La Restinga

Best time to dive

January to December; September to November

What you might see

• Manta rayPossible
• Sea turtleLikely
• Whale sharkPossible

Sightings are seasonal probabilities, not promises - even in peak season nature does its own thing.

Certification & difficulty

Advanced Open Water - advanced conditions (currents/depth); dive within your training.

Snorkelling

Not a snorkel site - Limited - most reserve access is boat/buoy-based over deeper reef and seamount terrain; no dedicated shallow snorkel trail documented in sources found

Safety notes

Localized current/surge at the El Bajón seamount, depth on deeper profiles, volcanic rock terrain, rare swell days from southern gales

Permits & fees

Diving in the reserve (e.g., the El Bajón dive point) is governed by a government dive-point authorization system under Orden APA/89/2005, which sets an annual diver quota (2,300 divers/year cap at El Bajón; expanded by +700 authorizations through 31 Dec 2023 per a Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food resolution responding to a Canarian Government request). Authorized local dive centers handle the paperwork for clients, and the reserve/permit fee is typically bundled into the dive package price (e.g., Centro de Buceo El Hierro advertises dives 'from €85' with reserve documentation included). No separate published per-diver EUR permit fee was found in sources searched.

Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.

Location

Nearest hub: La Restinga