Found in the Atlantic Ocean, the southern latitude and stable conditions make scuba diving holidays in the Canary Islands a great short haul option. Nutrient rich waters mean there is plenty to see beneath the waves with everything from wreck to reef and caves to coral. Due to the Gulf Stream, the waters are relatively warm – around 24˚C in the summer.
A combination of Atlantic, Mediterranean and endemic Canarian marine life means the underwater world offers plenty to see. There is good visibility helping you view the plentiful marine life and some dramatic volcanic sea bed formations.
There are sharks, rays, turtles, dolphins, whales, nudibranchs and plenty of colourful fish to see. Add in some wrecks and cave diving through old lava tubes and there’s plenty to get excited about on scuba diving holidays in the Canary Islands.
The weather is relatively stable, certainly not as scorching hot as you get during Red Sea scuba diving holidays can get with less fluctuation between the seasons than elsewhere . This combined with a wealth of facilities and flourishing tourism infrastructure means its got everything to be a world-class scuba diving destination.
If you are looking to go scuba diving in the Canary Islands then each island offers something slightly different. Check out our island by island guide to Canaries diving below. There are other islands to explore in the Canary Islands but the below are best set up for tourism and diving.
The largest of the Canary Islands, Tenerife is a tourist hotspot but also a top dive location. Visibility is good at about 20 to 30 metres and the best time of year to go is between June and October, although it has to be said that diving here is good all year round.
Abades Beach is a top dive site, with no strong current and a wide range of marine life available to divers of all levels. Check out Tenerife Scuba for more information.
The world-famous El Cabron or Aringa Marine Reserve are well worth exploring. The combination of warm sub-tropical waters, amazing underwater scenery and varied marine life are the reasons why.
Dive with red parrotfish, shoals of shimmering roncadors, colourful nudibranchs and even turtles. Davy Jones Diving is a top school on the island.
One of the best-kept diving secrets in the world (until now that is). Lanzarote offers a stunning combination of underwater topography, caves and lava flows to explore.
There’s available shore diving at Puerto del Carmen or Mala. And you can expect to see angel sharks, Atlantic rays, eagle rays and plenty more besides. The reefs drop off very quickly so you will need to be careful but there are also some wreck dives in the harbour. There are a few Lanzarote scuba diving companies to choose from.
More associated for surface water sports, windsurfing in Fuerteventura is exceptionally good. But there’s still some great fun to be had here under the surface. Good visibility, submarine lava rivers and comfortable water temperatures are key attractions.
The Isla de Lobos is surrounded by a natural park, with more than 20 dive sites to explore, it’s one of the Canary’s most spectacular diving destinations. Punta Amanay is a small family run diving school that offers tours here.
With 92 km of virtually unexplored coastline to dive, there are drift dives, caves and deep reefs to explore here. Temperatures range between 18 and 24˚C and the beautiful clear blue water means conditions are good.
This is un-crowded diving making for some of the most peaceful scuba diving holidays in the Canary Islands. It’s especially good for underwater photographers. Splash Gomera run diving tours and offer PADI classes across 20 sites.
We hope you found this brief guide to scuba diving holidays in the Canary Islands useful. Check out these Canary Islands scuba diving experiences if you would like to book a dive.
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