Tritón Diving Llafranc
Family-owned dive center in Llafranc since 1979, with 4.9/5 on 717 Google reviews, covering 11 sites across two Costa Brava dive areas.
SSI5 services5 languages
Diving in Palamós
Central Costa Brava dive cluster built around a working fishing port, with the Boreas wreck, Ullastres gorgonian walls, and the Formigues archipelago.
Last updated May 2026
Overview
Palamós occupies the middle of the Costa Brava dive coast, and what distinguishes it is density. Several dive centres share one marina quay, with another working out of La Fosca beach, which means gear, parking, chandlers, and a hyperbaric chamber all sit within a short walk of the boat. That concentration is matched by what the boats are going to: the Boreas, a 40 m vessel scuttled as an artificial reef in 1989 and now the most-dived wreck on the Catalan coast, with the bridge at around 25-28 m and the keel at 32 m, penetrable at the engine room, kitchen, bridge, and captain's cabin; the three Ullastres pinnacles, whose 25-35 m band carries curtains of red gorgonians with yellow and white species layered on the outer slope; and the Illes Formigues archipelago 4.8 km offshore, whose 16 islets add canyons, posidonia, and a winter-peak nudibranch crawl.
The area earns its following through the combination, not any one site. Canons de Tamariu delivers three parallel gorgonian canyons. Llosa de Palamós sits five minutes from port and covers the widest range of depths and terrain of any single site in the inventory. The deep end runs out to Furió Fitó, Gorgonies, and La Roca del Món, which reach beyond recreational limits and keep Gidive's TDI technical programme busy. None of it requires a permit. No reserve paperwork, no daily cap, no booking weeks ahead; the centres compete on boat size, group size, and instructor teams rather than reservation slots.
Planning your visit
Girona-Costa Brava airport sits 35 km away, Barcelona 110 km by motorway. Direct buses run from Barcelona in about two hours for 18-30 EUR. Summer runs warm on the surface (22-26 C) but a thermocline forms from late spring, so bottom water at the Boreas keel, Ullastres III, or Gorgonies sits at 14-19 C even in August; plan a 7 mm with hood for those profiles rather than the surface-temperature wetsuit. Visibility runs 15-20 m on a typical good day, with spring plankton blooms and post-storm runoff dropping it sharply when they arrive.
Summer weekends are busy at the Boreas, so mid-week or September and October are the sweet spot. When N-NE wind closes the outer pinnacles, Formigues is the sheltered fallback. Night diving is possible by arrangement; Palamós Dive Center lists a night-dive supplement and night dives on the Boreas have been run. The Ullastres, Canons de Tamariu, Illes Formigues, and Furió Fitó are shared with Llafranc, Tamariu, Calella, and Begur respectively, so expect other boats on the larger sites.
Geology & underwater terrain
Rocky coastline with submerged pinnacles (the Ullastres, Furió Fitó), a shallow promontory (Llosa de Palamós), parallel gorgonian canyon systems (Canons de Tamariu), and the 16-islet Illes Formigues archipelago 4.8 km from port. Continuous posidonia meadows between hard structures.
Top Dives
The must-do dives in this area, picked by our editors.
- 1
Recently certified Advanced divers running their first wreck or first 30 m dive on the Costa Brava
- 2
Macro-leaning recreational divers who want canyon walls of red and white gorgonians on routes that fit Open Water and Advanced groups on the same boat
- 3
AOW and deeper-experience divers who want the densest gorgonian wall of the Ullastres trio with depth and open-sea exposure
- 4
Mixed-certification groups wanting one pinnacle that lets OW divers stay shallow on the south slope while AOW divers work the east-and-north gorgonian face
- 5
All-level divers wanting Palamós' shortest boat ride and a multilevel route from training shallows to a small wreck
Dive sites map
Diamonds mark nearby dive areas — tap to explore.
Dive sites in Palamós
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Illes FormiguesFeatured
Offshore archipelago of 16 islets between Palamós and Calella with gorgonian-lined canyons, dense nudibranchs, and dual routes from 3 to 32 m.
Moderate38mBoatReefWallCanyon
Ullastres I
Shallowest of the three Ullastres pinnacles off Llafranc, a wide-topped seamount from 10 to 32m where crevice-rich base rocks shelter scorpionfish, morays, and congers.
Easy32mBoatPinnacleWall
Ullastres II
Middle Ullastres pinnacle off Llafranc, with 25m gorgonian towers, a south-face fissure sheltering lobsters, and an asymmetric profile for mixed groups.
Moderate8–32mTech to 42mBoatPinnacleWall
Ullastres III
Outermost and deepest of the three Ullastres pinnacles off Llafranc, a near-vertical north wall to 50-55m densely covered in red and yellow gorgonians.
Advanced25–40mTech to 55mBoatPinnacleWall
El Boreas wreck
Most-visited wreck on the Costa Brava: a 40 m former German Navy tugboat scuttled off Palamós in 1989, with five penetrable rooms from 18 to 32 m.
Advanced32mBoatWreckArtificial reef
Roca Roja
Long rocky ridge (barra) from 9 to 32 m off Platja d'Aro with two peaks, two canyons, gorgonian walls at depth, and barracuda schools above the shallow crest.
Moderate32mBoatReefPinnacleWall
Llosa de Palamós
Shallow promontory five minutes from Port Marina with rocky cracks and channels at 6-25 m and the El Cairo fishing-boat wreck at 32-34 m.
Easy38mBoatReefPinnacle
El Tabal
Three aligned underwater rocks off the Sant Sebastià lighthouse with a vertical gorgonian east wall and a sloping coralligenic west face at 21-44 m.
