Diving in Alicante, Spain??! Anyone...??

[AndreBragstad]

Heya!

I'm going on vacation for three weeks, to Spain. I'll be staying in Alicante most
of the time, and I'm wondering where the closest diving centre is. Has anyone
been down there diving? The closer the better, of course. I've found a centre
in Moraira, which is about an hour north. Acceptable, of course, but I want to
build on my certificate, and hop on some courses, so if there is any way I can
avoid driving for an hour, I'll take it.

Any hot tips will be highly appreciated, guys!

Thanks...

André ... Total rookie...

 

[eduvijix]

Hello. Maybe this could give you some clues.
I did my first diving course in Calpe, not very far from Alicante and very close to Moraira.
You can find a bunch of diving centers in Alicante (city), just have a look at google.
I can recommend you Tabarca little Island, only 25 km to the south of alicante. It is a marine reserve and I heard (never been there) is very beautiful under the sea.
Moraira is a beautiful seshore village, maybe one of the most but it is a bit far away from alicante as you say. Benidorm has a fame of busy and entertainment city and it is true but I also has a little island (a big rock) just facing the city where peolple go diving and I think is quite pretty (have a look at google earth).

Near The "Mar Menor", a small portion of the sea, theres is a set of little islands called Islas hormigas, where you can have very good dives as well.

I hope it helps.

edu

 

[Dich]

Hi,
There was a dive shop in Alicante called club de buceo alicante which has since closed. I went with them once and there was very little to see in the Alicante bay. As the previous poster mentioned, Tabarca island is a reserve. I have not been there and I have not yet found a club that goes there; permission is needed which requires some paperwork. I imagine that the centers in Santa Pola make trips there. While there are 3 or 4 centers listed in Alicante, they just organize trips to other dive centers and do not have their own installations.

I have found better diving just up the coast. If you do not speak spanish, Del and Petra in Calpe (Les Basetes) run a nice shop. They run up to Moraira to El Cumbre del Sol, which is a nice dive. There are 2 or 3 centers in Calpe. Pro-Platinum has closed.

Benidorm is closer and, curiously, though known as a classic example of over-construction in a coastal area, has a famous reef that is very nice. I dove there with the Poseidon when I was recently certified. They dropped us in the water and wished us luck. I was still in the hand-holding stage then.

I have yet to dive in Altea or Javea, both nice coastal towns. There are 2 or 3 centers in Denia.

 

[AndreBragstad]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the replies. I'll Google around and see if I can't get my advanced, as well as some Adventuredives to get this "carreer" rolling.

 

[emilycob]

Hi there, just wondering how you got on?? i'm staying in La Marina, Alicante at the moment and trying to find somewhere to go, recently completed my open water and wanted to get a few dives in before going home, I'd be interested if you found a decent company to go with.
Hope you are well
Emily

 

[leapfrog]

Dive Academy, Santa Pola. Ask for Sylvia or Keith.

 

[AndreBragstad]

Hey Emily. Slow response, I know, and pretty useless, since I never got around to any diving, due to some problems I won't even get into. Please let me know if you DID find a good dive down there, though, because next time I WILL go underwater.

Sorry again for the late reply. Hope you had a great time.

- A

 

[smw]

Hi there,

I was in Alicante in 2004 and found nowhere great to dive there. I did go down to Mojacar and got my Advanced with a company called Scuba Jive. They were just starting up, but did a good job for us.

SMW

 

[leapfrog]

Emily and Andre,

Don't want to push you on this but seriously the best you can get in that neck of the woods is Dive Academy at Santa Pola, Marina Miramar. It's run by Keith and Sylvia Barker who are two great instructors, wonderful divers and the nicest of people you can meet.

I've dived and worked the Mediterranean coast extensively over the last five years.

Great diving too. If you say I sent you, they'll treat you well.

You can see their website

Dive Academy Santa Pola