Sentier sous-marin de Banyuls-Cerbère - Costa Brava
The Sentier sous-marin de Banyuls-Cerbère often gets overlooked, but we think that's a mistake. Forget what you think you know about Mediterranean diving; this marine reserve throws up some pleasant surprises, particularly in late spring and early autumn when the crowds thin out. We love it because it's genuinely accessible, a fantastic spot for snorkelers and divers getting back into the swing of things. You'll spend your dive navigating small rocky canyons and open sandy patches. Keep an eye out for painted combers darting in and out of the crevices, and we always spot a few scorpionfish camouflaged against the rocks if we take our time. The resident conger eels are usually tucked away, but a patient diver might catch a glimpse of their heads poking out. It’s a great site for spotting the smaller stuff, from vibrant Mediterranean feather stars to the comical rock gobies. We usually start our dive in the early morning; the light is better, and you avoid the midday boat traffic. It's not a deep dive, making it perfect for longer bottom times and really focusing on the details.
- Location
- Costa Brava, Spain, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 42.461200, 3.158953
- Type
- shore
- Maximum Depth
- 3-10m
Marine Protected Area: Cap de Creus
Best Time to Dive in Costa Brava
The warmest water temperatures in Costa Brava occur in August, averaging 23.7°C. The coolest conditions are in January at 11.2°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 11.2°C
- February: 11.4°C
- March: 12.7°C
- April: 14.5°C
- May: 17.5°C
- June: 21.5°C
- July: 23.5°C
- August: 23.7°C
- September: 22.0°C
- October: 19.3°C
- November: 15.6°C
- December: 12.8°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Costa Brava
- ADONE - 10m (wreck)
- ALICE ROBERT - 46m (wreck)
- ANDRES Y MARIA - 25m (wreck)
- Aquablue
- ASTREE - 38m (wreck)
- AVVENIRE - 0m (wreck)
- BENSU - 10m (wreck)
- BOREAS - 26m (wreck)
- CABO CULLERA - 1m (wreck)
- Cala Canyelles
- Cala Culip
- Cala Margarida
- Cala Pedrosa
- CALA PINAR - 13m (wreck)
- Cala Viuda
Nearest Dive Centres to Sentier sous-marin de Banyuls-Cerbère
Marine Life in Costa Brava
Home to 46 recorded species including 36 reef fish, 2 whales & dolphins, 2 sharks & rays, 1 worms, 1 seagrass & algae, 1 other.
Notable Species
- hake (Merluccius merluccius) - Reef Fish
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- Capelin (Trisopterus capelanus) - Reef Fish
- grey gurnard (Eutrigla gurnardus) - Reef Fish
- Scaldfish (Arnoglossus laterna) - Reef Fish
- Bogue (Boops boops) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- axillary sea-bream (Pagellus acarne) - Reef Fish
- Atlantic Spotted Flounder (Citharus linguatula) - Reef Fish
- Horse Mackerel (Trachurus mediterraneus) - Reef Fish
- Pollock (Trachurus trachurus) - Reef Fish
- conger (Conger conger) - Reef Fish
- Long-finned Gurnard (Chelidonichthys obscurus) - Reef Fish
- Mullet (Mullus barbatus) - Reef Fish
- Red Band-fish (Cepola macrophthalma) - Reef Fish
- Rockfish (Scorpaena notata) - Reef Fish
- pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) - Reef Fish
- sprat (Sprattus sprattus) - Reef Fish
- dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
- Pandora (Pagellus erythrinus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Sentier sous-marin de Banyuls-Cerbère
Based on average water temperature of 17.1°C, currents 2 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (5-7mm) - recommended for 17°C water
- Hood & Gloves (3-5mm) - helps retain warmth
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories