DIVING ON EL HIERRO
El Hierro is a unique place for diving
Warm water temperature
The waters of El Hierro are considered to be the hottest of the archipelago with the average temperature of 22°C. During the coldest months of February and March it stays above 19°C (66°F) and in July and August it reaches 24°C (75°F).
Distinctive seabed
Due to the volcanic nature of the island there are hundreds of lava formations, steep cliffs, incredible pillow lavas and spectacular black coral.
Different levels of complexity
Whenever you’re a true professional or just a beginner - you’ll find your perfect diving sport on El Hierro. The island has numerous diving sites and quite a number of diving centres.
Clear waters
The island's small population and totally artisan fishing preserve crystal transparency of waters. Therefore, you can enjoy one of the best visibility in the world with clear vision of up to 50 metres.
Ideal for photography!
Diverse fauna
In the abundance of cracks and crevasses you will find lobsters, shrimp, seahorses, anemones and sponges. Divers can see tuna, parrotfish, groupers, flatfish, perches, angel sharks, octopus, sting rays, moray eels, spiny globefish, sea bream and trumpet fish.
In special seasons there are also sand tiger sharks, manta rays, whale sharks, dolphins and turtles.
Deep waters
Due to small insular shelf of the island, there are drop-offs more than 300 metres just a few miles off the coast.
DIVING CENTRES
Arrecifal
Arrecifal was originally established in 1998 and is owned and managed by Peter from Ireland since early 2016. During the 4 years before purchasing the center Peter dived and trained many times in El Hierro with Arrecifal. The guides are fluent in English and Spanish.
Website: www.arrecifal.com
E-mail: info@arrecifal.com
Phone: +34 937 37 94 94 32
Address: Calle La Orchilla, 30, La Restinga
Extra Divers
Extra Divers are pioneers in diving tourism with numerous centres all over the world. The team of Extra Divers El Hierro is professionally managed by Gundula Meisel-Blohm. All dive courses according to SSI- and CMAS standards are provided.
Website: http://extradivers-elhierro.com
E-mail: elhierro@extradivers.org
Phone: +34 922 55 70 86
Address: Av. Marítima, 2, La Restinga
Buceo La Restinga
Another diving centre that belongs to two active sport enthusiasts. Pili and Kike are two sport lovers who used to work in another diving centres on El Hierro and then decided to open their own. Their main goal is safety. Therefore, they provide diving trips only as deep as 30 metres, but do their best to make each session comfortable.
Website: buceolarestinga.com
E-mail: info@buceolarestinga.com
Phone: +34 922 557 167/ +34 691 269 907
Address: Calle la Orchilla, without number, La Restinga
Fan Diving
Fan Diving is a centre run by Germans
Günther and Jutta. Since 1997 they provide excellent individual service.
Website: fan-diving-el-hierro.business.site
E-mail: fandiving@el-hierro-tauchen.de
Phone: +34 922 557 085
Address: El Varadero 4, La Restinga
The Green Shark
This diving centre has orientation on ecology and environmental protection. What is more, it is the only 5* PADI Instructor Diving Center on El Hierro. That means that there you can become a professional certified diving instructor.
Website: www.thegreenshark.com
E-mail: info@thegreenshark.com
Phone: +34 922 698 074 / +34 662 921 370
Address: Calle El Lajial, 7, La Restinga
Centro de Buceo
This centre was created in 1978 and it means that it is the oldest one on the island remaining the reference to the others. It has very good infrastructure, boats and, no doubts, professional team.
Website: www.centrodebuceoelhierro.com
E-mail: info@centrodebuceoelhierro.com
Phone: +34 922 55 70 23/ +34 609 26 18 38
Address: Calle El Rancho,12, La Restinga
HierroAventura
HierroAventura has been working since 1996. Diving instructors of the club speak not only English and Spanish, but French and Italian as well.
Website: hierroaventura.com
E-mail: info@hierroaventura.com
Phone: +34 692 32 01 18
Address: Calle San Juan, 9, La Restinga
Buceo El Tamboril
A small diving centre that belongs to a guy called Antonio, who is considered to be an experienced guide to the adventurous underwater world of El Hierro.
Website: www.buceoeltamboril.com
E-mail: info@buceoeltamboril.com
Phone: +34 679 18 15 94
Address: Calle La Ola, 4, La Restinga
Taxi Driver
A diving centre that belongs to Jean-François Billant who is French diving instructor and lifeguard master running his own centre in La Restinga
Website: elhierrotaxidiver.net
E-mail: elhierrotaxidiver@hotmail.com
Phone: +34 626 78 92 05
Address: Calle la Orchilla, 30, 38917, La Restinga
Meridiano Cero
A diving club that belongs to French couple Céline and Claude. The club has been started by initiative of a diver Paco who was one of the first to thoroughly explore wonders of the seabed of El Hierro.
Website: www.meridiano-cero.fr
E-mail: contact@meridiano-cero.fr
Phone: +34 697 33 6767
Address: Calle La Orchilla, 19, La Restinga
Buceo El Bajón
The only diving club that belongs to local people. The centre is owned by family that is native to El Hierro and one of their aims respectively is to provide family service to customers.
Website: https://buceoelbajon.com
E-mail: info@buceoelbajon.com
Phone: +34 660 35 96 60
Address: Calle los Saltos, 23, 38917, La Restinga
DIVE SITES
There are about 40 dive sites around El Hierro.
Mostly, they are situated in the Marine Reserve of Mar de las Calmas. However, the most famous one, El Bajon, is located near the village of La Restinga. Pretty sure, that it can impress anyone with its volcanic crater! Also, we hardly recommend to enjoy the possibility of a night dive near the port of La Restinga.
