Scuba diving in Tenerife

Published on 5th December 2020

As a keen scuba diver, I wanted to share with you an article taken from a local 5 star rated PADI diving centre called Paradise Divers who are based in Callao Salvaje, Costa Adeje, in the south of Tenerife. You can find their dive centre in the Tropical Park apartment complex as you enter Callao Salvaje.

Scuba diving in Tenerife is a very popular activitiy and I am sure that after reading this article, you will see understand why. If you want to contact them directly, please visit their website www.paradisedivers.co.uk

So the question is… Why Scuba Dive in Tenerife?

Excellent Diving Conditions.
Even though the Canary Islands are a part of Spain, they are actually closer to Africa than to Europe. The year-round sunshine makes it the perfect holiday destination, any time of the year. Tenerife is a volcanic island, so the topography provides many dramatic rock formations. Underwater there are plenty of caves and swim-throughs for divers to explore. Tenerife is in the Atlantic Ocean and close to the Gulf Stream. This helps to regulate the water temperature – the lowest is 18° C/64° F (winter) and the highest is 23-24°C/73-75° F (summer). Usually, a 5mm wetsuit is suitable in the summer and we suggest using extra layers such as a vest and a hood in the winter, or a 7mm wetsuit. Although, it has been known for some divers to wear shorties all year-around! Underwater visibility average is around 30m/100ft, depending on local weather conditions.

Majestic Marine Life.
When you dive in Tenerife you will encounter Atlantic and Mediterranean species. On a typical dive you can see a surprisingly huge variety of marine life. Sting-Ray species vary from Atlantic Stingrays to Bull-Rays, Eagle-Rays and Marbled Electric Rays. You can also see Green Sea Turtles, Angel Sharks and if you are lucky, a pods of Dolphins. As well as the large life, we see many Moray Eels, Octopus, Lobsters, Crabs and fish schools such as Roncadores. Be sure to look in-between the rocks as you never know what you might find, maybe a Nudibranch or two. If underwater photography interests you, take a look at our Digital Photography/Media Specialty. You can use the skills you learn during the course to capture amazing photos of the marine life to show your friends and family. Take a look at our Instagram to see some of our marine photography!

What about Some Shipwrecks?
We have five shipwrecks available to us in the South, ranging from 18m/60ft to 40m/130ft. One of our favourites is El Condesito Wreck which sits between 8m/40ft – 21m/70ft. The ship sank in the 1970’s after hitting the South coast while it was transporting cement bags as cargo. We anchor at the back of the wreck to see the propeller, then circle it a few times to explore. A special feature of the dive is that due to natural weathering, the ship is very open. This allows us to be able to swim-through the top of the wreck, without it being classed as a penetration. This offers an exciting experience for divers without the Wreck Diver certification. Check out the Wreck Diver Specialty to learn more about wreck penetration.

Level of Dive Experience
There is something for every level of dive experience in Tenerife. It is sometimes a misconception that the deeper you go, the more marine life you see. However, this is not always the case. In fact, a lot of our best marine life is actually found above 18m/60ft. One of our favourite dive sites is with our resident Green Sea Turtles. You can spend the whole dive with them, all above 12m/40ft! This is because turtles breath air and generally spend their time in the shallows, so they can rise to the surface and breath. This site is also excellent for snorkelling and any non-diver friend or family member can join in the fun. Better yet, experience a Try Dive with us and see these amazing creatures from underwater!

For divers wishing to push their boundaries, there are many deep sites to 30m/100ft or 40m/130ft and beyond – depending on your qualification. We love to go deep to see some fantastic lava rock formations. The hexagonal basalt columns look too precise to be caused by natural occurrences. If you have ever been to Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland then you will know what to expect, now imagine that but underwater. Check out the Deep Diver Specialty for more information on deep diving.

Even More to Explore
Another of our favourite sites is Cueva De Los Cerebros, or Cave of the Brains. This site got it’s name due to the rare “brain like” sponge found there. The cave is very large and pretty dark so the use of a torch is a must. You can take your time and spend the whole dive exploring every nook and cranny for invertebrate marine life. We often see very large Painted Spiny Lobsters, Shrimp and sleeping Sting-Rays. For a more adventurous dive, there is also an air pocket for you to swim up, take the reg out of your mouth and breathe in fresh air. Who would have thought you could talk about a dive, half way through it! Take a look at a video of this dive on our Youtube Channel.

So why dive in Tenerife?
The question should actually be – why shouldn’t you dive in Tenerife! There really is something for every diver. Whether it´s amazing marine life, dramatic topography or daring to a new depth. We want to show you the best bits and hope that by the end, you will love to dive in Tenerife just as much as we do.