Malpelo · Colombia · Cave & cavern
La Puerta del Cielo
Grotto entrance to the La Chupadera tunnel through Malpelo
Area photo: Jdmacarenoq · CC BY-SA 4.0
La Puerta del Cielo, also called Heaven's Gate, lies on the southwest side of Malpelo and marks the entrance to the La Chupadera tunnel, which crosses the island from side to side and ends at Junior's Seamount. It is dived from a zodiac entry at the mouth of a grotto, between 24 m and 40 m, in strong currents.
Also known as Heaven's Gate.
Where it is and how deep
4.0033° N, 81.6076° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
A zodiac takes divers to the mouth of a grotto, and the entry into the water is made there with lights switched on. The profile runs between 24 m and 40 m, and the currents are strong.
The grotto is the entrance to a tunnel known as La Chupadera, which crosses the island from side to side and ends at Junior's Seamount. Crossing La Chupadera is dangerous and therefore prohibited.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Malpelo: Jan-Apr is cooler and drier with a shallow, cold thermocline; May-Dec runs warmer with better visibility and the strongest shark and pelagic activity.
Know before you go
- Crossing the La Chupadera tunnel is dangerous and therefore prohibited.
Dive videos
Tiburones galápagos en Malpelo by Anibal · Anibal Bermúdez Posada on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Can divers swim through La Chupadera?+
No. Crossing La Chupadera is dangerous and therefore prohibited. The tunnel crosses the island from side to side and ends at Junior's Seamount.
Sources
- Guía de buceo de Malpelo — Agenda del Mar
- Diving in Malpelo — La Plataforma del Buceo
- Buceo en Malpelo — Te Moana Expeditions
More dive sites in Malpelo
Seamount
Largest dog snapper school at Malpelo, at 27 to 50 m
Reef
Gentle slopes and compact coral formations with shark schools
Seamount
Current-swept seamount with hammerhead schools in Jan and Feb
Wall
A wall dive to a 27 m crack with sharks at its exit
Wall
Cleaning stations where hammerheads and Galápagos sharks gather
Pinnacle
Sea stacks with a tunnel swim-through beneath an islet
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