Granada’s Tropical Coast boasts a paradise for diving, regardless of level or experience. La Herradura, flanked by the cliffs of Punta de la Mona and Cerro Gordo, is a natural haven overflowing with marine life and beauty.
If you’re wondering where, when, and how to do your first dives, or even try your first dive or get your Open Water Diver certification, we’ll tell you everything you need to know.
Introductory Dive in La Herradura
A first dive is the first step into the underwater world. It’s not a course that leads to certification, but rather a true experience, feeling total freedom and weightlessness underwater.
The entire experience usually lasts between two and three hours, although the dive itself never exceeds 45 minutes. This is because many things happen before and after your first dive.
You’ll receive a comprehensive briefing on the basics of diving, how the equipment works, and, of course, how to communicate underwater with the instructor.
While still able to stand, you’ll learn to control your breathing before making your first dive. It won’t exceed six meters in depth, but you’ll enjoy a unique experience surrounded by wonderful biodiversity.
You only need to be over ten years old, have no serious respiratory or cardiac problems, and avoid ear infections that could prevent you from equalizing pressure properly.
Best Time to Dive
It’s true that La Herradura is a fantastic place to dive because, among other reasons, you can come and practice the activity any day of the year. You can enjoy diving 365 days a year, but it’s also true that each season has different characteristics.
• Spring: The water temperature begins to rise, and marine life is in full reproduction. It’s an excellent time to see nudibranchs and large schools of fish.
• Summer: The air temperature is high, and the water temperature is warm, reaching its peak. Dives are longer and more comfortable. However, visibility can vary due to plankton.
• Autumn: For many locals, this is the best time. The water is still warm, there are fewer swimmers, and visibility is usually the best of the year.
• Winter: The water is cold, so you’ll need a good wetsuit, but visibility is crystal clear.
Visibility and Currents
Average visibility is usually around 10 to 15 meters, although it can vary depending on the time of year and the wind. On optimal days, visibility can reach 25 metres.
If the wind is from the west, the water has greater visibility, although the current brings cold water, while an easterly wind reduces visibility and can even create some waves.
| Parametre | Average range |
| Visibility | 8m – 25m |
| Winter temperature | 14ºC |
| Summer temperature | 24ºC |
| Difficulty (Introductory Dive) | Very low |
