Mallorca · Spain · Cave & cavern
Cova de Luis Candela
Narrow swim-throughs and a small air pocket inside the rock, 18 m max
Area photo: Bengt Nyman · CC BY 3.0
A cavern dive to 18 m at most: tunnels, narrow swim-throughs with light coming through the gaps and a small natural air pocket inside the rock where you can surface for a moment. Scuba Mallorca rates it intermediate, for Open Water divers and up, and Scubago calls it the spot for macro lovers, with slipper lobsters, cave shrimp, morays, congers and forkbeards in the shadows.
Also known as Luis Candela Cave.
Where it is and how deep
39.9309° N, 3.1671° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
Luis Candela is a boat dive to a rock that Scubago describes as an underwater hideout, and that is what it feels like: a set of tunnels and narrow swim-throughs cut into the rock, with sunlight coming through the openings ahead of you. The maximum depth is 18 m, so the profile is easy and the dive is about the passages. You go in from the boat, drop to the entrance and follow the guide through, one swim-through leading to the next.
Inside the rock there is a small natural air pocket where you can surface briefly and look at the stone above your head before dropping back down. The life is in the dark corners: slipper lobsters and cave shrimp on the walls, moray and conger eels in the holes, and forkbeards, the brótolas, which hang in the shadows and watch you pass. Bring a torch for the lens work, then come out into daylight and back up the rock to the boat.
Marine life and season
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Mallorca: May to October is the season, with boats out daily; the Alcúdia centre dives all year. Water peaks at 26°C in August and falls to 14–15°C in February and March; winter is wet and windy.
Know before you go
- Overhead environment with narrow passages: follow the guide, keep the next opening in view and keep buoyancy tight in the narrow sections.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Cova de Luis Candela?+
Scuba Mallorca lists a maximum of 18 m and rates it intermediate, suitable for Open Water and experienced divers; the dive is about the tunnels and the air pocket rather than depth.
Sources
- Cova de Luis Candela — Scubago
- The Dives — Scuba Mallorca
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