Los Chuchos

Also known as: The Rays

A popular boat dive off Las Galletas, south Tenerife, built around a resident fish spur and the small Estorne wreck, with frequent ray sightings.

Last updated July 2026

The dive

The dive centres on two anchors: a rocky spur where a resident roncadores school gathers in dense numbers, and the small Estorne wreck resting nearby in the sand at 20 metres. It's a short, explorable wreck rather than a penetration dive, small enough to take in as part of a wider circuit. Rays turn up resting on the bottom or tucked between rocks along the way, and the route also passes an archway before heading back toward the boat. Nothing about the profile demands technical skill, just steady buoyancy through the overhead sections.

What makes it special

Plenty of Tenerife sites promise rays. Fewer pair that with a real, named wreck small enough to actually explore rather than just glimpse from a distance. The combination of a resident fish spur, a genuine wreck, and a consistent ray population gives Los Chuchos more to hold your attention than a single-feature site, which is likely why local operators return to it so often.

Know before you go

Keep buoyancy tight around the wreck and the cavern sections rather than settling on the sand. Watch the surface for boat traffic near Las Galletas harbour before ascending. If ray numbers matter to you, ask your operator about recent conditions. October and the broader autumn window are the best-supported times for calm water and strong visibility here.

Why Dive Los Chuchos

What makes this dive site stand out.

  1. A named wreck, not a rumour

    The small sailboat Estorne sits upright at 20m, sunk in front of Las Galletas harbour

  2. Resident roncadores spur

    A large grunt-fish school works a rocky spur near the wreck

  3. Multiple ray species

    Round stingrays, eagle rays and common stingrays all frequent the area

  4. South-coast conservation zone

    Sits within the Sebadales del Sur marine protected area

Depth & Profile

12m
Min depth
23m
Max depth
16–21m
Typical range
ReefWreckSandy bottomSandRock

Location

28.0037°N, 16.6603°W

Conditions & difficulty

Temperature
19°C – 24°C
Visibility
15–30m
Current
Negligible
Best season
Diveable year-round

Diveable year-round; October is flagged as the calmest, warmest window, and autumn brings peak visibility and angel shark sightings

Cost

Contact a local operator for current pricing

Checked July 19, 2026
EasyMin cert: Open Water

Open Water certification is generally sufficient; the overhead sections around the wreck and caverns ask for tight buoyancy

Summary

Suitable for all levels, with more involved overhead sections around the wreck and caves

Safety considerations

What can go wrong here, and what divers do about it. Conditions change - take the briefing from the operator on the day.

  • Overhead: The wreck and cavern sections create overhead environmentsKeep buoyancy tight and avoid penetration beyond what the site allows
  • Surface and boat traffic: Boat traffic near Las Galletas harbourWatch the surface before ascending

Marine Life

Dive Centers

View all

Book a guided dive at this site.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Estorne at Los Chuchos?

A small sailboat, sunk upright at around 20 metres in front of Las Galletas harbour. It sits in the sand near the site's main rocky spur and is explored as part of the wider dive rather than a dedicated penetration wreck.

Is Los Chuchos the same site as Stingrays?

No. Los Chuchos sits off Las Galletas on Tenerife's south coast; Stingrays is a separate site off Los Gigantes on the west coast. Both have strong ray populations, which is why they're often confused, but they're different dives.

How many rays can you see at Los Chuchos?

Multiple ray species are regularly reported, including round stingrays, eagle rays and common stingrays. Some divers report exceptional days with many rays at once, though that's not the baseline to expect every visit.

Is Los Chuchos suitable for less experienced divers?

Yes, Open Water certification is generally sufficient for the main route. The overhead sections around the wreck and small caves ask for tighter buoyancy control.

When is the best time to dive Los Chuchos?

It's diveable year-round, but October stands out as the calmest, warmest window here. Autumn generally sharpens visibility across the south coast too.

Videos

DIVECODEX LOG

Every dive has a story. Share yours.

Log your dives - notes, photos, conditions and the marine life you saw - and share them as one public diver profile. What you share helps the next diver, too.

Log every detail

Depth, duration, conditions, gear, buddy, notes — all in one place. Import from Suunto and other dive computers.

Track marine life

Record species sightings on each dive. Build a personal catalogue of everything you've seen underwater.

Your public dive profile

Share your dive history, stats, and experiences with a profile page you control. Show the world where you've been.

Create your free dive log