reef

Log This Dive

Cayo Bolivar

Cayo Bolivar. Now that’s a site that sticks with you from Malpelo. Forget those deep, dark drift dives for a minute. This place is a shallow, bright contrast, a genuine reef experience in an otherwise pelagic-focused destination. We love it because it’s where you can slow right down and actually spend time admiring the smaller stuff without being swept away. What you get here is a dense tapestry of coral, particularly the eight-ray finger coral and those impressive mustard hill colonies. They create so many nooks and crannies. You’ll spot bastard soldierfish sheltering in the overhangs, their eyes like red coals, and we always find Conklin’s cardinalfish tucked deep into the coral heads. Keep an eye out for the masked gobies too, tiny things perched on the reef, ready to dart into a hole. It’s a great spot for photographers wanting to capture something other than sharks, offering plenty of macro and mid-sized subjects. We'd suggest hitting it mid-morning when the sun is high, really making the coral colours pop. It's a proper reef dive, letting you just hang and watch the ecosystem work.