Advanced23–38mTech to 44mBoatPinnacleWall
Pecio del Cairo
Scattered fishing-boat remains at 32-34 m off La Llosa de Palamós, reached by a 120 compass bearing as the deep leg of a multilevel dive.
Advanced34mBoatWreck
Roca del Món
Gorgonian-covered offshore pinnacle off Palamos with a 21 m summit terrace and south wall dropping to 42 m. All levels via eco-guide; advanced for the full depth.
Advanced22–30mTech to 42mBoatPinnacle
Dive centres in Palamós
View allBook online or contact a centre that dives this area.
Anemone Diving Center
PADI, SSI, and CMAS center at Port Marina Palamós with year-round boat dives, small groups, and full MARES equipment. SSI Instructor Training Center.
PADI / SSI / CMAS5 services5 languages
Brava Divers
SSI dive school in Sant Antoni de Calonge on the Costa Brava, built around small-group try dives, Open Water, and specialty courses.
SSI3 services4 languages
Diversub
Small SSI center on the Cala Gogo beachfront near Sant Antoni de Calonge, capping discover dives at two and courses at four, with the boat from Palamos.
SSI6 services4 languages
Gidive Center Palamós
PADI 5-Star IDC Center at Port Marina Palamós with technical, recreational, and freediving programs and daily boat trips to Ullastres and the Boreas wreck.
PADI / SSI5 services4 languages
H2O Diving Center
SSI center at Port Marina Palamós, open every day of the year, with the 30-pax MANSABA boat covering Boreas, Ullastres, and Illes Formigues.
SSI3 services4 languages
Palamos Dive Center
SSI and PADI center inside Port Marina Palamós, twenty-plus years operating, with a published price list and a 4.8/237 Google rating under owner Jordi.
SSI / PADI3 services4 languages
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Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the Boreas wreck a signature Costa Brava dive?▾
The Boreas was deliberately scuttled in 1989 as one of the coast's first artificial reefs, and more than three decades of growth have covered the hull in sponges and invertebrates. The bridge and stern sit around 25-28 m, the keel at 32 m, and the 40 m length can be swum before deciding whether to enter the engine room, kitchen, bridge, or captain's cabin. For many Catalan and French divers it is their first-ever wreck, which is why centres from Palamós, Calella, and Begur all schedule it regularly.
Do I need a permit to dive in Palamós?▾
No. Palamós has no marine reserve and no diving quota. A 2009 proposal to create a fishing reserve around the Illes Formigues was shelved in 2011 after more than a thousand residents demonstrated against it. Spanish and Catalan rules do require divers over 12 to hold a doctor-signed medical certificate for discover-scuba activities, which the local centres coordinate.
How does Palamós compare with L'Estartit and Illes Medes?▾
Medes has the reputation: forty years of no-take protection, tame groupers, and a strict permit system. Palamós offers comparable gorgonian walls at the Ullastres and adds the Boreas wreck, without permits or daily diver caps. Divers routinely pair the two on a multi-day trip: Medes for the reserve effect, Palamós as a base with wider parking, more centres, and a wreck to repeat.
What certification do I need for diving in Palamós?▾
Open Water is enough for the beach dives, Llosa de Palamós, and the Formigues shallows. The Boreas at 18-32 m and the deeper Ullastres profiles need Advanced Open Water. Furió Fitó, Canons de Tamariu, and La Roca del Món are for experienced divers comfortable with currents and depth beyond 35 m; Gidive runs TDI technical training for those committing to the deep pinnacles.
When is the best time to dive Palamós?▾
June through October delivers the warmest water and the fullest boat schedules. July and August can be crowded at the Boreas, so September is the sweet spot for shoulder-season visibility with smaller groups. Winter rewards macro specialists: monkfish, john dory, and occasional mola mola appear, in exchange for 13-14 C surface water and a 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit.
Which dive centre should I choose in Palamós?▾
Several centres share the Port Marina quay, with another operating from La Fosca, so you can compare in person. Gidive carries the strongest review profile, with PADI 5-Star status, a large boat, and a named-instructor team. Palamós Dive Center is the long-running classic with the widest published site list and the nearest hyperbaric access. H2O is the SSI, biology-forward option. Anemone covers multiple agencies with a technical lean. Fosca Divers is the small-group beach alternative.
Where is the nearest hyperbaric chamber?▾
Under 500 m from Palamós Dive Center, inside Port Marina itself. This is one of the reasons the port cluster is positioned as a practical base for deeper profiles like the Ullastres and Furió Fitó. Neighbouring Begur and Tamariu operations also reference Palamós as the closest chamber.
Are there shore diving options in Palamós?▾
A handful. Cala Margarida has shore entry near traditional fishermen shacks with octopus, scorpionfish, and nudibranchs in shallow water. Morro del Vedell at Port Marina is the training beach that most centres use for Open Water skills. Cap Gros and Espigó de Palamós add shallow rocky entries. The signature sites (Boreas, Ullastres, Formigues, Canons) all require a boat from Port Marina.
How does diving from Palamós compare with Tossa de Mar?▾
Tossa is shore-first with a granite coast of calas and pinnacles, and its infrastructure is smaller-scale. Palamós is boat-first from a full marina, with the Boreas wreck as a headline Tossa does not have, and a multi-centre cluster at one quay. A common pattern is a week in Palamós for the wreck and the Ullastres, with Tossa as a day-trip add-on for shore diving and macro.
Is nitrox available in Palamós?▾
Yes. Palamós Dive Center sells nitrox fills at an 8 EUR supplement, and Gidive includes PADI Nitrox in its course catalogue. Both make sense for repeat profiles on the Boreas keel and for the deep Ullastres pinnacles.
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