SalaCuna - Santa Marta & Tayrona
Taurikura, near Whangarei, is one of those spots that often gets overlooked by divers heading for the big names. We actually really like it for a relaxed dip, especially if you're dialling in some skills. It's a proper shallow site, topping out at six metres, and yes, it does get busy with boats sometimes, but don't let that put you off. Visibility usually sits around three metres, so it's not a wide-angle dream, but that intimacy forces you to slow down and really look. We’ve had some great encounters here with octopus, tucked away in crevices, and plenty of small snapper darting through the kelp. You'll often spot flounder nestled on the sand, almost disappearing until they twitch, and the occasional stingray cruises by, a shadow in the murk. For a shallow training dive, or just a lazy afternoon bob, Taurikura offers a surprising amount of life if you take your time.
- Location
- Santa Marta & Tayrona, Colombia, South America
- Coordinates
- 9.798200, -75.675400
Marine Protected Area: Los Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo
Nearby Dive Sites in Santa Marta & Tayrona
- Arrecife coralino
- Bahia Aguacate
- Canto del Bajito (wreck)
- Canto del Mero (cave)
- Caribaru
- CIUDAD DE ITAGUI - 12m (wreck)
- DARIEN - 9m (wreck)
- DONA LOLITA (POSSIBLY) - 2m (wreck)
- EL AGUILA - 1m (wreck)
- El Gran Cañón (reef)
- El Jardín
- El Laberinto (reef)
- Formaciones coralinas
- Grieta Isla Narza
- Imelda
Nearest Dive Centres to SalaCuna
- Buzos de Baru - ["PADI"]
- Cartagena Divers - ["PADI"]
- Centro de Buceo Rincon del Mar
- Coveñas Diving Co - ["PADI"]
- Diving Planet - ["PADI"]
- Isla Fuerte Ecolodge & Diving Center – Narval - NAUI
Marine Life in Santa Marta & Tayrona
Home to 533 recorded species including 416 reef fish, 38 hard corals, 17 sharks & rays, 13 other, 9 crabs & lobsters, 7 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Mojarra (Eugerres plumieri) - Reef Fish
- Zabaleta Anchovy (Anchovia clupeoides) - Reef Fish
- Ronco (Micropogonias furnieri) - Reef Fish
- Blueback Mullet (Mugil liza) - Reef Fish
- Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) - Reef Fish
- Jack (Caranx hippos) - Reef Fish
- Swordspine Snook (Centropomus ensiferus) - Reef Fish
- Caitipa Mojarra (Diapterus rhombeus) - Reef Fish
- Ground Croaker (Bairdiella ronchus) - Reef Fish
- Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) - Reef Fish
- black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) - Seagrass & Algae
- white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa) - Seagrass & Algae
- Silverfish (Trichiurus lepturus) - Reef Fish
- Mulet (Mugil curema) - Reef Fish
- Thin leaf lettuce coral (Agaricia tenuifolia) - Hard Corals
- Atlantic Thread Herring (Opisthonema oglinum) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals