Cueva del Pargo Reef

Cueva del Pargo Reef

“Cueva del Pargo” translates from Spanish to “Caves of the Snappers”. As the name suggests, this section of the reef features many small caves and overhangs where snappers, lobsters, crabs, moray eels, and other fish reside.

The largest part of the reef is covered with a dense coral garden and is therefore particularly suitable for photographing smaller inhabitants such as squat anemone shrimp, transparent anemone shrimp, spider crabs, or seahorses, which are often encountered.

Diving here is usually done from south to north, allowing divers to easily drift along and over the reef with the gentle current. After about half an hour of diving, or depending on how long one has taken, a large sandy area begins where the statue of the “Virgen de Caracol” can be found at approximately 9 meters (30 ft).

After a few minutes across this sandy area, you reach a section called “La Isla“, the Island. With a lot of seagrass growing in the sand, it’s not uncommon to encounter turtles or southern stingrays when crossing the bay. The island is known for often seeing adult barracudas lurking for prey in the current. Predominantly stony corals grow here and are home to many lobsters.

The maximum diving depth at Cuevas del Pargo is approximately 11.5 meters (38 ft). Due to the usually very gentle current, it is easy to dive here.