Diving in La Herradura

Boats leave Puerto Deportivo Marina del Este and run east along the Maro-Cerro Gordo cliff coast. Within ten minutes the seabed shifts from sandy coves to vertical walls that plunge past 40 metres. That range defines the area. Calm bay sites host baptism divers taking their first breaths underwater. A short boat ride away, Punta de la Mona drops gorgonian-covered walls where experienced divers find Astroides calycularis and Alcyonium palmatum colonies at depth. Piedras Altas matches Punta de la Mona for deep-wall quality, with cathedral sponges and spiny lobsters on the current-exposed face. Cueva del Jarro hides moray eels and nudibranchs inside a cavern named for the amphorae once found there. La Calita is considered one of the best bay dives, with rays and purple sea fans on a profile that stays shallow. Sixteen catalogued sites span the full spectrum between those extremes. Nudibranch diversity runs to 40+ documented species and peaks in winter, when divers visit specifically for macro photography. Ocean sunfish appear between spring and summer at several sites, including the one that carries their name. The Maro-Cerro Gordo natural park, established in 1989, covers the whole cliff coastline; Marina del Este was declared a separate Natural Reserve in January 2025.

Wind direction shapes every day here. Levante warms the water but cuts visibility and stirs up sandy bottoms around Marina del Este. Poniente drops the temperature a few degrees but clears the water. Ask your centre about conditions before choosing sites. Malaga airport is 80 km away, about 75 minutes by car. Granada is closer at 70 km. All diving in the Maro-Cerro Gordo reserve requires an authorised centre, and individual divers cannot obtain permits independently; the permit fee is folded into your dive price. Multiple established centres operate from La Herradura and Almuñécar, several walkable to the beach or the port. Winter visitors should call ahead. Some centres reduce their schedule between December and March, though year-round diving is well-documented and at least one local operator runs a dedicated winter Open Water programme.

Metamorphic and volcanic cliffs of the Maro-Cerro Gordo natural park, sculpted by marine erosion into underwater walls, caves, and swim-throughs. The sheltered horseshoe bay collects sandy patches and Posidonia meadows between rocky formations.