Diving in Menorca

Menorca is one of Europe's most popular dive spots, and it's little wonder. With plenty of sunshine, warm waters of up to 28℃ in the summer months, abundant marine life, and visibility of up to 30m in clear waters, it's easy to see why diving in Menorca is so popular. Our guide to diving in this part of the world will help you hunt down the best spots, and fill you in on the essentials you need to know before you go.

The basics

Most dive centres in Menorca are open from the beginning of April until the end of October, and you'll find they cater for all levels, from beginners to those with PADI certification. There are dive schools offering CMAS and PADI courses and even centres which offer introductory instruction in the privacy of your own villa's pool. One of the best things about diving in Menorca is the small size of the island. It's easy to drive from north to south in under 30 minutes to find your next dive site. Most centres provide all the scuba gear and tanks you'll need, and some provide cleaning and drying facilities for experienced divers bringing their own gear. Spanish law states you must have a medical certificate to ensure you're fit to dive, as well as insurance. It's easy to download a certificate online which your doctor can sign before your holiday, and dive centres will arrange insurance when you arrive.

How much does diving cost?

The cost of a boat dive can vary, but generally speaking most boat trips take around 2.5 hours, giving you 1 hour (or 50 bar in your tank) of dive time. Expect to pay around 40 Euros for a trip of this length, depending on the distance you're travelling and the accessibility of the dive site.

The best dive spots in Menorca

There are some spots that are renowned Menorca diving sites you can't afford to miss. Here are a few of our favourites:

Cave of Light

This dive takes you to a max depth of 12m and is great for inexperienced divers and budding underwater photographers, but bring a torch. Located just outside Cala Galdana, you'll swim through tunnels ending with an ascent into a stunning cave filled with natural light.

Malakoff Wreck

This French cargo vessel sank in a storm on the 2^nd January 1929, shedding its cargo of tiles, cement, steel and glass. Today the cement has solidified to create a reef where you'll find a huge variety of marine life. This is Menorca's most famous wreck dive but it's for specially trained divers only, as you'll descend to a depth of 40m.

Swiss Cheese Cave Dive

At 24m max depth, this dive site on the north coast is ideal for less experienced divers. You'll spot stingrays, crabs, lobsters, moray eels, grouper fish and scorpion fish on your descent. Also worth checking out when diving in Menorca is the Marine Reserve on the northern coast of the island. Because fishing has been prohibited here, you'll see a huge range of marine life, with almost 50 dive sites within easy reach of the Bay of Fornells.