Aquatica Lanzarote

Lanzarote dive centre with dramatic volcanic reef dives and Europe's first underwater museum.

Aquatica Lanzarote is based in Puerto del Carmen on the volcanic island of Lanzarote, where lava flows that reached the sea created some of the Canary Islands' most dramatic underwater topography. The island's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status ensures the marine environment remains pristine.

The centre's dive sites include the Museo Atlántico — Europe's first underwater sculpture museum, created by artist Jason deCaires Taylor. Submerged at 12-15 metres, the installation of over 300 life-size figures creates a haunting, atmospheric dive that blends art with marine ecology as corals and marine life colonise the sculptures. Other sites feature volcanic lava tubes, tunnels, and arches populated by angel sharks, barracuda, stingrays, and large schools of grunts and bream.

Shore diving is excellent here, with easy entries at Playa Chica and Puerto del Carmen harbour offering encounters with cuttlefish, octopus, and seahorses right from the beach. PADI courses are offered in three languages, and the centre's experienced team knows every inch of Lanzarote's underwater landscape.