Snowboarding in the French Alps is just a wonderful chilly memory, the skis are packed away at the back of the wardrobe, and winter sports is just another thing you watch on the telly from the other side of the world. All the signs point to just one thing: summer’s here! Well, almost…
It’s time to reset the adrenaline button and change your focus from the chills of winter to the thrills of summer adventure sports – and what more of an adventure could you want than discovering a whole new world beneath the ocean? Whether you’re an experienced diver or you’ve decided this is the year to literally take the plunge, Costa Calma, on the island of Fuerteventura in the Canaries is the on-point place to do it.
Get Down Deep in Costa Calma
The waters surrounding the Canary Islands are renowned as among the best in the world for diving. Around Fuerteventura, the clarity, temperature and depth of the ocean provides a spectacular portal to exploring this fascinating underwater world. With vision to around 30 metres and a constant temperature of around 20ºC it’s not just good for the lucky diver, it also creates an outstanding habitat for the marine life – so you’ll be guaranteed some awesome sightings (underwater GoPro at the ready lads!).
Once you get your confidence up (and the advice is “steady as she goes” – down deep with an oxygen tank is not the place to show off, just saying) you’ll be able to explore underwater caves and reefs that stretch for thousands of metres then drop off into the abyss. Got your heart racing? Read on!
Boss Dive Sites
There are plenty of awesome dive sites to choose from around Costa Calma, but some of the most popular and exciting are:
Bocayana: An easy reef with lots of overhangs and a swim-through hole.
El Puertito: Perfect to get your dive legs, great sandy bottom and lots of marine life to distract you.
Las Anklas: Over on the north side, with lots of reefs and some old anchors to check out. (Keep your eye out for the resident moray eels!)
El Tunnel de Los Meros: Yes, it’s a tunnel. You’ll swim through this amazing volcanic structure and say hello to some stingrays along the way.
La Carrera: Over to the east of Lobos Island, renowned for its incredible visibility and loads of barracudas.
Las Salinas: You wanted to go deep, right? This site is 40 metres beneath the ocean so you’ll need to wait until you have a little more experience for this one.
There are so many more sites around Costa Calma to explore, which you’ll be able to discover for yourself or find out about in the local bars. Everyone has their favourite, we’ll leave it up to you to find yours!
Get Wet With the Best
Diving is a very serious business, so, all joking aside, it’s really important that you learn properly and learn from the best. In Costa Calma, that means Delphinus Diving School.
Established for more than 20 years, the company operates two diving schools on the island – at Corralejo and the one in Costa Calma. Their internationally trained staff have a wealth of collective experience, and the school offers everything from beginners PADI courses, shore and boat dives, snorkelling activities, right through to advanced and instructor classes (next summer’s goal?).
Facilities
In Costa Calma Dephinius is based out of the R2 Pajara Beach Resort and the facilities are second to none, with everything onsite to complete any level of diving training. This includes:
- swimming pool
- compressor room
- rental equipment
- dive boats
- tanks
- check-in desk
- dive shop
Courses
What course you sign up for depends, of course, on your level of prior experience – if any. But there certainly is something for everyone and it’s a cinch to get started.
Guided Diving: Speaking of which, the only way to get started is to just get started and the school’s Guided Diving is the perfect introduction. Instructors will take you out to a number of sites suited to your skills and take you through all the highlights while teaching you new skills along the way.
If you’re an absolute beginner you can start with the taster Free Try Dives, which are run every day under expert supervision and will give you an idea of what to expect underwater.
PADI Courses: Delphinius conducts a host of PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) accredited courses. If you’re hooked on diving and want to take things a little further – or all the way – the school’s Go Pro courses are the door to a brand new career. You’ll need to start with the diver level PADI courses, then move on to the professional ones:
- Divemaster: the first step to turning pro.
- Open Water Instructor: teaches you how to teach others and includes Emergency First Response training.
- Specialty Instructor: in depth training on specific disciplines like coral preservation and wreck diving.
- Master Scuba Diver Training: on completion allows you to teach and certify other PADI instructors.
Head to Costa Calma
Whether you’re looking to make a swerve in your career path or just on the hunt for a new thrill, getting down deep to explore the awesome diving options around Costa Calma could turn into your best summer yet.
How to Get to Costa Calma
Getting yourself to Costa Calma is no big deal, with a number of airlines flying directly in to Fuertaventura including British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair, Lufthansa and Iberia. With a journey time of around four hours and flights from as little as £49, it’s the ideal place for a spontaneous diving getaway.
Once you arrive at Fuertaventura Airport, the fastest way to get to Costa Calma is on a prebooked, fixed price airport transfer with Shuttle Direct. Within an hour of touching down, your friendly driver will have you and any diving equipment you’re bringing delivered right to the door of your accommodation. Fly in the morning, dive after lunch – what a life!
Where to Stay:
SBH Fuertaventura: So close to the beach you’re practically on it, the SBH Fuertaventura offers all the convenience of all-inclusive, so you don’t have to worry about anything except having fun. With direct beach access, a gym, sauna and your choice of three onsite bars, your evenings can be just as adventurous as your diving expeditions!
Hotel Matas Blancas: You can sleep as late as you like without disturbance at the adults only Hotel Matas Blancas. The hotel has two great outdoor pools, one with spa, a fantastic buffet, three bars and a free shuttle bus to the beach. If you’re looking to relax there’s a Turkish bath, sauna, hot tub and a nudist solarium so you can head home with an all-over tan!
Royal Suite: Located just 10 minutes’ walk from the beach, you’ll be able to make the most of your diving adventure holiday from the comfort of the Royal Suite. With high speed Wi-Fi, three pools and a relaxed, sociable vibe, it’s cool, spacious and the perfect base to get together on a holiday with old friends and new.
About Shuttle Direct:
Shuttle Direct has a well-earned reputation as the most efficient provider of fast, friendly and economical airport transfers to destinations throughout Europe. With a range of shared and private transfers, we have a service to suit any budget and group size.
Make a booking online via our easy to navigate system and you’ll receive confirmation of your fixed price service before you leave home. Allow the friendly expert team at Shuttle Direct to take care of all your onward travel arrangements with our convenient, cost effective transfer services to and from any cruise port, train station or airport.
