SNORKELLING & DIVING IN COLOMBIA
From the shimmering Pacific to the vibrant Caribbean, Colombia’s unique position as the only South American country with coastlines on both major oceans sets the stage for an unparalleled snorkelling and diving adventure. Nearly half of Colombia’s territory is made up of maritime and island areas, claiming immense diversity and strategic privilege.
This nation’s waters are a treasure trove of biodiversity, offering tranquil retreats and urban beach vacations alike. With year-round snorkelling and diving opportunities, Colombia welcomes marine enthusiasts year-round.
With dives to suit all levels, as well as excellent locations to take diving courses, it is a country that is sure to please everyone who is passionate about exploring under the sea. From professional-level dives from rocky islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, to relaxed snorkelling sessions in calm Caribbean waters, there is something for every level of experience.
However, the Caribbean coast is best visited from April to November for calmer waters and clearer skies, while the Pacific coast, especially Gorgona Island, is ideal between July and October, coinciding with the migration of humpback whales.
The Caribbean coast of Colombia is a snorkeller’s dream. The warm waters are a sanctuary for a staggering amount of marine life. Here, snorkellers can float above the vibrant dance of manatees, the sleek glide of barracudas and the majestic presence of the Caribbean’s largest fish, the goliath grouper. Unique to Colombia, the Magdalena River adds a local touch to the underwater ballet. The Seaflower Biosphere Reserve, encompassing the San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina archipelago, stands as a testament to the Caribbean’s underwater richness, with the vast majority of Colombia’s coral reefs thriving in its waters.
CARIBBEAN
San Andrés and Providencia
Endangered pillar coral, Tete’s Place, Providencia
These two small Caribbean islands are famous for their laid-back vibe, beautiful beaches and unique culture. Providencia is arguably prettier and certainly less touristy than its larger neighbour. However, both offer excellent diving and snorkelling at a range of different levels.
This archipelago offers crystal clear waters and warm temperatures year-round, and it is a favourite destination for all kinds of divers. The group of islands was proclaimed the Seaflower Biosphere by UNESCO in 2000. Providencia is also part of the Old Providence McBean Lagoon National Park, which is home to the third-largest barrier reef in the world.
The marine life here is abundant, and the visibility allows you to observe sea turtles, rays, barracudas and even sharks. Snorkellers will love encountering the wild stingrays in the shallow waters of the Caribbean, while divers can opt to explore a range of wall, reef and cave dives.
The Blue Wall is one of the most popular sites for experiencing the great diversity of marine life in Colombia. Caves, blue holes and shipwrecks are also part of the underwater landscape.
Acuario
The dry season is from December to May and is the best time to travel. However, during the wet season, the rain is not heavy or constant, so travelling between June to November is still pleasant. Water temperatures average 80°F/26°C. With these warm waters, divers can get away with a swimsuit; however, if you tend to get cold or like to protect your skin from sun or stings, wear a 3 mm wetsuit or a dive skin. Bring a hat and a windbreaker to use between dives.
Rosario Islands
White ridge coral off the Rosario Islands
The Rosario Islands are where more than five hundred species of aquatic life exist, including angelfish, trumpet fish and sea turtles, who thrive among the coral reefs. These islands are not just a snorkelling destination but a vibrant, living gallery of marine biodiversity. With crystal-clear waters, the Rosario Islands are a testament to the aquatic wonders of the Caribbean.
Pedro de Heredia wreck is perched on a sandbank north of Cartagena
There are more than twenty-five locations that stand out because of the variety of corals (hard and soft), sponges and reef fishes. Islas del Rosario, Barú, and Tierra Bomba are the most popular dive sites to explore.
San Bernardo Islands
San Bernardo Island
These ten islands are part of the Corales del Rosario and San Bernardo National Park. The park contains the largest coral reef formation in the continental Caribbean, and it has the most diverse marine ecosystem in Colombia.
Like the other dive sites in the area, the fauna is made up of small fish and occasional visitors like turtles, dolphins, whale sharks and manta rays. What is special about this place is the large population of sponges. The Cantil of Tintipán is the best dive spot. There is a plateau that starts at ten feet deep and turns into a wall that goes down to one hundred feet.
