The location of the Azores allows access to a diversity of diving spots, diving that can be done in coastal areas, natural shelters in bays, underwater banks, caves, coastal shallows or even in deep-sea areas. In addition, the centrality of the islands and the transition of currents that occurs in this part of the Atlantic allows immense species, many of them of great dimensions, to circulate in the waters. Jamantas, blue sharks, and more than 600 different fish species make the Azores a great destination to practice this activity. And there’s more, the cherry on top of the cake: there are sunken ships and archaeological remains on the ocean floor of our islands. Stay tuned and discover in this article the top 10 diving spots in the Azores.
Baixa dos Rosais (São Jorge)
Baixa dos Rosais is 75 minutes by boat from the port of Velas. It has an average depth of 17 meters and the currents are moderate but can be strong. It is a type of low shore diving, it is a perfect place for underwater photography and it is necessary to have the experience to perform the modality in this place. Before starting the activity
The main attraction of this place is the possibility of seeing large specimens. It requires some experience, although it can be done with someone who has it. The most common species to be seen here are lilies, anchovies, beaked, sawfish and bonito. On the top of the cliff you can see some less common species, such as rockfish and moray eels.
Caneiros dos Meros (Corvo)
Caneiros dos Meros is located only 3 minutes away from the harbour of Vila Nova do Corvo. It has an average depth of 25 meters, which can go up to 45 meters of maximum depth, and the currents are weak. It is a coastal type of diving, it is great for underwater photography and requires experience.
It is the only Voluntary Reserve in the Azores. It was created about 10 years ago in an agreement between fishermen and divers due to the presence of large grouper (epinephelus marginatus). Besides, it is considered as the place in the Azores with the highest abundance of this species.
It is a place that is off-limits to fishing due to the abundance of this species and because it is a place that presents a rare concentration of rare species. The diving is done through canyons formed by lava flows. In addition to grouper, dogfish (pseudolepidaplois scrofa) abound here.
Formigas Islets (Santa Maria)
The Ilhéu das Formigas is located in the middle of the ocean between the island of São Miguel and the island of Santa Maria. It can be reached by boat: 70 minutes from the port of Vila do Porto, 120 minutes from the port of Vila Franca do Campo and 150 minutes from the port of Ponta Delgada. This place has an average depth of 20 meters and a maximum depth of 60 meters. The currents here are moderate and can be strong. It is a propitious place for underwater photography and snorkelling.
It is considered one of the best places for diving in the Azores, due to its location that allows encounters with the most varied species. Just along the journey to the said place allows divers to spot cetaceans, turtles and sea birds.
This site offers a wide range of diving sites, such as the “Olympia” wreck. Here you will find large pelagics such as bonito (katsuwonus pelamis), bigeye tuna (thunnus obesus) and wahoo (acanthocybium solandre). Sometimes, it is also home to the hammerhead shark (sphyrna zygaena), the Galapagos shark (carcharinus galapagensis) or even the giant manta ray (manta birostris).
Gruta dos Enxaréus (Flores)
The Gruta dos Enxaréus is located 10 minutes from the port of Santa Cruz, has an average depth of 15 meters and a maximum of 23 meters. The current at this location is weak and is great for coastal and cave diving. Although it is an area close to a sheltered bay, exploring the caves requires experience.
Here you have the opportunity to enter a long cave where you can often witness the passage of magnificent rats (dasyatis pastinaca). Outside the cave, as it is located in a small bay, you can calmly explore the ocean floor. There you can see shoals of fish such as the pigfish (balistes carolinensis), limpets (pseudocaranx dentex) and lilies (seriola rivoliana).
Âncoras do Ilhéu (São Miguel)
Âncoras do Ilhéu is located 2 minutes from Vila Franca do Campo marina and 45 minutes from Ponta Delgada marina. The site has an average depth of 16 meters and a maximum depth of 22 meters.
It is a type of low shore diving and wreck diving, an ideal place for night diving, underwater photography and for diving baptism.
