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    Charming Blue Hotel

    83 Reviews

    You will be staying with:

    You will be diving with:

    Charming Blue Hotel

    83 Reviews
    ☆ 3 star hotel
    Rua Teófilo Braga 31, 9580-535 Vila do Porto, Portugal
    15 rooms
    FREE Internet
    Resort descriptionResort amenitiesHow to get there

    Haliotis Dive Center - Santa Maria Island

    13 Reviews
    PADI 5 star dive center
    Offsite (Free pickup) Show address

    Rua Cruz Teixeira, Hotel Colombo, Vila do Porto, Azores 9580-473, Portugal

    Dive center descriptionDiving services

    Package highlights

    • Charming Blue Hotel is within easy reach of the famously clear waters of the Azores, where you can dive with dozens of blanket rays at once
    • From Baixa da Maia to Gruta Azul, the numerous reserves in the area offer a great variety of dives and enriched experiences
    • The 5* PADI IDC center runs free transfers to and from the hotel, so you waste no time in getting into the water
    • Diving in the Azores is an unmissable experience, with excellent visibility, an abundance of underwater life, and a surprise on every dive
    Read more

    Dates & Prices

    Book now, pay later

    No need to enter any payment details now.
     You only need to pay 48h after your booking is confirmed.

    Payment options
    10% CHEAPER on average than booking rooms & diving direct.
    EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS such as free DAN dive insurance.
    24/7 EXPERT DIVING ADVICE from travel agents who are all divers.
    Book in full confidence. We are PADI, the leader in diving.

    Booking process

    1. BOOKING

    Once we receive your booking, we double check availability with the dive operator and reserve your spot

    2. CONFIRMATION

    We usually get back to you within 24 hours to confirm that your booking is final

    3. 48H FREE CANCELLATION PERIOD

    You then have 48 hours to take care of other travel arrangements. Your credit card will only be charged after that period

    Payment & cancellation

    Payment terms

    • Now: 0%
    • 48 hours after booking confirmation: 55%
    • 75 days before trip start: 100%

    Cancellation fee

    Free cancellation for 48h after confirmation

    • Cancellation more than 37 days prior to arrival: No charges, and we send you a credit note with the total amount. If by the end of the season there’s no more availability, you will receive a cash refund.
    • 40% of the total booking amount will be charged if you cancel more than 21 days prior to arrival.
    • If you cancel less than 21 days prior to arrival, the full booking amount will be retained.

    Explore diving around the Charming Blue Hotel

    What to see

    Due to its location the Azores has an abundance of life. Coastal diving offers various highlights such as slipper lobsters, 9ft (3m) pregnant stingrays that glide in the current streams and dusky groupers the size of a door. However it is the offshore diving that is really astounding, the rich and deep Atlantic water lures in shoals of pelagic life such as barracuda, marlin, wahoo, tuna and jack fish. The Azores is also one of Europe's premier shark diving destinations, where hammerhead and less-commonly whale sharks are seen in visibility that exceeds 120ft (40m).

    The landscape of the Azores is a factor that makes the islands unique. Due to its relatively young geological age, the underwater strata is constantly changing, full with steep drop offs and volcanic arches, gorges and canyons that beg to be explored.

    Dive Center

    Highlights

    • This 5* PADI IDC center has been operating since 2004 and has plenty of insider knowledge to share
    • With mantas as its mascot, Santa Maria offers guaranteed encounters with these magnificent creatures, who can often be seen from the surface
    • Find large shoals of pelagic and sometimes more than a dozen blankets (Mobula tarapacana) at some sites
    • When diving in the Azores, you can expect great visibility and an abundance of underwater life, plus several reserves offering a good variety

    Description

    Haliotis Dive Center operates in Santa Maria in the Azores, where diving conditions are excellent and marine life is abundant. 

    Around Santa Maria there are around 55 diving spots including caves, canyons, walls, and reefs. Encounters with big oceanic species are always a possibility, even in the closer sites. Santa Maria's mascot is the Manta, as it is common to see them from the surface here.

    Custom-designed for the efficiency and comfort of divers, there are: male and female changing rooms with a capacity of up to 60 people, hot water showers with towels, two classrooms, a technical zone with all equipment to rent, a shop selling all the top brands, and a place where you can relax before and after dives.  


    Read more

    DIVING SERVICES

    Diving Facilities

    • Shop
    • Training Pool
    • Wi-Fi (Free)
    • Fish Id And Diving Books

    PADI® Courses Available

    • Open Water (Referral)
    • Project Aware Specialties
    • Intro Dives/Discover Scuba Diving
    • Scuba Refresher
    • Open Water Diver
    • Advanced Open Water Diver
    • Rescue Diver
    • Nitrox Certification
    • Deep Diver Certification
    • Drysuit
    • Underwater Propulsion Vehicle
    • Peak Performance Buoyancy

    Dive boat facilities

    • Ladder
    • Surface Interval Snacks

    Diving gear

    • Tanks With Int (Yoke) Valves
    • Tanks With Din Valves
    • Din/Int Adapters
    • Nitrox ($)
    • Rental Equipment ($)
    • Filling Station

    Languages spoken

    • English
    • Portuguese

    PADI membership level

    • Padi 5 Star Dive Center

    For your safety

    • Emergency Oxygen Kit
    • First Aid Kits

    Resort Amenities

    Activities

    • Cultural Excursions
    • Hiking

    Sports & Watersports

    • Snorkeling
    • Cycling

    Facilities

    • Restaurant
    • Bar / Lounge
    • Swimming Pool(S)
    • Garden

    Payments

    • Visa
    • Mastercard
    • Cash (Eur)
    • Cash (Local Currency)

    Amenities & services

    • Wi-Fi (Free)
    • Air-Conditioning

    Wellness & Relaxation

    • Spa Facility
    • Massage Services
    • Beauty Treatments

    Food & drink

    • A La Carte
    • Snacks All Day
    • Alcohol
    • Vegetarian Food

    Resort Description

    Charming Blue Hotel is located on the enchanting island of Santa Maria in the Azores, known for impeccable dive conditions and rich marine life.

    This boutique hotel is the ideal jumping off point for diving in the Azores and has all you need for a comfortable dive vacation, including a nice restaurant, swimming pool and relaxing rooms.

    The 5* PADI IDC center is just a seven-minute drive away and runs free transfers to and from the hotel. Enjoy diving with large shoals of pelagic and sometimes more than a dozen blankets (Mobula tarapacana) in famously clear waters.

    How to get there

    Arrival 

    • Santa Maria Airport is a 10 minute drive from the resort. 
    • The dive staff will arrange to pick you up from the airport and bring you to the hotel, provided you give advance notice of your flight details (no additional cost). 
    • Check-in time is 4 pm. 

    Departure

    • Check-out time is 12 noon. 
    • The dive staff will drop you back at the airport on your final day, provided you give advance notice of your flight details (no additional cost). 

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