water and fewer people. From November to May the water drops to about 13 to 15°C, many centres close, and you need a 7 mm suit or a drysuit. The Canaries are diveable all year, with water between about 18°C in February and 24°C in September; El Hierro’s sheltered south coast rarely closes. Our best time to visit Spain page has the weather by month.
Costs and booking#
| What | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Single boat dive, Mediterranean, own gear | about 40 to 60 euros (45 to 70 USD) |
| Full equipment rental | about 15 to 25 euros a day |
| Double dive, El Hierro | about 80 to 95 euros |
| Try dive (Discover Scuba) | about 60 to 90 euros |
| PADI or SSI Open Water course | about 400 to 550 euros |
Reserves add small per-dive fees or quotas, usually arranged by the dive centre. Bring your certification card and logbook, since centres ask for them before deep or reserve dives, and some ask for a recent medical statement. Spain has recompression chambers in the main diving regions, including Cartagena and the Canaries. For more ideas, see our guides to diving in Europe and the world’s best diving destinations, and the Spanish islands guide for choosing an island.
In the Medes Islands and at Cabo de Palos, book the first boat of the morning. Quotas mean the later slots fill first, and early dives have calmer water and fewer groups on the same rock.
Marine reserve rules
Do not touch or take anything, feed fish, or anchor on seagrass, which is protected across the Balearics. Night diving, spearfishing and diving in the strictly protected cores of the reserves are banned or need special permits, and fines are high. Check before you go: quotas and permit rules change most seasons.
Best places to dive in Spain#
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More Things to Do#
Spain diving FAQs#
Where is the best diving in Spain?
The Medes Islands on the Costa Brava and Cabo de Palos in Murcia are the best on the mainland, for groupers and wrecks. In the Canaries, the Mar de las Calmas off El Hierro is the standout.
When is the best time to dive in Spain?
June to October in the Mediterranean, with September the best month for warm water and calm seas. The Canary Islands are diveable all year round.
How cold is the water for diving in Spain?
In the Mediterranean, about 13 to 15°C in winter and 22 to 26°C in August. The Canaries range from about 18 to 24°C. A 5 mm wetsuit suits summer, and 7 mm or a drysuit the rest of the year.
How much does it cost to dive in Spain?
Expect about 40 to 60 euros for a boat dive with your own gear, plus rental, and about 400 to 550 euros for an Open Water course. Reserves may add a small fee.
Do I need a permit to dive in Spanish marine reserves?
Usually the dive centre arranges it for you, as with the Medes Islands and Cabo de Palos quotas. Cabrera National Park needs a separate diving permit, and some reserve cores are closed to divers.