All activities / Scuba Diving / El Hierro
Scuba Diving in El HierroES
The smallest, farthest Canary: a UNESCO biosphere island whose Mar de las Calmas marine reserve holds the best diving in Spain, from the fishing village of La Restinga.
Why here
El Hierro is the diving Spain keeps quiet: the Mar de las Calmas marine reserve, protected since 1996, is routinely rated the country's best underwater, and El Bajon is the reason, twin volcanic pinnacles rising from 100 meters to near the surface with visibility that runs 20 to 40 meters. The village behind it, La Restinga, is a working harbor with boat rides under ten minutes to the sites, no mass tourism, and rays, barracuda, and turtles as the standard cast. The 2011 Tagoro eruption added a still-recovering volcanic seabed nearby. The whole island is a UNESCO biosphere reserve, and it dives twelve months a year.
Best months
Year-round; June through November is prime, with 23-to-25-degree water and the best visibility. The reserve's core zone is entry-limited, which is exactly why it stays this good. Lodging is scarce: book dives and rooms together.
Getting there & around
Fly to Tenerife North (TFN), then a 40-minute hop to Valverde (VDE) or the ferry from Los Cristianos; La Restinga is 30 minutes from the airport. Book one to two months ahead.
Skill levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (2)
Buceo La Restinga
SchoolA PADI centre in La Restinga harbor diving the Mar de las Calmas reserve daily.
Centro de Buceo El Bajon
SchoolThe only El Hierro centre with a PADI Course Director on staff, named for the island's signature seamount dive.