Tayrona Park
Large brain coral, Tayrona National Natural Park
This might be an all-time favourite for nature adventurers. It is a popular place to surf and hike in Colombia. However, it is also an important location for scuba diving in Colombia. The park is a world-class diving destination thanks to its different beaches and because there are diving spots for both beginners and professionals. The reef starts at a depth of 9 feet/3 metres and extends in areas of up to 130 feet/40 metres deep. This means that no matter your level of experience, you will enjoy a great dive.
Most of the tours start in Taganga, a small pueblo that has a great number of dive centres. With daily trips to Tayrona Park, you can explore the waters of Playa Blanca, Concha Bay, Chengue and Aguja Island. The latter houses a rock named Morrito Largo, which is perfect for deep dives, and if practising technical diving, you can go as deep as 240 feet/73 metres.
Taganga
Playa Grande
Taganga is the number one place in the country to take a diving course, due, as just mentioned, to a large number of dive operators in the pueblo and consequently low prices. Most of the dives take place in the waters of nearby Tayrona Park, where divers can encounter lovely colourful corals, as well as barracudas and moray eels. Truly lucky travellers can also enjoy sightings of sea turtles and dolphins.
Capurganá and Sapzurro
Capurganá
For those looking to stray from the beaten path, the vehicle-free pueblos of Capurganá and Sapzurro offer secluded beaches and vibrant coral reefs. These hidden gems are perfect for snorkellers and divers seeking tranquillity and unspoiled marine ecosystems.
These two small seafront settlements on the Caribbean border with Panama both offer some of the best diving in the Colombian Caribbean. With water so warm that there is no need for a wetsuit, and visibility of 65 – 100 feet/20 – 30 metres for most of the year.
Sapzurro
There are around thirty different dive sites in the area and several recommended dive companies operating in the towns. The really unique factor of diving in Capurganá and Sapzurro is how pristine and undisturbed the reefs are, allowing divers to observe large numbers of tropical fish, nurse sharks, hawksbill turtles and much more. Snorkellers will also enjoy beautiful visibility and lovely fish just a few feet from the shore.
PACIFIC
While Colombia’s Caribbean coast is famed for its beauty, the Pacific side offers its own unique allure. Home to a variety of sharks, leatherback turtles and the awe-inspiring humpback whale, the Pacific coast is less travelled but equally magnificent.
Gorgona Island, once a penal colony, now invites snorkellers and divers to explore its waters, teeming with giant groupers, dolphins and manta rays. For those seeking a truly remote experience, Malpelo Island’s rugged landscape and rich marine life create an unforgettable adventure.
With world-class dive sites, Malpelo, an isolated island 500 km/311 miles west of the mainland, is famous for schooling hammerheads and silky sharks. The Pacific coast offers more challenging diving, with stronger currents. You are very likely to see big marine inhabitants like sharks, tuna and even humpback whales here. Only one boat can visit at a time, and this must operate out of Colombia.
Bahía Solano
Whales
Bahía Solano is a municipality in the department of Chocó in northwestern Colombia, located on the Pacific coast and nestled in one of the largest coastal rainforest areas in the world. The region is known for its breathtaking nature and rich biodiversity.
This small pueblo is surrounded by numerous rivers and abundant tropical vegetation. The submarine landscape in the Pacific has a rockier seafloor with vertical walls emerging like mountains.
Since it also receives sediments from the rivers, the visibility conditions are variable. However, the best feature of the area is the diverse varieties of fauna you may encounter in the almost 200 dive sites.
Look forward to incredible scuba diving here. Whale watching season is from July to October, so if you are interested in these giants, this could be the best time of the year to visit this paradise. The rest of the year, you can dive with sharks, eels, tuna fish, snappers and many different tropical fish.
The most popular location is where the Sebastián de Belalcázar sank in 2004. You can dive down 100 feet/30 metres, where you can see all kinds of marine life from the hatches. Other areas let you explore sunken mountains and big rocky walls.
With an altitude up to 152 metres/499 feet above sea level, the climate has an average temperature 25°C/77°F. In Bahía Solano, it rains frequently with 6,798 mm/268 inches year-round. The summer season includes the months of January, February, March and mid-August.
