Cueva del Tiburón is the closest named dive site to Caño Island itself, dived in calm water between 10 and 15 m. The draw is a cave holding around ten resident whitetip reef sharks, which lie up in it through the day. The reef around the cave carries tropical fish, butterfly fish among them, and the shallow profile makes for an unhurried dive.
Also known as Shark Cave.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Isla del Caño and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
This is the closest of the named sites to the island and the shallowest of its shark dives. The descent is only 10 to 15 m into calm water, which leaves a long, unhurried dive and plenty of gas for waiting rather than swimming — worth knowing, because the whole dive is built around one feature and how patiently you approach it.
That feature is the cave: a rock recess where roughly ten whitetip reef sharks lie up through the day. Groups hold outside rather than crowding the entrance, since the sharks are resting and will move off if pressed. The reef around it carries tropical fish, butterfly fish among them, and with no depth to manage the rest of the dive is spent over the surrounding rock before an easy ascent and safety stop.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Good |
Season follows Isla del Caño: Dec–Apr is the dry season with the clearest water; Sep–Nov rain cuts visibility but overlaps the southern humpback migration.
Know before you go
- The sharks are resting animals in a confined recess: block the exit or push inside and they will bolt past divers, so keep the mouth of the cave clear.
Photos from Cueva del Tiburón
Daniel Z · CC BY 4.0
Daniel Z · CC BY 4.0
Questions divers ask
How many sharks are in the cave at Cueva del Tiburón?+
Around ten whitetip reef sharks are resident in the cave, resting there through the day. Numbers on any given dive vary, but the site is named for the group that lives in it.
Sources
- Dive Sites at Caño Island — Dive The World
- Drake Bay — Wikivoyage
Photo credits
- A whitetip reef shark glides just above the sandy, rocky bottom. by Daniel Z, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A whitetip reef shark cruises low over the reef near Caño Island. by Daniel Z, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A whitetip reef shark seen from above, swimming over a rocky reef floor. by Daniel Z, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In The Logbook
- Where to see reef sharks on your first divesBig animals · 14 min read
More dive sites in Isla del Caño
Pinnacle
Oceanic mantas and hammerheads over rock rising from 45 m
Pinnacle
A rock formation named for a sunken ship that isn't there
Coral garden
Hard-coral shelf in 5 to 12 m with whitetip sharks crossing it
Pelagic & blue water
Current-fed schools of jacks, snapper and barracuda in 22 m
Similar dives elsewhere
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Cave & cavern
Cathedral
Ifaty & Mangily · Madagascar
Tunnels, swim-throughs and arches in the middle of the North pass
A double archway 50 metres out from the shore