PORTAVAN

Best months: Nov–Jan

Why dive here

PORTAVAN is a wreck dive where divers can encounter blacktip reef sharks, sea turtles and whale sharks. Water ranges 23-34°C, warmest July, August, September.

Best timeNov–Jan

WetsuitA 3mm full wetsuit

Marine lifeBlacktip Reef Sharks, Sea Turtles and Whale Sharks

Water23-34°C · warmest July, August, September

CharacterWreck dive · max 6m

PORTAVAN is less a wreck dive and more a history lesson in shallow water, and we love it for that. This isn't one of those deep, spooky encounters. No, you’ll find the remains of a German freighter, torpedoed in 1917, sitting just six metres down. It’s remarkably intact for its age, a real testament to how things can survive when left alone. We often make this our first dive of the day, especially if the light is good. Sunbeams pierce the surface, highlighting the wreck’s skeletal structure, and you can really get a sense of its original form. Schools of snapper and fusiliers swarm around the bow, darting in and out of the rusted metal. Look closely and you’ll spot nudibranchs clinging to the hull and moray eels peeking from crevices. Our favourite part? The sheer volume of hard coral that’s completely encrusted the wreckage. It’s a living reef now, a true artificial habitat, and proof that nature always finds a way. This one suits all divers, honestly, but it’s particularly good for photographers wanting a calm, colourful subject.