Diving in Palma de Mallorca: try dives, courses and the best sites nearby

Scuba diving in Palma de Mallorca happens outside the city. No dive centre operates from the seafront; the good sites are in the south-west marine reserves (the Malgrats islets, off Santa Ponça, and Sa Dragonera, off Sant Elm) and along the Cap de Regana coast on the other side of the bay. The Malgrats and Sa Dragonera are 30–40 minutes from central Palma; if you are staying in Santa Ponça, Palmanova or Magaluf, they are right on your doorstep.

My short advice: if it is your first time, the try dive in the Malgrats reserve for €115 is the best value for the setting near Palma. If you get seasick on boats, choose the Cap de Regana one, which goes in from the shore.

Where to dive near Palma

The Bay of Palma itself has been a marine reserve since 1982, but it is not the best place for a try dive: scuba diving needs a permit (the centres have one) and is banned in the special protection zone at Cap Enderrocat. Night dives require a separate authorisation.

The two destinations you will see in almost every offer:

• Malgrats islets (off Santa Ponça and Palmanova). Part of the Reserva Marina de les Illes del Ponent de Mallorca, together with El Toro and El Sec. Shallow seabeds, ideal for beginners.
• Sa Dragonera (off Sant Elm). A marine reserve with high-protection zones, caves and wrecks 5–10 minutes by boat from Sant Elm harbour.

Try scuba diving in Mallorca: price and what is included

A try dive (Discover Scuba Diving) is a first dive with an instructor, no qualification needed. Near Palma it costs between €115 and €129.90 booked direct; on GetYourGuide there are trips from €100 to €139, but several leave from Cala d'Or, Portocolom or Alcúdia, far from Palma.

What really changes between offers is how you enter the water (boat or shore), the maximum depth (6 or 8 m) and whether there is a transfer. For a €10–15 difference, choose on those and not on price.

GetYourGuide2.5 hours

Sea· Bay and beaches

Santa Ponsa: Try Scuba Diving in a Marine Reserve

4.9 (216)

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Sea· Rest of the island

Mallorca: Discover Scuba Diving Experience

5.0 (10)

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Sea· Rest of the island

Mallorca Alcudia: Diving for returning divers (with a licence) with an instructor

4.8 (6)

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GetYourGuide3 hours

Sea· Rest of the island

Portocolom: Introductory dive – your first breaths underwater

4.8 (4)

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GetYourGuide3 hours

Sea· Rest of the island

Mallorca: Shore dives in Cala d'Or (only with a diving certificate)

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from €48Check availability

GetYourGuide3 hours

Sea· Rest of the island

Mallorca: Scuba Diving for certified divers

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from €50Check availability

See everything on GetYourGuide →Prices checked on 6 October 2026

Dive centres near Palma

Zoea Mallorca (Santa Ponça)

At the Club Nàutic Santa Ponça (Via de la Creu 46, Calvià), in business for more than 25 years. Open daily from 1 April to 31 October, and only at weekends and on public holidays the rest of the year. It dives the Malgrats and Sa Dragonera, at more than 20 sites.

• Try dive: €115, to a maximum of 8 m with about 40 minutes underwater; 3 hours in total. From age 8.
• Free transfer from hotels in the municipality of Calvià.
• Not suitable if you have heart or breathing problems, or during pregnancy.

Website: https://www.zoeamallorca.com/

Diving and Adventure (Cap de Regana)

The option on the Playa de Palma side. The base is on the Cabo Blanco road, km 11, at Cap de Regana (Llucmajor), with free parking; they pick up by minibus in Playa de Palma (Ctra. de l'Arenal 48; be there 30 minutes early).

• Try dive: €129.90, from the shore down steps, maximum 6 m, in a protected area. From age 10; under-14s dive with an adult.
• Compulsory medical questionnaire: if any answer requires a doctor's sign-off and you do not have it on the day, you do not dive and you do not get your money back.

Scuba Activa (Sant Elm)

For Sa Dragonera. On Plaça Monseñor Sebastián in Sant Elm, 09:00 to 18:00, closed on Mondays, season from 15 April to 30 October. A boat for 12 divers, more than 20 sites with caves and wrecks, night dives on Wednesdays in season and children's courses from age 8.

Others

In Port d'Andratx there are Diving Dragonera and Aqua Mallorca Diving; in Illetes, West Coast Divers. Ask about price and season directly before you go.

Diving for certified divers: price per dive and courses

If you are already qualified, bring your card and logbook. Zoea's prices as a reference:

Diving with sharks at Palma Aquarium

The only dive inside Palma is in The Big Blue, the tank at Palma Aquarium: 8.5 m deep, one of the deepest in Europe, with several species of shark. You do not need a qualification.

• Without a qualification: €210 online, maximum 6 m. Qualified: €186, down to 8.5 m.
• Over-18s only, with a diving medical certificate from the last 12 months (not included).
• About 1.5 h with instruction, kit, insurance and instructor; includes aquarium entry for you and one companion.
• No refund if you do not meet the conditions.

Rules: medical certificate, age and bookings

The Balearic rule is Decreto 14/2014, amended several times (most recently at the end of August). The essentials:

• Certified divers need a medical fitness certificate. For a try dive, a signed self-declaration is enough.
• Accident insurance that covers hyperbaric chamber treatment.
• Centres must be listed in the Balearic Islands register of recreational diving centres.
• In the Bay of Palma reserve you may not carry anything that can be used for fishing.

Confirm with the centre which documents they will ask for. Leave at least 24 hours between your last dive and your flight home: dive at the start of your trip, not on the last day. The aquarium requires at least 12 hours before or after flying.

Diving with children

The rules limit depth by age and require written parental consent:

In practice, Zoea and Scuba Activa accept children from 8 and Diving and Adventure from 10. The shark dive is out for under-18s. For more ideas with children, see the Palma with kids guide or, if you want sea life without getting wet, the dolphin watching trips.

Diving at Cabrera

Cabrera National Park requires written authorisation to dive, applied for at http://reservacabrera.caib.es. Aventura IB Sub, in Colònia de Sant Jordi, runs dives at Cabrera for certified divers. If you are not qualified, the standard visit with a swim and snorkelling is in the Cabrera boat trip guide.

Not sold on scuba tanks? Snorkelling is free throughout the bay reserve and is included on many boat trips; there are more options in water sports. The bay's rules are at https://caib.es/sites/reservesmarines/ca/regulacio_dactivitats-854/

Frequently asked questions

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