Playuela Reef - Morrocoy & Chichiriviche
Playuela Reef is exactly what you want when you’re looking for an easy, colourful dive. Our favourite thing here is the sheer density of the smaller stuff. We’re talking about clouds of juvenile porkfish and snappers, little guys so curious they’ll nose right up to your mask. This isn't a deep dive, only 3 to 12 metres, so the sunlight really punches through, illuminating the purple sea fans and anemones. You’ll spot hogfish nosing around the coral heads and trumpetfish doing their best impression of a stick. Keep an eye out for the odd pufferfish trying to look inconspicuous. We’ve found the best time to visit is mid-morning, just after the first boats arrive but before the crowds really pick up. The visibility is usually best then. It’s a perfect spot for beginners or anyone who just wants to relax and soak in the vibrant, shallow reef.
- Location
- Morrocoy & Chichiriviche, Venezuela, South America
- Coordinates
- 10.870000, -68.250000
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 3-12m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Morrocoy
Nearby Dive Sites in Morrocoy & Chichiriviche
- Bajo de Canaveral
- Bajo de Chuao
- Caraballeda - Cayo Sal
- Carabelleda - Caribe Soy
- CAYO MEDIO (reef)
- CAYO NORTE (reef)
- Cayo Pescadores (drift)
- Cayo Sombrero - 3-15m (reef)
- Cayo Sombrero
- Cayo Sur
- Chichiriviche
- CLEVELAND - 30m (wreck)
- Gran Roque
- Isla Larga Puerto Cabello - 5-20m (reef)
- JANS - 10m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Playuela Reef
- Epsilon Dive Center
- Pilardive - ["PADI"]
- REFUGIO DE BUZOS
- Scubatec Dive Center C.A. - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Morrocoy & Chichiriviche
Home to 272 recorded species including 208 reef fish, 26 hard corals, 6 seagrass & algae, 6 crabs & lobsters, 5 whales & dolphins, 4 sea urchins.
Notable Species
- Common lionfish (Pterois volitans) - Reef Fish
- turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum) - Seagrass & Algae
- Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca) - Seagrass & Algae
- Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) - Whales & Dolphins
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
- Supreme Limu (Asparagopsis taxiformis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Lesser Starlet Coral (Siderastrea radians) - Hard Corals
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus) - Reef Fish
- Bluestriped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Green Sea Urchin (Lytechinus variegatus) - Sea Urchins
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Grey Snapper (Lutjanus griseus) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals