El Puertito

Nestled within a beautifully sheltered, horseshoe-shaped bay, El Puertito is perhaps the most famous and beloved shallow-water dive site on the south coast of Tenerife.

This charming, traditional fishing bay acts as a natural sunlit amphitheater with a calm sandy floor bordered by low-lying volcanic rock formations. Free from strong offshore currents and crashing waves, it offers a remarkably safe, tranquil underwater playground. It is globally celebrated as a historic sanctuary for marine life and remains one of our absolute top recommendations for introductory experiences and relaxed scuba training.

📋 DIVE SITE OVERVIEW

• ⚓ Dive Type: Sheltered Bay / Volcanic Reef / Shallow Sandy Plateau
• 📉 Depth Range: 6 to 12 meters (Extremely shallow, bright, and easy to navigate)
• 🌊 Water Conditions: Crystal-clear water with virtually zero current and pristine, calm conditions year-round.
• 🤿 Suitability: Perfect for everyone, from absolute beginners (PADI Discover Scuba Diving) and Scuba Diver students to snorkelers and certified divers seeking a long, easy, sun-drenched dive.

🐠 KEY HIGHLIGHTS & WHAT YOU WILL SEE

• The Marine Life Sanctuary: Because the bay is so heavily protected from the open ocean elements, it serves as a natural nursery. As you glide over the shallow bottom, you will encounter incredibly friendly marine life, including curious green sea turtles passing through the bay, large canarian parrotfish, and schools of silver bream that love to swim right up to your mask.
• Sand-Dwelling Masters of Disguise: The expansive sandy center of the bay is teeming with hidden life. Keep a sharp eye on the bottom to watch cuttlefish put on mesmerizing color-changing displays, spotted garden eels swaying like blades of grass out of their sand holes, and beautifully marbled butterfly rays gliding inches above the seabed.
• Rocky Crevice Treasures: The volcanic fringes enclosing the bay are riddled with small cracks and caves. Gently exploring these rocky borders will reveal beautifully patterned tiger moray eels, hiding octopus, colorful starfish, and hundreds of tiny neon-blue damselfish guarding their rocky territories.

📸 UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FOR EL PUERTITO

• Vibrant, Sun-Drenched Backgrounds: Because the maximum depth is so shallow (around 8–10 meters), you do not lose your red and yellow color spectrums to the deep ocean filter. The bright sunlight reflects beautifully off the golden sand, providing brilliant, natural color saturation without requiring heavy, expensive artificial video lights.
• Perfect for Over-Under «Split» Shots: On calm days, the surface of El Puertito is as flat as a swimming pool. If you have a dome port for your camera or GoPro, this is the absolute best spot in Tenerife to capture stunning «split-level» photos—showing the traditional Canarian fishing village and cliffs above the water line, and your dive buddy or a fish swimming just below it.

💡 WHY DIVE EL PUERTITO WITH DIVING ATLANTIS

El Puertito is the definition of stress-free diving. There are no deep drop-offs, no complex navigation routes, and no heavy currents to fight—just a warm, calm, sunlit paradise where you can completely relax and focus on the beauty around you. Our experienced guides know every nook and cranny of this bay, ensuring you get up close and personal with the local wildlife at a slow, peaceful pace.

🪶 Ready to step into the crystal-clear waters of Tenerife’s favorite bay? Whether you want to try scuba for the first time, or enjoy a relaxed camera dive, El Puertito is ready for you. Book your experience online with Diving Atlantis today and automatically claim your 10% online booking discount!