La Palma · Spain · Pinnacle · Wall
Torre de Malpique
A 20 m black-coral tower rising from 50 m off the Fuencaliente lighthouse
Area photo: Frank Vincentz · CC BY-SA 3.0
An offshore pinnacle in the far south of La Palma, dived between 20 and 45 m and covered from base to top in black coral. The column climbs from a bottom at 50 m to about 30 m, and a rock arch stands at 38 m a short swim away. Local centres keep the tower for experienced divers and only run it when the sea allows.
Also known as Malpique.
Where it is and how deep
28.4567° N, 17.8468° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
Site maps published elsewhere
The dive
The boat anchors near the Faro de Fuencaliente and the descent goes straight onto the tower: a massive needle of volcanic rock some 20 m tall, standing vertically off a bottom at 50 m and covered in black coral. Trumpetfish, morays and a wide range of invertebrates shelter in that growth, so most of the dive is spent working around the column rather than covering ground.
The site is dived between 20 and 45 m, and the monolith itself climbs from 50 m to about 30 m, so the profile is planned before anyone leaves the boat. A large rock arch stands at 38 m a short swim away, and the visibility here is good enough to shoot both the arch and the tower, which is why the site has a following among underwater photographers. Devil rays cross above it in summer and autumn: one group of fifteen passed in front of divers on the tower.
Marine life and season
- Mobula rays
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good |
Season follows La Palma: Diving runs year round; the south-coast centre rates September to November best, when the trade winds ease and the water is warmest. Dives and boat transits inside the marine reserve are capped.
Know before you go
- Boat traffic passes over the site, so carry a surface marker and listen carefully before ascending.
- The tower is only diveable in suitable sea conditions; centres cancel rather than run it in swell.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Torre de Malpique?+
The dive is worked between 20 and 45 m. The tower stands about 20 m tall, climbing from a bottom at 50 m to roughly 30 m, and a rock arch a short swim away sits at 38 m.
Sources
- Torre de Malpique - Faro Fuencaliente — visitlapalma.es (Cabildo de La Palma)
- Guía de Buceo La Palma 2019 — Cabildo de La Palma / Oceanográfica
More dive sites in La Palma
Cave & cavern
Lava arches at 14 to 18 m on the edge of the marine reserve
Pinnacle
Three offshore rocks, two tunnels through the biggest
Wreck
A Cessna wing at nearly 30 m, colonised as a miniature reef
Cave & cavern
Two lava cathedrals and a run of arches, all inside 12 m
Cave & cavern
More than ten lava arches strung between 5 and 10 m
Rows of crosses on the sand at 15 m, set here in 1999
Two entries 350 m apart: arches inshore, lava tongues to 40 m
A wall from 10 m to past 40 m, straight off the beach
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