The rest of the year is the rainy season, with abundant precipitation between October and early December. The best time to visit to see the humpback whales is between July and October, when you can enjoy the spectacle of their arrival. They make an 8,500 km/5,282 mile journey from the Antarctic. The dance of the whales can be observed from September to October. You can dive here all year round.
One of the most exciting phenomena in Bahía Solano is the sardine run. During April and May, when massive schools of sardines migrate along the coast, attracting predators such as dolphins, whale sharks and birds.
This creates a spectacular display of marine life in action, making it a thrilling experience for divers and wildlife enthusiasts. The nearest hyperbaric chamber is in Buenaventura on the Malaga naval base.
GORGONA ISLAND
Diving at wrecks, Gorgona, with schooling jacks
The Colombian Pacific’s other great diving site, Gorgona Island, was once an isolated prison island. It takes its name from the thousands of snakes that are to be found in its jungles. It is also home to an underwater paradise. Between August and October, humpback whales pass by Gorgona and are often encountered on dives.
Magical Island of Gargona
It is also the only place in Colombia where whale sharks, the planet’s largest fish, can be seen on dive trips. Throw in sea turtles, reef and hammerhead sharks and you have a recipe for some of the best diving on the continent.
Diving is year-round here, but if you want to see whales, book your travel between July and November. Divers may get the chance to see whale sharks between May and June.
Water temperatures range from 68 – 84°F/20 – 29°C according to the time of year. Depending on the season, a light wetsuit or skin or a 5 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves.
Malpelo Island
The isolated rocky island of Malpelo in the waters of the Colombian Pacific is the Holy Grail of Colombian diving. It can only be reached on a live on board dive vessel, as it lies 311 miles/500 kilometres to the west of the Colombian mainland.
However, for hardcore diving enthusiasts, there is surely no better place in Colombia to discover the remarkable marine life of the Pacific. The shark population is unique, and divers regularly encounter groups of up to 500 hammerhead sharks, as well as silky sharks and the rare and enigmatic sand tiger sharks. Malpelo is not easy or particularly cheap to visit, but it is definitely a once in a life time diving experience.
Underwater at Malpelo
The water temperature between December and April is lower, increasing your chances of encountering schools of sharks in shallow water, as well as the Malpelo shark (Odontaspis ferox.). Silky shark and whale shark sightings are often during the warm water periods, between May and November.
The cooler waters from January to April reach temperatures around 74°F/23°C with visibility averaging 45 feet/15 metres. May to December is the rainy season, with warmer waters of 80f/27c and visibility up to 100 feet/30 meters. Depending on the season, a light wetsuit or skin or a 5 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves.
We recommend bringing a reef hook and a marine rescue GPS due to the remote location and strong currents.
Offshore Malpelo
Tota Lake, Boyacá
Tota Lake
A wildcard entry for diving is Lake Tota, the largest lake in Colombia, which is not somewhere most people have heard of, let alone thought of going to for diving. However, the chance to enjoy some sensational high-altitude diving in a cold Andean lake is practically unique in South America.
As the lake allows for only fairly shallow dives, Tota is a great place for beginners. There is not as much to see during a dive in Tota, but the visibility is surprisingly good at 30 – 70 feet/10 – 20 metres at times, with this unique experience makes the lake worthy of a mention.
La Piscina
This small, sheltered bay in Tayrona National Park is the polar opposite of Malpelo or Gorgona on the Pacific side. No giant sharks or high-level dives here. Instead, the lovely Piscina beach is the ideal place to enjoy the best of snorkelling in Colombia, with calm, warm waters and abundant aquatic life.
It is the perfect place to enjoy snorkelling with children, or for anyone unqualified to dive. You are unlikely to come across anything truly breathtaking, but lucky snorkellers occasionally come across turtles and the lovely and colourful tropical fish make La Piscina a tremendous opportunity to snorkel in Tayrona.
Parque Tayrona really offers a great variety of different dive sites, Aguja being one that you should not miss. Windy season is December to April, causing the water to cool to 70°F/21°C. Even though there is wind, this is when you will experience the best visibility.
The rest of the year, temperatures range from 75 – 85°F/24 – 30°C and visibility from 30 – 45 feet/10 – 15 metres. Depending on the season, a light wetsuit or skin or a 5 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves is advisable.
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