This site is small shallow about 40 metres long, where it is possible to see several anchors about 100 years old. These archaeological remains date back to the time when Vila Franca do Campo was the first historical capital of the island of São Miguel.
Along the sandy bottom, there are about 10 anchors that can reach 2 meters in length. The proximity of this dive site to the reserve of the Islet of Vila Franca do Campo allows the existence of a lot of marine life. Besides the anchors, you can see moray eels, nudibranchs, rats and mullets.
Terceirense Shipwreck (Graciosa)
The Terceirense Wreck is located 15 minutes from the Santa Cruz da Graciosa harbour and 2 minutes from the Praia harbour. It has an average depth of 17 meters and a maximum depth of 21 meters. The currents are weak and can be moderate. It is a type of coastal and wreck diving, it is great for night diving and underwater photography.
As the depths and proximity to the harbour are relatively shallow, this spot is accessible to any type of diver. This shipwreck happened in 1968. A ship from Terceira with about 40 meters of length sank in the port of Praia and the wreck remained in this place.
It is considered one of the best diving sites of the Azores and of the Graciosa island. The stern of the ship is the most intact part and there you can see shoals of lilyfish (sriola rivoliana) and salemas (sarpa salpa). In the remaining wreckage of the vessel, you may also see groupers, chestnuts, kingfish, large grouper, whiting, conger eels and moray eels.
Dori (São Miguel)
The Ship Dori is located 5 minutes from Ponta Delgada marina and 45 minutes from Vila Franca do Campo marina. The area has an average depth of 16 meters and a maximum depth of 21 meters. The currents at the site are weak, it is a type of wreck diving and is a great place for night diving, underwater photography and snorkelling.
It is considered by many as the best dive site on the island of São Miguel. This ship is a Liberty Ship built during the 2nd world war in the USA. The ship sank 800 meters off the coast in 1964.
The area has enormous quantities of shoals of fish common to the Azores, especially the bream (diplodus sargus cadenati), much due to the fact that fishing is prohibited in this area.
Gruta dos Camarões (Faial)
Gruta dos Camarões is located 10 minutes away from the port of Horta. It has an average depth of 20 metres and a maximum of 35 metres. The currents are weak, it is a type of deep and cave diving and is a great place for technical diving as well as underwater photography.
Next to the slope of Monte da Guia, this site allows deep-diving inside a cave, therefore experience and certification in cave diving are required.
Inside the cave, you may see large specimens of conger (conger conger) and authentic shoals of narwhal shrimp (plesionika narwhal).
Arcos do Pocinho (Pico)
Arcos do Pocinho is located 15 minutes from the Madalena harbour. It has an average depth of 18 metres and a maximum of 23 metres. The currents in this area are weak, it is a type of coastal and cave diving and is a great place for underwater photography.
In the bathing area of Pocinho, you can dive on a fascinating seabed. This has a great geological richness and the arches serve as shelter for many species. As you begin your descent to a depth of 23 metres, you will see valley-like rock formations with irregular bottoms ending in two joined arches (which give this dive site its name).
The cave is contoured by these two arches and there you will be able to observe crustaceans, sea slugs and the famous yellow chestnuts. In addition, you will be able to see the shoals of beaked whales and the shoals of skates.
Gruta do Ilhéu das Cabras (Terceira)
The cave of the islet ilhéu das Cabras is located 10 minutes from the port of Angra do Heroísmo and 35 minutes from the port of Praia da Vitória. This site has an average depth of 15 meters and a maximum depth of 24 meters. The currents are weak, this is a type of coastal and cave diving, thus being a propitious place for underwater photography and snorkelling.
This cave, due to its large dimension, can be accessed by boat. This fact transmits some easiness to this diving place, therefore it does not need much experience nor a special license for its practice.
The entrance of the cave is at 15 meters and in its interior, we can see a fantastic game of light, many times full of shadows due to the presence of innumerable rats (myliobatis aquila). The cave is even known as the “Cave of the Rats” due to the abundance of the species. Outside the cave, and at the bottom of this place, you can still see the typical fauna of the Azorean bottom, as well as several shoals of lilies, beaked and anchovies.
