Where are the dive sites?
The best diving is around the area of Cabo de Palos and along the coast towards Cartagena. The local dive sites, mainly in protected coves, are all accessible shore dives. The topography ranges from sandy patches to fields of sea grass and rocky outcrops and from 7metres down to over 30 metres deep. There is plenty to see and discover in amongst the sea grass and swim throughs within these dives sites.  The Islas Hormigas marine reserve is a protected area situated a few kilometres off the coast at Cabo de Palos and obviously can only be dived from a boat.  There are a number of exciting dive sites within the marine reserve with depths down to 50 metres and beyond. You will find a multitude of different species of fish and other marine life in these open water sites.There are also some shipwrecks that are within normal recreational dive limits. Please read below to find out a little more information on the various sites.

Shore dives
Cala Fria
This dive site consists of 2 rocky bays on the very tip of Cabo de Palos, just under the prominent Lighthouse. There is adequate parking and access is via steps down cut into the rocky sides to small sandy beaches.  The normal practice is to kit up by your car and to descend with caution down the steps to the beach. This is an interesting site as it can be dived in a number of ways, depending on the direction and bay chosen.  The initial entry is through rocky outcrops over beds of sea grass (Posidonia) with some sandy patches.  In the shallows you will see shoals of salema, sergeant fish, wrasse and many others.  As you go deeper there are some good rock formations and swim throughs which are home to scorpion fish, octopus, small groupers and colourful wrasse. The maximum depth of the bays is around 18 metres at which depth you can find large rocks festooned with corals and you can come across barracuda, green and brown wrasse in the open waters. You should be careful at this depth as you will be leaving the confines of the bay and you can encounter strong currents sweeping across the face of the dive site.  
During the summer months there is a small beach bar near the Lighthouse where you can buy drinks and snacks after your dive.

Cala Reona
This is an excellent site for beginners. Cala Reona is situated just to the west of Cabo de Palos and is approached via a long dirt track road which opens up into a large bay with ample parking right adjacent to the sandy beach. The dive begins over a rocky bottom covered with fields of sea grass.  This is a shallow bay with the maximum depth of 7 metres.  On very prominent feature  is a very large pipe running out from the shallows where you can normally see shoals of baby barracuda and yellow salema hovering over the sea grass.  This is an ideal site for a refresher dive to get you back into diving or indeed for an introductory try dive.  There is also a beach bar open during the summer months where you can get drinks and snacks and comfortable seating where you can relax after your dive and listen to some good sounds. 

Cala Cortina
Cala cortina is a large bay just on the outskirts of Cartegena.  There is ample parking high above on the cliffs overlooking this large sandy bay. There is a very narrow slip road down to the beach but you must get there early as it fills up with parked cars very quickly and it's a murder to reverse out of.  The beach is very popular and gets fairly crowded with sun seekers. There is also a restaurant next to the beach. This wide, crescent shaped bay, has a large rocky pinnacle situated in the shallows and effectively divides it in two. The dive site is dominated by large open sandy areas with patches of rock and sea grass and is populated by plenty of shoaling fish. This site is ideal for training and has a maximum depth of 11 metres. If there is bad weather condition in the Cabo de Palos area of La Manga then this is the place to go, because the bay is totally sheltered.

Boat dives
El Farallon
The east of the Islas Grosa island lies the strange rock of El Farallon which is around 10 minutes boat ride from Thomas Maestro port. This gentle sloping site reaches a depth of 18 metres as you swim through the scattered clusters of rocks that make shelter for a large variety of fish. There are also fields of oceanic gorgonia, which bring large shoals of salema which feed on this and a whole variety of other types of fish. This is a good site for beginners and there is usually no current. 

Isla Grosa
The Isla Grosa is the big island in front of the Tomas Maestre harbour. This is a pleasant dive site on the south and east sides of the island.  Maximum depth around the island is around 20m.

La Laja 
La Laja means flag. At the bottom at just over 20m there are pieces of plates and other items to see from the cargo. Usually there is no current and there is a small canyon with lots of fish milling around. This is a good site for beginners.

La Campana
This is a small reef just 300m away from La Laja with a minimum depth of 12m and maximum around 20m.
 

Isla Hormigas Marine Reserve
The Islas Hormigas Marine Reserve, situated off the coast at Cabo de Palos is a protected area, where fishing is prohibited, and has some of Spain's best diving. Visibility averages between 12 to 15 metres and you can see shoals of barracuda; giant groupers hanging out in the current; octopus and moray eels hiding amongst the rocks and a multitude of the fish unfortunately normally seen in the local supermarkets!!!  There are a number of dive sites in and around the Isla Hormigas area and mainly consist of large rocky pinnacles and plateaus all covered in colourful algaes, posidonia sea grass and anemones.  Due to the nature and topography of the dive sites it is easy to select the depth you want to dive to. The dive sites are in open water and as such you may experience strong currents. There are also a number of ship wrecks in the area ranging from wooden minesweepers to cargo ships which lay between 27 to 50+ metres deep. 
Entrance to the Isla Hormigas Marine Reserve is restricted and you must be at least a PADI advanced level diver. Permits are granted by diver by day on a first come first served basis.  Consequently, the situation can change at short notice so it is advisable to book early if you want to maximise your chance of diving the Reserve.  The dive sites are explained in more detail below:

