The Baleares consists of four islands. These are Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The largest of the four islands is Mallorca at 70 kilometres/43 miles in length and 100 kilometres/62 miles width. Mallorca is also the most popular island in terms of visitors. The best diving can be found at the south end of the island. Divers can find plenty of PADI resorts and dive centers to meet their every need.

Strangely enough, the north side of the island isn’t very popular as a dive destination, though the dives are magnificent. The blue Mediterranean borders this coast with incredible fauna and flora, caves and caverns and incredible landscape. This is an ideal destination for divers looking for a great family vacation with diving as the primary activity, or for those looking to make just a few dives as part of a holiday. Dive spots such as Na Foradada, Es Joncar and Cova Blava offer dive opportunities for everyone from the most experienced diver right up to the enthusiastic beginner.

The island of Minorca is much smaller than its big sister, Mallorca. Dive centers are spread across the island and offer activities for a more experienced clientele.

Ibiza is the third island in size with its 200-kilometre/125 mile coastline. Until recently, Ibiza was considered a “hippie” colony, but is now known for a late night party lifestyle that is not compatible with morning diving. However morning is the best time to enjoy the sars, octopus and schools of barracuda that come here. Luckily, Ibiza is well worth a two-night stay; one to enjoy for the late night social atmosphere and one to rest up for a morning of fabulous diving.

Formentera is the smallest and least civilized of the four islands. Divers in search of unspoiled underwater landscapes and small group diving will love it here. Like the other two islands, Ibiza and Formentera are warm in the summer, with water temperatures at approximately 25 degrees Celsius/77 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Canary Islands

These islands offer tremendous contrasts, but what they do have in common are superb dive sites. Remember this is now the Atlantic Ocean, so the average water temperature is 22 degrees Celsius/70 degrees Fahrenheit. Here divers can enjoy dramatic rocks, drop-offs, wrecks and reefs and marine life such as eagle rays, barracudas, moray eels, tuna, diodons and sea breams.

Gran Canaria

This island is an almost round 72 square kilometres/28 square miles. Gran Canaria supports a wide range of climates and vegetation, has a mountainous center, a lush green north coast and a dry south coast. The island has more than 50 nightclubs and plenty of dive centers to direct divers to the best sites.

Tenerife

Tenerife is the biggest island in the chain and offers lots of different landscapes for visitors to choose from, including the highest mountain in Spain, Mount Teide with a peak at 3717 metres/12266 feet. The most popular and pleasant dives are southwest in the areas around Los Cristianos, Los Gigantes, Las Galletas and the very busy Playa de Las Americas.

Lanzarote

Lanzarote is considered the most spectacular of all the islands. With its 300 inactive volcanoes, the landscape here is more lunar than terrestrial. Diving from the coast is possible in Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise.

Fuerteventura, Hierro, Gomera, La Palma

Fuerteventura provides a total change of scenery from the other islands. Just 60 kilometres/36 miles from the Sahara Desert, it features miles and miles of golden sand and endless dunes. There are a number of dive centers on the island and competition is fierce to take divers to the best dive sites.

Other small islands such as Hierro, La Palma and Gomera are not as well known, but shouldn’t be missed. Each island has its own dive centers, so divers can travel from one to the other and to find what they need rather than take all their equipment with them.

Spain and it surrounding islands form an enormous country, and with more than 50 million visitors yearly, it is one of the world’s largest tourist attractions. Divers come to visit to explore the magnificent underwater world and stay on land to make yet another incredible discovery: the spectacular scenery. 

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