Top 5 Diving locations on the Costa Blanca
With more than 200 km of coastline and 170 beaches it’s no surprise that the Costa Blanca offers some wonderful diving opportunities, especially on its rockier northern coast.
In the months of June to October, the average temperature of the water is more than 20 degrees. In the months of February and March, the sea is at its coldest, with an average of 14 degrees Celsius.
The water is relatively calm, free of dangerous currents and home to a highly diverse underwater life. Apart from the Mediterranean fish, you can find rays, sea horses, crabs, octopus and moray eels. Sunfish visit the Costa Blanca coast from late spring onwards and in September and October you’ll find sardines and barracudas along the coast. There are also rich and colorful seagrasses to be observed. Listed below our top five diving locations on the Costa Blanca.
1. Tabarca Island
The Tabarca Marine Reserve, at the coast of Alicante, was the first reserve to be declared in Spain in 1986, and occupies 1,400 hectares around the peninsula. Being one of the few protected marine spaces, it’s one of the most incredible diving locations on the Costa Blanca, with a particularly rich biodiversity beneath the waves. A combination of large Posidonia Oceanica seagrass prairies, and the local fauna, fish such as grouper, gilthead and even some specimens of loggerhead turtle can be admired in these waters. Of course, diving in the Tabarca Marine Reserve is prohibited without license, delivered by one of the authorized dive centers in the province.
2. The Vaporet
About 2.6 miles from the port of Denia, lies the remains of a cargo ship, commonly known as El Vaporet, which sank at the end of the 19th century. The considerable depth, the likely presence of currents and reduced visibility, makes this only possible for experienced divers, and only under optimum conditions. A wealth of fish life living in the ruins of the ship, including sardines and lobsters.
3. Portixol
The island of Portixol is a nature reserve with a large population of bird species, that also has much to offer under the water. Its rocky bottom, covered with seagrass, is a habitat for several species of perch, eels and damselfish. Even squids can also be admired. The water is easily accessible from the pebble beach, which is close to the main road.
4. La Granadella
Located in the seaside resort Javea, this beach is considered one of the best in Spain. It is a dream location where sea and mountains combine perfectly. Thanks to its turquoise waters, the experience of diving here is unmatched. In La Granadella we can observe white sands alternating with posidonia plains, in which we can see octopuses, dorados, large mussels and other underwater species. In addition, the beach is shallow and calm, so it is ideal for less experienced divers who are taking their first breaths underwater. La Granadella is also an unbeatable place for other activities such as sea kayaking.
5. El Peñón de Ifach
This beautiful dive takes place on the north side of the Peñón de Ifach, in Calpe, and is characterized by its rocky bottom and the huge arches that have formed in some of the rocks. In this area we can find some of the largest octopuses on the Costa Blanca, and numerous yellow-crusted anemones. Bream, moray eels, groupers and croakers are also to be admired. This is a deep dive, so it will be necessary to have a certain level of diving experience.
Team Sublicasa wishes you lots of Diving fun!