Bajo de Piles II
Bajo del Piles really consists of two separate rocky spines. The main spine is some 75m long with the two summits at 7m and 9m. The average depth of the crest is deeper between 12m and 15m. The spine rises from the sandy seabed of 27m at the south whilst the northern tip drops to only 23m.
The second spine is a continuation of the primary and lies parallel to it. It is 9m at its shallowest, with a similar average depth. The seabed is somewhat deeper at around 33m at the southern end. Both spines are limited in marine flora but this is made up for by the marine life. The primary spine is renowned for the size and quantity of its indigenous moray eel population, who share the rocks with scorpion fish, mojarras and groupers. The smaller spine attracts larger shoals of mojarra not to mention barracuda, cod and large groupers. Neither spine is subject to significant currents but from time to time can be blown out by the wind.

Bajo de Piles III
The second and smaller of the rocky Piles spines. It is a sheltered dive with regard to current but can be vulnerable to wind. This site is home to barracuda, morjarra, cod and several large groupers. To the north and north west of both spines are numerous rocky blocks, which form a labyrinthine home for large groupers and eels. In general these are easy, pleasant dives suitable for most levels of divers but care must be taken not to become disorientated, especially around the rocky blocks.  The depth raqnges from a minimum depth of 9m down to a maximum depth of 30m. 

Bajo de Dentro
Bajo de Dentro lies exactly 4 km from Cabo de Palos and is a rocky outcrop that rises from the sandy seabed at 55m at the tip of it's southern spine to just 4m at its central point. The northern side comprises of a gently sloping platform some 20-30m in length which lies in 12-16m of water. Both the eastern and western sides comprise of steep walls, though the easterly wall is almost vertical and deeper. Both faces have caves are around 20m and 40m respectively.  Because of the currents that wash this pinnacle, and its protected status, it is rich in both marine flora and fauna. There are large schools of both sea perch, chromis, corva, bream and mojarra, which in turn attract shoals of barracuda, groupers and dentex. Amongst the rocks lies sanctuary for scorpion fish, brotala, lobsters, moray and conger Eels. There is also an abundance of soft corals and gorgonians. You can occasionally spot eagle rays, the mola mola sunfish and maybe even turtles.  You can experience some strong currents along the northern edge of the site. 

Bajo de la Testa
Bajo de la Testa is a gently sloping plateau with a minimum depth of 8m and a maximum depth of around 20m. It is surrounded by deeper water and fields of oceanic gorgonia. The plateau is visited by schools of mojarra, pollack and large green and brown wrasse. It is also home to many interesting invertebrates and is a nice easy dive as there is normally little current.

Wreck dives
Wreck of the Turia/El Dragomina 
In 1999 a new wreck appeared at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea between Cabo de Palos and Isla Grosa. This new wreck started life as a minesweeper for the US Navy in the 1950's and was decommissioned, stripped and cleaned ready for its final role as a home for both divers and fish.
She lies on the sloping seabed, with her bow at around 35m and her stern at some 31m. The top of the bridge was damaged during the sinking and now lies on the bed off the ships port side. This leaves the highest point at a depth of around 22m. Already the shelter provided by the Turia has attracted lots of small schooling fish, anchovies and sardines, which have in turn attracted larger predatory fish such as mackerel and larger bream.
Situated in a relatively sheltered position, with good visibility the Turia is a dive well within the range of most Advanced divers. A mooring line and buoy has been secured to the wreck to ease access and minimize damage to the site. 

Wreck of the Isla Gomera/ El Naranjito
This wreck is situated outside of the Isla Hormigas marine reserve  and is just under 2 miles from the harbour at Cabo de Palos.  The Isal Gomera was a 51 long freighter that sank in 1946. It is known as the El Naranjito (after Naranja - Spanish for oranges) due to its final, fatal cargo of thousands of oranges. The Isla Gomera shifted in a storm causing the boat to list and take on water whilst the majority of the crew swam to the shore the Isla Gomera slowly slipped under the sea, even losing its cargo, which littered local shores for weeks to come. This is a nice wreck to dive, with a depth ranging from 28m to 45m and is home to some big conger eels, barracudas and shoals of other smaller species. . Sometimes there are really strong currents around the wreck which are not always noticed from the surface.   

Wreck of the Carbonero
Carbonero, "the coal miner", another wreck that lies outside of the marine reserve and more likely named after its cargo than the original name of the ship, rests on a sandy bottom at a maximum depth of 45m. The deck is between 35m and 38m. The ship is thought to have been torpedoed by a U-boat in the Great War as merchant ships would hug the Spanish coastline and U-boats would catch them as they came further offshore to skirt Bajo de Fuera.

The 50metre plus wreck dives should be considered as outside the scope of normal recreational diving and they are only advised as suitable for technical divers with specialist equipment and training.