Arinaga

Steps lead straight off the promenade and into the water at Risco Verde, no boat and no off-road driving needed. A short reef wall opens the dive, its cracks and crevices busy with wrasse, damselfish and parrotfish tucked out of the current. The wall eases into a flatter stretch of sand and scattered rock by around 14-16 metres, the kind of profile that keeps beginners comfortable while still turning up moray eels, small barracuda, octopus and cuttlefish along the way.

Rays and stingrays are a regular find on the sand. An angel shark resting motionless on the bottom is possible but not guaranteed, more likely if you time a visit for the cooler months. One December dive here logged calm water, no current and 15 metres of visibility, with stingrays, octopus and grouper all turning up on a single 16-metre profile. That's one dive, not a promise. It matches how the site is described elsewhere: easy and unhurried.

Risco Verde is the low-barrier way into the same reef system that makes El Cabrón known island-wide, without the unpaved track or the depth of the reserve's deeper sites. Centres route beginners, refresher dives and Discover Scuba experiences through here first, or instead of the harder dives further along the coast. A certified diver without Advanced training who wants the reef's sandy patches and crevice life, minus El Cabrón's currents and off-road entry, finds it here.

The other thing this entry point does well is after dark. Not just beginners, either. Three separate centres single it out specifically for night diving, describing a different mix of species once the sun goes down. That's a specific, repeated recommendation, not generic marketing copy, and it's rare for a beginner-friendly site to double as a serious night-diving spot.

No permit, no fee, and no off-road driving. The steps down from the promenade sit inside the same protected water as El Cabrón, but reaching them doesn't require the land-access permit needed for the unpaved tracks further along the coast. A normal walk-in is all it takes.

Bring a torch and a light source if diving after dark, when the site's night-diving reputation earns its keep. A camera pays off in the shallower, more photogenic crevice sections. A 5mm wetsuit covers most of the year here; step up to 7mm or a semi-dry for winter or repeat dives. As with the rest of this coast, don't expect an angel shark on demand. Its resting spots on the sand are a possibility here, most often between December and April, not a scheduled encounter.