Murcia offers some of the best scuba diving in the Mediterranean and is home to the beautiful Islas Hormigas Reserve. The Marine Reserve was set up in 1995 to protect the area and conserve the marine life, allowing it to grow into the amazing condition that you see it in today. Like an underwater mountain range, these reefs appear from the depths to just below the surface, attracting a large abundance of marine life.
Here you can dive with many species from large grouper and barracuda to schooling jacks and dentex. Mola Mola and tuna can also be seen swimming past at certain times of the year making this area a unique place to dive.
Established in 1995, this 1900 hectare area consists of an underwater mountain ridge and two small islands, has many dive sites, and is a highly protected area turning diving here into an underwater spectacle - akin to diving inside a fish tank. Discover a huge population of groupers, barracuda, octopus, tuna, moray eels, eagle rays, and even the occasional sunfish and turtles.
Due to its location and shallow reefs, these waters have been a fatal trap for passing ships where many ships, including the famous El Sirio have sunk. Many more ships were sunk by German U boats during the World Wars, and the area now offers some fascinating world-class wreck diving.
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The province of Murcia is Spain's best kept secret for scuba diving and is a haven for all types of other watersports such as snorkeling, sailing, kite surfing, paddleboarding, and jet skiing.
The beautiful region is part of the Costa Calida, meaning The Warm Coast, and is located in the south east peninsular of Spain, close to the city of Cartagena. It is home the Islas Hormigas Marine Reserve, which has some of the best diving in Spain and Europe for its abundance of marine life.
Cabo de Palos is well known for its lighthouse which has been operating for over 150 years, warning ships away from its rocky outcrop and providing some shallow and protected bays for scuba diving, snorkeling and fishing.
In the same location you can find Europe’s biggest in-land salt water lagoon, the Mar Menor which is 170 km2. This is the perfect playground for all other watersports due to its shallow, protected waters which provide great conditions for sailing, windsurfing, kite surfing, kayaking, jet ski and powerboating.
Murcia is just over a two hour flight from the UK. The local airport is Murcia International and is just a 20 minute drive from the diving area. Alternatively, Alicante Airport is an hour north of the diving area and there are many budget airlines flying there from as little as £20 one-way so it’s a very affordable and easy option.
