Are you looking for a holiday where you can dive morning, evening, and night, surrounded by beautiful volcanic scenery and Spanish culture? Welcome to the Canary Islands! Situated off the west coast of Morocco, this collection of Atlantic Spanish islands is an ocean lover’s paradise. There are also plenty of opportunities for epic hiking, delicious feasting, and almighty beach chilling (another favorite sport of mine).
There are 7 Islas Canarias in total, but I’ve focussed on my personal favorite four for diving: Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Gomera, and El Hierro.
What can I see on a dive in the Canary Islands?
Diving here is inexpensive (as is the food & beer), and the powerful ocean currents combined with a temperate climate give rise to some incredible marine life. There are plenty of different dive sites: from sandy seabeds that house sharks, rays, and turtles, to rocky outcrops and drop-offs that are home to beautiful walls of coral, schooling fish, and moray eels tucked into the crevices.
The area is also known for frequent sightings of whales and dolphins close to shore, so keep an eye out on the blue as you dive…
How to get to the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are an easy hop from mainland Europe, with direct flights from several countries. You can also fly direct from New York to Tenerife from Newark Airport with United Airlines.
Once landed, you can island-hop by ferry or local flight with the Canarian airline Binter. There are plenty of local bus routes, taxis, and car rentals to help you get around once you're there.
Diving in Lanzarote
Sitting at the easternmost point of the Canaries, Lanzarote is a wild, volcanic island. It’s known for ancient lava fields, impossible rock formations, and sweeping hills of red and black earth.
Museo Atlántico: The Underwater Museum
Lanzarote is home to the first underwater art museum in the Atlantic and Europe: Museo Atlántico. It sits within a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve and all of its sculptures will eventually become anchors for new coral growth, attracting all kinds of fish to this new ecosystem. It has already started to attract some impressive shoals and critters since its opening in 2017, such as angel sharks, barracuda, and octopuses.
Puerto Del Carmen
The Puerto Del Carmen area offers the best diving on Lanzarote, with several of the favorite sites a short stride from the beach at Playa Chica. Dive down to the famous Cathedral - an underwater cave at 30m deep. Divers’ bubbles seep through the porous ceiling, sending thousands of tiny streams of air up to the surface, giving the impression that the cave is singing!
The area has many shore sites and opportunities for boat diving. Head out with Safari Diving to the local wrecks, black sand beaches, or night dives - and keep an eye out for Angel sharks!
Diving in Lanzarote: Safari Diving
Diving in Tenerife
Tenerife is one of the larger islands and is overlooked by the impressive peak of Mount Teide, Spain’s highest mountain.
Los Chuchos
One of the most famous sites in all of the Canary Islands is Los Chuchos or The City of Stingrays. A dive here will help you see why! Located in the south near the town of Las Galletas, this is an easy boat dive down to about 22m. There are six species of ray which are known to hang around frequently, most notably stingrays and eagle rays. There’s also a small wreck at this site which is a great turnaround point and houses plenty of life of its own.
Turtles of Tenerife
Tenerife has become famous for offering dives with turtles, year-round. There are some amazing sites where you can get up close with these majestic sea creatures all around the southern half of the island. It is important to choose a dive center that prioritizes marine life and diving regulations, as the local population of turtles did suffer several years ago due to too much tourism and poor diving ethics. I’d recommend going with Medanodive as they offer a great range of shore and boat dives while upholding the integrity of the local ecosystem.
Diving in Tenerife: Medanodive
Diving in La Gomera
La Gomera is a fascinating island. It is one of the smallest in the chain, yet most ecologically diverse. A tropical rainforest sits atop the island, with beautiful lush valleys to the north and desert shrublands to the south.
Roque Del Herrero
This is a favorite dive of mine! Located off the southeast tip of the island and easily accessible by boat, this rock formation houses some of the bigger and more elusive critters you could hope to see. Octopus and moray eels inhabit the cracks and crevices, while lobsters and cuttlefish roam the seafloor. Huge shoals of barracuda, jacks, and breams also often hang out here. I’d recommend going with Splash Gomera which operates out of the charming town of Playa de Santiago.
Los Organos
Los Organos or The Organs is one of La Gomera’s most beautiful sites. Huge vertical columns of cooled lava give this 260ft rock face the appearance of giant organ pipes, and it’s also incredible underwater. The boat ride alone is spectacular (with year-round chances of whales and dolphins), and there’s a chance to see larger sharks, rays, and huge schools of barracudas. I would say this is a more challenging site to dive so make sure you have the right experience.
Diving in La Gomera: Splash Gomera
Diving in El Hierro
El Hierro is touted as *the* best place to dive in the Canary Islands. It’s the smallest island and is home to incredible biodiversity. Huge drop-offs and a volcanic seascape play host to turtles, groupers, stingrays, dolphins, manta rays… and the occasional whale shark!
Mar de las Calmas Marine Reserve
Named for its famously sheltered waters and incredible visibility, the Mar de las Calmas Marine Reserve is home to a huge number of amazing dive sites to suit all abilities. The Reserve is located just offshore of the island’s main town of La Restinga.
The underwater landscape was formed by volcanic activity and drops off to over 300m very close to shore. There are a number of amazing rock formations along the seabed including huge pinnacles, tunnels, and caves. There are an infinite number of coral-covered crevasses which support lobsters, seahorses, octopus, moray eels, and shrimp. Depending on the time of year, you might also get lucky with an underwater visit from sand tiger sharks, mantas, whale sharks, turtles, and dolphins… so what are you waiting for!?
SCUBA Diving in El Hierro: Arrecifal Diving
Freediving in El Hierro: Freediving El Hierro
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