Tingo Reef - Malpelo Island
Tingo Reef, off Malpelo, offers reliable sightings of hammerheads and silky sharks. We’ve found the currents here can be unpredictable, often pushing divers along the reef edge, which makes it ideal for experienced drift divers. Look for schooling jacks and the occasional free-swimming moray eel amongst the coral formations. It's a solid dive, best tackled when you’re comfortable with some surge.
- Location
- Malpelo Island, Colombia, South America
- Coordinates
- 14.321111, -83.036110
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 5-20m
Best Time to Dive in Malpelo Island
The warmest water temperatures in Malpelo Island occur in October, averaging 30.2°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 28.0°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.2°C
- February: 28.0°C
- March: 28.3°C
- April: 29.0°C
- May: 29.7°C
- June: 29.9°C
- July: 29.4°C
- August: 29.4°C
- September: 29.9°C
- October: 30.2°C
- November: 29.4°C
- December: 28.7°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Malpelo Island
- Alice-Agnes Rocks (reef)
- Aquamarina
- Aquarius
- Archies Rock (reef)
- Arrecife Edinburgh (reef)
- Arthur Jackson Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- Asmalera Rocks (reef)
- Auiapuni Reef (reef)
- Auikera (reef)
- Bajo Bonito (reef)
- Bajo Caribana (reef)
- Bajo del Anda (pinnacle)
- Bajo del Cholo (pinnacle)
- Bajo del Hospital
- Bajo del Junior (pinnacle)
Nearest Dive Centres to Tingo Reef
Marine Life in Malpelo Island
Home to 72 recorded species including 68 reef fish, 2 other, 1 hard corals, 1 sea cucumbers.
Notable Species
- Silver mojarra (Eucinostomus argenteus) - Reef Fish
- Snapper (Lutjanus synagris) - Reef Fish
- Kwab (Sparisoma radians) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Banded Wrasse (Halichoeres notospilus) - Reef Fish
- Flamefish (Apogon maculatus) - Reef Fish
- Mutton Snapper (Lutjanus analis) - Reef Fish
- Fringed Filefish (Monacanthus ciliatus) - Reef Fish
- Molly Miller (Labrisomus nuchipinnis) - Reef Fish
- Spiny Brittle Star (Ophiocoma echinata)
- Puffer (Sphoeroides spengleri) - Reef Fish
- Threeband Butterflyfish (Chaetodon humeralis) - Reef Fish
- Puffer (Sphoeroides testudineus) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
- Yellowtail Parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne) - Reef Fish
- Mulet (Mugil curema) - Reef Fish
- Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
- Panamic frillfin (Bathygobius ramosus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Tingo Reef
Based on average water temperature of 29.2°C, currents 14 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- 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