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Scuba diving and snorkeling on the Costa Brava
The Costa Brava captivates us. We are enchanted by its landscapes, its cuisine, its beaches... but beyond all this, Costa Brava offers us a whole world at our fingertips under the water! If you enjoy exploring the seabed, whether with just snorkelling gear or with an air tank, here is a top 11 of the best seabeds on the Costa Brava for snorkelling and diving!
1. Cova de la Sal
The Cova de la Sal is located on the coast of Torroella de Montgrí, between Cala Montgó and Punta del Milà. It can only be accessed by sea, but it is worth taking a kayak route or going by boat, as it has a small pebble cove ideal for snorkeling. It's a very common place for novice divers to explore, as it's a easy place where diving baptisms are usually performed. The Cova de la Sal is about 20 meters wide and 25 meters high and is very well known among the inhabitants of L'Escala.
2. The Red Island
L'Illa Roja (Red Island), one of the best beaches of the Costa Brava, is a peaceful nudist beach, located under a cliff that divides it into two parts, which can only be accessed by strolling along the coastal footpath that connects Pals and Begur. This environment of pines and reddish rocks makes it an idyllic beach with swirling waters and rocks where you can enjoy its seabed. Red Island is surrounded by rock walls, which causes the sun to stop shining on it in the mid-afternoon.
3. Illa Mateua
Illa Mateua is located between Cala Montgó and the port of l'Escala. At the bottom of the waters of the cove of the same name (Cala d'Illa Mateua), you can see the famous sunken ship Constantin, making it an ideal place for diving and feeling like true explorers. It is also one of the starting points of the Vies Braves in l'Escala -maritime paths where you can do open water swimming-.
4. Cala de Les Roques Plans
This cove, located between the Platja Gran in Platja d'Aro and the Platja Torre Valentina in Calonge, stands out for the rounded shapes of its rocks. It is also known as Cala de les Roques Blanques, as the whitish color of its rocks stands out compared to those around it. Its turquoise blue bottom over the white rocks, becomes ideal for snorkeling!
5. Medes Islands
What to say about The Medes Islands that we have not already said? You can only access it by boat and they are currently one of the most important marine flora and fauna reserves in the western Mediterranean. A very good option if you do not have sea transport is to approach it with one of the many companies that offer a guided tour. Put on your goggles and let yourself be carried away by this aquatic universe.
6. Cala del Sr. Ramon
Senyor Ramon Cove, another one of the best beaches on the Costa Brava, is a nudist beach with an amazing sandy seabed and turquoise-colored waters. This beach, located between Tossa de Mar and Sant Feliu de Guíxols, will not leave you indifferent. To get there, you will have to walk right after leaving your vehicle in the parking lot next to the road, but we're sure you won't regret it!
7. Cala Rostella
Cala Rostella, located between Cala Murtra and Cala Montjoi, is an untouched beach teeming with abundant animal and plant life. The deep blue of the rocks under the sea contrasts with the turquoise water above the sand. It's an idyllic cove for lovers of diving and snorkelling. To reach it, we must leave the car and descend a rocky path with a height change of about 90 metres. While this might seem negative for some, for us it's very positive, as it means that it's a lightly frequented cove even in the summer.
8. Cala Jugadora
Located in the furthest east area of the Cap de Creus Natural Park, it has the peculiarity that it is protected from the tramuntana and its waters tend to be calm, clear, and paradisiacal. Ideal to admire its seabed among its numerous rocky islets. In this bay, geology takes on a major role, perhaps even more than its vegetation.
9. Cala Tavallera
It is a cove where ideally you reach it by sea. If that's not possible for you, and you have time and energy, you can access it by going on a 2-hour hike starting from El Port de la Selva following the GR-11. Either way, you can't get there by car, but we assure you, the reward is spectacular. It's an otherworldly pleasure to watch one of the best sunrises on the Costa Brava from here. A beach that is also in our top 10 of the best beaches of the Costa Brava.
10. Sa Tuna
On the coast of Begur you will find one of the most picturesque coves on the Costa Brava and a very good option if you want a practical place with a good atmosphere nearby: it has parking, showers and lifeguard service. This is a cove of pebbles and crystal clear waters, which makes its seabed worth admiring.
11. Cova de l'Infern
The Hell's Cave, one of the most spectacular caves on the Costa Brava to discover from the sea, is located in the Cap de Creus Natural Park. This seabed cave is named for its reddish colors seen at sunrise. To get there, you will need to set off on foot from the Cap de Creus Lighthouse, one of the most emblematic lighthouses on the Costa Brava, and walk for 10 minutes to be able to enjoy this marvel of nature.
The seabed of Costa Brava charms us, disconnects us and connects us with what's most essential. Because when you swim under the waters of the Mediterranean coast, you enter an unknown, different and magical world! Goggles, snorkel, fins and enjoy to the fullest these beaches of Costa Brava where you can practice snorkeling and scuba diving!
