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Gran Canaria Excursions

Diving & Snorkelling in Gran Canaria

Try dives for beginners, dive courses and snorkel trips around Gran Canaria, including the protected El Cabrón reef near Arinaga on the east coast.

Activities

3 activities

  • A white sailing catamaran with passengers on deck heads across the open sea under a clear sky

    Puerto Rico

    Afrikat catamaran cruise from Puerto Rico

    A four and a half hour catamaran trip along the south-west coast with a stop to swim and snorkel, a meal made by the crew and unlimited drinks on board.

    4 h 30 minFrom €77

  • Yellow tourist submarine on the surface of a calm blue sea, next to a rocky breakwater outside Puerto de Mogán

    Puerto de Mogán

    Submarine tour in Puerto de Mogán

    Descend to 25 metres aboard the Golden Shark submarine and look out at shipwrecks and fish through the windows, with an audio guide in nine languages during the 40-minute dive.

    40 minFrom €38

  • Two scuba divers making a heart shape with their hands above a rocky seabed in clear blue water

    Puerto Rico

    Try Scuba Diving with Guided Dive

    Dive into the clear waters of Gran Canaria, guided by experienced instructors. Encounter diverse marine life in a safe scuba diving adventure that is ideal for beginners.

    2 hoursFrom €89

Where you can do this

Good to know

You don't need a certificate to try scuba diving. A try dive starts with a briefing and some practice in shallow water, then a short dive with an instructor beside you. PADI's minimum age for a try dive is 10. You'll fill in a medical questionnaire first, and some conditions need a doctor's signature before you can dive, so read it before the day.

Where people dive

  • El Cabrón, near Arinaga on the east coast, is a protected area and the island's best-known shore dive. Dive centres report more than 400 fish species there.
  • Sardina del Norte, near Gáldar in the north-west, is another popular shore dive and is known for night dives.
  • The south coast around Puerto Rico and Mogán has boat dives and easy entries for beginners, close to the resorts.

Angel sharks, which are critically endangered, are still seen on sandy bottoms around Gran Canaria, most often in winter.

Snorkelling

The calm coves of the south-west are the easiest place to start. Kayak tours from Mogán and most catamaran cruises include a snorkel stop with the gear provided. On the east coast, some guided trips combine a coastal walk with snorkelling in the El Cabrón area.

Good to know

  • The water is around 18 °C in January and February and about 23 to 24 °C in late summer.
  • Don't fly for at least 12 hours after a single dive, and 18 hours after several. Plan your dive for early in the holiday.
  • If you'd like to see the seabed without getting wet, there's a tourist submarine in Puerto de Mogán.