1: Punta Galera
Situated just 10 mins by car north of San Antonio is Punta Galera, a site you will find us at weekly throughout the summer. After turning off the tarmac road and heading down a bumpy unsealed track for a few minutes you come to the wide flat rocks characteristic of only this part of the island. The comfortable rocks make this a popular place with sunbathers and a real life hermit living in a cave here adds to the mystery of this place. The fact that he sells the perfect Mojito is a real bonus too!
Underwater fish life here is some of the best on the island with regular octopus sightings and schools of baitfish surrounding us when we dive. A short swim off shore and the seabed drops away to 30m+ making it our favourite site for beginner and intermediate courses. Line diving sessions here in the evening as the sun is setting are honestly some of the best Freediving experiences I have had anywhere.
2: The Blue Holes
In the North West of the island at a top-secret location you will find these amazing underwater formations we call the ‘Blue Holes’. A reef structure approximately 50 meters long dotted with holes and swim throughs like a giant block of swiss cheese. Depths range from 5m to 12m and the swim throughs vary from small arches to underwater tunnels 20m long. A really magical place for divers of any level, If you have ever dreamed of visiting the Cenotes in South America then this is as close as it gets in the mediterranean.
Here's a little video:
3: Cueva De La Luz and the Pillars of Hercules
Meaning ‘Cave of Light’ in English, this site is simply one of the most beautiful places on the whole island but a place that so few people get to see. We take a speedboat there as it’s a long and dangerous route on foot. Located close to the stunning Cala Aubarca you will find a huge hole in the cliff looking down to a 10m wide, crystal clear pool of aquamarine water sealed off from the ocean.
Some crazy people climb or abseil down the hole to the water but people have been stuck in here, having no energy to climb back out after an afternoon swimming! We access the cave from the ocean, arriving by boat to what looks like a normal part of a solid, vertical cliff face. A 5m dive down will reveal the hidden underwater entrance to the cave and a mere 10m underwater swim in and you surface to find yourself surrounded by rock with a natural skylight above you.
When the sun is overhead is when the cave reveals the source of its name, light streams down through the skylight then out through the cave entrance giving Ibiza its very own giant Cenote!
Check out this video of a recent freediving trip to the Cave of Light:
Swim out of the Cueva De La Luz and turn North for 40m and you will come to the majestic Pillars of Hercules, a group of huge vertical structures seemingly holding the cliff face up. The arches between the pillars are entrances to more caves and when the sun pours in through these it is every bit as stunning as the Cave of light. The two sites are always dived together so we can spend as long as possible at these amazing locations.
4: La Catedral (Cala Llonga Cave)
The Cathedral' is another truly magical place that few in Ibiza will visit. This cave only has an underwater entry, but unlike the Cave of Light, La Cathedral doesn't have an opening to the sky, so the only natural light inside is the incredible turquoise glow that comes streaming through the wide tunnel that forms its entrance. We go here by speed boat too, as access via land isn't possible.
The entry into the cave is only around 6 metres deep, and around a 12m swim into the tunnel. Once inside you can see the reflection of the blue behind you on the surface of the water, and you come up into a vast dome - hence its name! There is another underwater entry into the 'Chapel' - a smaller cave, within the larger one. We take torches, but once your eyes become accustomed to the light, its nice to turn them off and enjoy the peaceful beauty within.
5: Es Vedra
Rising vertically to a staggering 413m above sea level, diving in the shadow of this huge stone monolith is a humbling experience. Ibiza is supposedly the third most magnetic place on earth and Es Vedra is the mystical source of this power. Beautiful dive sites ranging from caves to swim-throughs surround the island. We are spoilt for choice when we visit here! The 2001 Freediving World Championships were held here - at the back of Es Vedra - so there is also ample depth for line-training too.