Colombia

Diving in Malpelo Island

15 sites160 species24–30 °C10–30 m vis

Photo by John Cahil Rom on Pexels

Malpelo Island is a remote volcanic rock 500 km off Colombia's Pacific coast, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world's premier shark diving destinations. This uninhabited island rises from abyssal depths, surrounded by waters that host one of the highest densities of scalloped hammerhead sharks on Earth — schools of 300-500+ individuals at the legendary El Bajo del Monstruo pinnacle. Accessible only by liveaboard (24-36 hour crossing from Buenaventura), Malpelo offers advanced divers encounters with over 17 shark species including the rare smalltooth sand tiger shark, giant manta rays, and whale sharks.

Scalloped hammerhead schools at El Bajo del Monstruo can number 300-500+ individuals — among the highest densities on EarthMalpelo is one of the only places in the world where you can reliably see the smalltooth sand tiger shark (Odontaspis ferox) aliveThe sanctuary protects over 200 species of fish, 17 species of sharks, and 5 species of rays across 857,500 hectaresMalpelo is 500 km from the nearest land — one of the most remote dive destinations on EarthThe island is the only outcropping of the Malpelo Ridge, a 300 km volcanic submarine mountain range dating 16-17 million yearsSoundings of 9,100 m exist within a few kilometers of shore — among the deepest water so close to land anywhere60,000-110,000 pairs of Nazca boobies nest on Malpelo — one of the largest colonies in the worldThe Colombian military maintains the only permanent human presence on the island via a rotating outpostThe no-fishing zone covers 857,500 hectares — larger than Yellowstone National ParkIn 2018, the sanctuary's boundaries were significantly expanded as part of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor

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Conditions

Water temp

24–30 °C

Visibility

10–30 m

Depth

5–50 m

Current

Strong

Best season

Peak season January to April — calmest seas, best visibility, maximum shark activity. Transition months May and December are also good. June-November brings plankton blooms and stronger swells but also whale shark sightings.

Month	Summary
Jan	Peak season — calm seas, best visibility, peak hammerhead aggregations
Feb	Peak season — clearest water, large hammerhead schools. Best month overall
Mar	Peak season — thermocline at 20-25m, excellent shark activity
Apr	Peak season continues — still great visibility and shark action
May	Transition month — plankton begins, visibility drops slightly. Still good shark activity
Jun	Wet season begins — more plankton, lower visibility, stronger swells. Whale sharks possible
Jul	Wet season — strong swells, plankton blooms reduce visibility. Shark activity still good
Aug	Variable conditions — can have good days between swells
Sep	Windy, rougher seas — strongest currents. Not recommended for first-timers
Oct	Wet season peak — lowest visibility, strongest swells
Nov	Improving conditions — transition back to dry season
Dec	Season returns — visibility improving, hammerhead schools returning

Dive Sites (15)

El Aerolito

12–30m · Intermediate

Granite boulders · Macro life · Nudibranchs

El Arrecife

5–40m · Intermediate

Reef wall · Swim-throughs · Reef sharks

El Bajo de Virginia

20–50m · Advanced

Offshore seamount · Hammerhead sharks · Silky sharks

El Bajo del Monstruo

18–50m · Advanced

Hammerhead sharks · Galapagos sharks · Silky sharks

El Bajón

10–50m · Advanced

Vertical wall · Hammerhead sharks · Red-lipped batfish

El Freezer

15–50m · Advanced

Thermocline · Whale sharks · Galapagos sharks

El Mirador

12–25m · Intermediate

Shallow plateau · Table corals · Gorgonians

La Catedral

15–35m · Intermediate

Rock buttresses · Canyons · Whitetip reef sharks

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Marine Life (160)

must-see

Loggerhead Turtle

must-see

Great Hammerhead

must-see

Pacific Eagle Ray

must-see

Spotted Eagle Ray

must-see

Dusky Shark

must-see

Southern Stingray

must-see

Green Sea Turtle

must-see

Pacific Creolefish

must-see

Hawksbill Turtle

must-see

Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin

Porcupinefish

Panamic Soldierfish

+148more species in the app

Dive shops

No dive shops are listed for this destination yet.

Guides

The Complete Malpelo Diving Guide: Sites & Species

Schooling hammerheads, smalltooth sand tiger sharks, and giant manta rays at Malpelo Island — Colombia's remote Pacific seamount, a UNESCO World Heritage site reached only by liveaboard.

16 min read

Malpelo Dive Conditions: Temperature, Visibility & Seasons

Surface water 24–28 °C, thermoclines down to 16 °C, visibility 10–30 m, and two upwelling-driven seasons. A month-by-month guide to diving conditions at Colombia's Malpelo Island.

12 min read

Top 8 Dive Sites at Malpelo Island, Colombia

Schooling hammerheads, smalltooth sand tiger sharks, and giant manta rays at Malpelo. Compare the island's dive sites from El Bajo del Monstruo to La Nevera in Colombia's remote Pacific shark sanctuary.

12 min read