Sur Restinga
El Desierto
El Desierto is a dive site on the western edge of the Marine Reserve. The seabed of this place is mainly sandy with some lava reefs. Therefore, animal world there is represented by such species as Brown Garden Eel and different types of rays and Atlantic small fishes. Rarely you can meet there a swarm of White Trevally.
Depth: 0-25m
Experience: Beginner
Entry: Boat
Current: rarely
El Rincon
El Rincon can be translated as «the corner». This name was given to the site because it is only 2 mins by boat from the harbour and in the corner of the port wall and a rocky bar that enters the sea.
After the dive to the depth of 20 meters you start the route along a lava tongue. There you can meet Dusky Groupers, Island Groupers, Trumpet Fish, Barred Hogfish and some Canary lobsters as well as Sea Breams. When going back to the anchor line you can possibly find In the cracks some porcupine fish and even endangered Angle Shark.
Depth: 20m
Experience: Beginner
Entry: Boat
Current: Rare
Mar de Las Calmas
Mar de las Calmas means Silent sea. It is called so because it usually quiet.
The Marine Reserve of Mar de las Calmas was established in 1996. That means, first of all, that in some zones fishing is completely prohibited and in the others it is limited to traditional fishing only. But even before fishermen of El Hierro did their best to protect the environment of the island.
The total area of the Marine Reserve is about 750 ha with a circumference of about 21 km.
As it is a Marine Reserve both diving and fishing are allowed only in certain sites. Also there are some restrictions like a number of people who can dive at the same moment.
El Bajon
El Bajon is located near La Restinga and considered to be the best dive site on El Hierro because of the crater of the extinct volcano that you can see there. Its submerged walls start at the depth of about 5 meters and go down as far as 100 metres. While at the crater itself there is a current, one side of the site is usually more calm. The site is inhabited by morays and large groupers. Also you can find there groups of burr fish. Bermuda Sea Chub, Scrawled Filefish, some kinds of mackerels, moray eels, Black Corals and Barracudas.
Depth: 5-100m
Experience: Beginner (when the current is not strong) - Advanced
Entry: Boat
Current: Medium
La Herradura
La Herradura is a site situated mainly on a rock between that starts at about 5m down. There you can watch colonies of Zebra Seabream, Dusky Groupers, Trumpet fish. In the cracks formed by lava flows you can see Black Coral, Island Groupers, Scrawles Filefish, Barred Hogfish, Ornate wrasse. There in the rocks live Black Morays and ancient Brown Moray Eels called Big Mama. Sometimes they are accompanied by the rare Goldentail moray. And Scarlet-Striped Cleaner Shrimp.
It is possible to dive to a depth of 35m but we suggest staying at around 20m as below this depth the marine life is not that abundant.
Depth: 0-35m
Experience: Any level
Entry: Boat
Current: Medium
Punta Restinga
La Restinga is considered to be the second best spot after El Bajon due to its flora and fauna. You need only 2 minutes by Zodiac to reach it and voila: cliffs, shelves, sandy platforms and caves.
In the cliffs you’ll find Black Corals and Groupers.
Clear visibility makes possible to enjoy the view on large glowing anemones, Moray Eels, Stingrays, Sea Breams, Trumpetfish.
Depth: 0-40m
Experience: Any level
Entry: Boat
Current: Frequent
Cueva Diablo
To reach the entrance of Cueva Diablo (that means the cave of the devil) you need about 15 minutes on boat. The underwater cave is about 100m², so its space is enough for a group of people. Inside the cave in numerous holes you can explore different
Spotfin Burrfish and Groupers, crustaceans, many colourful sponges, sea squirts, mussels and anemones.
Depth: 0-10m
Experience: Beginner
Entry: Boat
Current: No
Night Dive in La Restinga
Do not miss your chance to enjoy the night dive and see species that come out of their places only during this part of the day. The dive runs along the shore, following a small rock that comes from a sandy area. There you can see anthozoa, crabs, shrimps, snails and sea cucumbers as well as hunting sepias, Bandtooth Conger, rays and Canarian Sea Mat. Watch out as the last one is poisonous! On the way back you can see turtles sleeping in a cave.
Depth: 0-12m
Experience: Any level
Entry: Boat
Current: No
El Salto
El Salto is another site located in the Mar de Las Сalmas. And its another site with caves and underwater canyon. It’s a nice place to take pictures if there is a sunny weather because of the light rays going through the rocks. Many different species in caves. The most interesting one is Leathery Doris.
Depth: 0-15m
Experience: Beginner
Entry: Boat
Current: Rare
Punta Lajial
Punta Lajial is a dive site full of lava stones and rocks. Therefore, there are many holes where you can find black corals, crustaceans, groupers, barred hogfish, Scrawled Filefish, Goldentail Moray, Moray Eels and much more.
Depth: 0-40m
Experience: Any level
Entry: Boat
Current: Rare
Roque de Bonanza
Roque de Bonanza is the most distant point of diving on El Hierro. It is located at the northern end of a beach called Las Playas in 50 metres from the coast.
Atlantic small fish, Scrawled Filefish, Atlantic Trumpet Fish, Dusky Groupers, Black coral, morays and lobster can be seen around the rock.
Depth: 0-20m
Experience: Any level
Entry: Boat
Current: Rare
El Tacoron
El Tacoron is primarily a natural swimming pool. But only those who dive can there can enjoy all the richness of marine life of this rocky spot. Moray Eels, sea squirts, anemones, crustaceans and many more in the crystal clear waters.
Depth: 0-15m
Experience: Beginner
Entry: Boat
Current: Rare