Diving Playa del Inglés Gran Canaria

The underwater world of the Canaries awaits you We frequently get asked if there is any good diving or snorkelling in the sea next to Playa del Inglés or the adjoining resorts of Maspalomas, Sonnenland, San Agustín or Bahia Feliz in Gran Canaria. Unfortunately the answer is.. not really. Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas are best known for their beaches and the amazing sand-dunes behind the beach... which in diving terms means .. lots of sand, not much marine life, and not much depth. Compared to the main dive sites on Gran Canaria, the local shoreline is a bit like the dunes that back them up .. a bit of a desert.

There is no PADI Approved dive centre in Playa del Inglés, but Davy Jones Diving are only 20 minutes drive away Divers also tell us that they have searched for an authorised PADI dive centre in Playa del Inglés, but because the adjacent diving is poor, there is currently no PADI Approved Dive Centre in Playa del Ingles, Mapaslomas, Meloneras, San Agustin or the other resorts of the 'Sur'. It may look on the map as though we are some distance from the hotels in the South but the motorway which links the South and North of the Island means that it is quick and easy to get from Playa del Ingles to Arinaga.

scuba diving with a shoal of roncadors

But do not worry. Playa del Ingles has always had a reputation as a sun lovers destination, and has all the attractions and facilities to make it a great family holiday destination. It is also only twenty minutes from the marine reserve at El Cabrón near Arinaga on the East Coast, regarded by all the locals as the best place to dive in Gran Canaria. There is plenty of diving, there is one of the best mixes of marine life on the island, and you can dive over ten different routes in the reserve. If you are staying in Playa del Inglés then the place to go diving is in the Marine Reserve at Arinaga.

Angel shark underwater on night dive in the Canary Islands

The El Cabrón area is famous because the volcanic reef has arches, caves, cliffs and with these varied habitats it is a marine-life hotspot where you can see almost the whole catalog of marine species from tiny seahorses to angel sharks and butterfly rays. The main advantages of diving in the El Cabrón Marine Reserve are:-

Review diving gran canaria 5* 5 Stars - "What a fantastic outfit!"
Gran Canaria diving centre recommended on TripAdvisor
What a fantastic outfit! All the staff were welcoming and helpful from the outset. Booked the advanced open water course having completed open water in UK. Day one was spent getting back into things, a couple of fun dives (no doubt testing that we weren't clowns!). Thanks Hector and Edwardo. ..... Thanks again for a fab week, we'll recommend to the world and look you up if we're in Gran Canaria again. Give us a shout if you're ever visiting West Wales, we'll throw you off some cliffs Coasteering :D Cleopatra & Jerry x

26-02-2018  Published by Tripadviser.com

We offer a free collection service for divers from Playa del Ingles every day for divers, so that they can come here in our air conditioned mini-bus and enjoy the best diving in Gran Canaria, and be back with their family in Playa del Inglés, Maspalomas or Meloneras in time for afternoon tea.

Shoal of Roncadors, wrasse and bream diving canary islands

Playa del Inglés also has a very vibrant night-life, and plenty of reasonably priced accommodation, so you can party one night and then dive on other days, chilling out between in the dunes or shopping in the Yumbo centre.

Swim with colourful creatures in the el Cabrón marine reserve
Surprised? nudibranch diving in Gran Canaria

In summary, if you are coming here with a family and only diving a couple of days, then Playa del Ingles is a great base from which to explore Gran Canaria. There are plenty of things to do and see in Playa del Ingles including two water parks, the beach area, horse riding, jeep safaris, sky-diving and helicopter trips (to name just a few). From here it is a short journey to the El Cabrón marine reserve where you can take part in some top diving experiences.

diving with stingrays in Gran Canaria
Barred Hogfish found while diving in Gran Canaria

Main Hotels, Bungalows and Apartments in Playa del Ingles and Normal Collection Times

We collect you from these main Hotels and Apartments on a regular basis, plus many more smaller apartments.

Hotel Name Collection Time
Agaete Parque 08:55-09:10
Amazonas 08:55-09:10
Apolo 08:55-09:10
Barbados 08:55-09:10
Barcelo Las Margaritas 08:55-09:05
Beverly Park 09:00-09:10
Biarritz 08:55-09:10
Broncemar 08:55-09:10
Barbacan 08:55-09:10
Buenos Aires 08:55-09:10
Carmen 08:55-09:10
Caserio Azul 08:55-09:10
Corona Roja 08:55-09:10
Eugenia Victoria 08:55-09:10
Europalace 08:55-09:10
Europa 08:55-09:10
Gran Canaria Princess 08:55-09:10
Green Ocean 08:55-09:10
Green Park 08:55-09:10
Green Field 08:55-09:10
Ifa Dunamar 08:55-09:10
Ifa Buenaventura 08:55-09:10
Ifa Catarina 08:55-09:10
Ifa Continental 08:55-09:10
Ifa Dunamar 08:55-09:10
Iguazu 08:55-09:10
Jardin Del Atlantico 08:55-09:10
Koka 08:55-09:10
Liberty Apartments 08:55-09:10
Las Dunas 08:55-09:10
Los Girasoles 08:55-09:10
Los Salmones 08:55-09:10
Lucana 08:55-09:10
Marieta Aparthotel 08:55-09:10
Montemar 08:55-09:10
Marbella Golf 08:55-09:10
Miraflor Park 08:55-09:10
Neptuno 08:55-09:10
Paraiso Maspalomas 08:55-09:10
Parque Cristobal 08:55-09:10
Parque Tropical 08:55-09:10
Parquemar 08:55-09:10
Marieta Aparthotel 08:55-09:10
Parque Romantico 08:55-09:10
Rebecca Park 08:55-09:10
Riu Don Miguel 08:55-09:10
Riu Flamingo 08:55-09:10
Riu Palmeras 08:55-09:10
Riu Palmitos Bungalows 08:55-09:10
Riu Papayas 08:55-09:10
Riu Waikiki 08:55-09:10
Rondo 08:55-09:10
Rey Carlos 08:55-09:10
Sante Fe 08:55-09:10
Sahara Playa I and II 08:55-09:10
San Valentin and Terraflor Park 08:55-09:10
Sandy Beach 08:55-09:10
Santa Clara 08:55-09:10
Sol Y Mar Apartments 08:55-09:10
Strelitzias 08:55-09:10
Sunwing Resort Playa Ingles 08:55-09:10
Tinache 08:55-09:10
Tivoli 08:55-09:10
Valparaiso 08:55-09:10
Veril Playa 08:55-09:10
Walhalla 08:55-09:10

If your Hotel or apartment is not listed above, please contact us and we will confirm a normal collection time.

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