Santa Ponca
Explore MallorcaMallorca, the largest and most populated of Spain's Balearic Islands, is renowned fo
Explore Mallorca
Mallorca, the largest and most populated of Spain's Balearic Islands, is renowned for its vibrant nightlife and pristine white-sand beaches. However, the island offers much more beneath its azure waters. Situated in the Mediterranean Sea, Mallorca is a diver's paradise, boasting a stunning underwater landscape filled with intricate rock formations, labyrinthine tunnels, and ethereal caves illuminated by the ocean's blue light. The island's southern coastline, near the bustling resort town of Magaluf, is particularly notable for its spectacular wrecks and easy access to three marine reserves: Islas Malgrats, El Toro, and Isla Dragonera. These reserves are thriving sanctuaries for diverse marine life, including sea turtles, seahorses, and large schools of barracuda.
In the eastern part of the island, near Cala Bona and Cala Millor, expansive areas of Posidonia seagrass provide crucial breeding grounds for various reef fish. Mallorca's dive centers are predominantly located in three key areas: the southwest coastline, centered around the Bay of Palma and Santa Ponsa; the west coast, which serves the entire western region from the marine reserve of Cala Ratjada in the north to Porto Cristo in the south; and the north coast, where divers can explore the caves near Port Pollensa and Alcudia. The southwest coast is particularly popular for diving, with numerous dive resorts offering courses that cater to everyone from first-time divers to those aspiring to become professional divers, all eager to explore and express their passion for the underwater world.
Places to explore
Courses and Events
Dive Activity
Diving in Mallorca
Many of the dive sites on Mallorca are suitable for beginner divers yet, some of the dive sites will require divers to be more advanced - including several of the cavern dives located in the bay of Alcudia and Pollensa such as ‘S Cave’. Despite the southern and western coastline providing more accessibility for beginners, there is also an easy shore entry site in the bay of Alcudia known as ‘Alcanda’, ideal for the training dives in dive courses.From Santa Ponsa, there is the opportunity to explore three marine reserves while, in the summer months, dive trips are organised to Cabrera National Park, where divers can explore underwater canyons and towering walls. Nearby, from the bay of Palma, the Palma Wrecks can be penetrated with the chance to access the command deck and holds of the ships.On the east coast, steep vertical walls rise up from the ocean while rocky seafloors are carpeted thick with seagrass. There are several caves, such as ‘Devil’s Cave’ where it is possible to surface inside the cave and breathe fresh air in the air-pocket. At the ‘Column Wreck’, beginner divers can experience wreck diving among a 13th-Century Italian merchant ship. The site gets its name from the marble posts it was carrying which are now visible at 14-metres on the seabed.
Top Wildlife Sightings in Mallorca
There may not be stunning coral reefs to enjoy while exploring the Balearic Islands’ underwater landscape, but a variety of marine life thrives among the rock formations and marine reserves. Divers have the chance to encounter several different species of rays, from the eagle rays that can be spotted while diving in the El Toro Marine Reserve to the majestic manta rays that lucky divers may witness while exploring the sandy seabeds of the east coast. Stingrays are often seen resting on sandy flats while during wreck dives giant schools of barracuda make an appearance. Utilising the wreck as an artificial reef, scorpionfish, octopus, conger eel and moray eel as well as a whole host of crustaceans can be seen.
A day trip to Cabrera National Park from Santa Ponsa provides the opportunity to encounter over 500 different species of marine life, cuttlefish, dolphins and sea turtles included. Giant groupers roam around rock formations and brightly-coloured nudibranch can be witnessed. At sites that experience stronger currents, pelagics such as tuna and amberjacks can be found while in the summer months, it is possible to observe juvenile fish, seahorse and pipefish taking refuge in the east coast’s seagrass meadows. Occasionally, sightings of the awe-inspiring ocean sunfish have been recorded in Mallorca - so ensure to gather up some luck before you dive in!
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 300
Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl
Octopus
2.2k Sightings
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4
F
11
M
6
A
82
M
122
J
229
J
546
A
686
S
308
O
201
N
20
D
2
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 200
Alamy-WaterFrame
Moray Eel
2k Sightings
J
7
F
7
M
7
A
46
M
46
J
185
J
398
A
577
S
380
O
272
N
20
D
10
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 27
iStock-Global_Pics
Barracuda
1.9k Sightings
J
2
F
4
M
3
A
43
M
103
J
209
J
443
A
467
S
310
O
280
N
22
D
6
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 250
Shutterstock-Henry_and_Laura_Whittaker
Grouper/Basslets
1.6k Sightings
J
4
F
3
M
2
A
15
M
43
J
136
J
382
A
571
S
288
O
174
N
21
D
5
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 3000
SSI-Peter-Schinck
Nudibranch
306 Sightings
J
2
F
2
M
3
A
11
M
10
J
55
J
61
A
87
S
35
O
28
N
9
D
3
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 150
Shutterstock-aquapix
Sweetlips and Grunts
289 Sightings
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0
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
1
J
5
J
125
A
94
S
20
O
38
N
1
D
3
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 250
iStock-Miguel-Angelo-Silva.
Scorpionfish
239 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
3
A
13
M
6
J
13
J
62
A
73
S
18
O
42
N
5
D
3
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 80
iStock/Extreme-Photographer
Stingrays
138 Sightings
J
1
F
1
M
3
A
2
M
4
J
11
J
43
A
51
S
18
O
2
N
2
D
0
Year-Round Diving in Mallorca
Mallorca diving is possible throughout the entire year yet the majority of divers tend to favour the period between May and October when the water temperature is at its most comfortable. The water temperature ranges from 14°C in winter to an average of 25°C in the summer months. In the months that see cooler waters, there can still be some excellent diving to be had, with basking shark sightings more common in the winter months. If you decide to take a dip in the winter months just ensure to don a thicker wetsuit!
Visiting Mallorca between September and April it is likely that there will be some rainfall, with the heaviest during the months of November and December. Outside of these months, it is likely to find dry weather and sunshine with air temperature averaging 25°C in the peak of summer. During the summer months, keen-eyed divers are most likely to spot a seahorse clinging to a gorgonian sea fan or in seagrass meadows.
