You don't need to travel to Southeast Asia or the Caribbean to find the best sea beds: taking a plane to any of these destinations will suffice. Discover the best diving sites in Europe!

With the arrival of summer, many are those who dare to practice scuba diving. Nothing compares to the pleasant feeling of calm that produces snorkeling in crystal waters and between unique species as you discover all the wonders that the seabed hides.

This exciting experience is available to everyone. Making diving a passion and the more you know, the more addicted you become.

If you are already an accomplished expert, in Menorca you will discover a wide variety of possibilities. If you start now, in the diving centers scattered through the island, they will teach you the techniques and procedures for a progressive development, putting at your disposal the best material.

The descent to the wonderful water depths of Menorca is a unique experience. Its warm, clear waters and colorful environments, have nothing to envy to the Caribbean beaches.

In the north of the island of Menorca, in the stretch between Cap Gros and Sa Punta des Morters in the Mola des Fornells, there is the Marine Reserve, a zone located very close to the coast that does not exceed the 30 meters depth. A dramatic landscape with unique marine species, natural caves, galleries and wrecks.

In this Marine Reserve we find special interest areas for underwater diving, such as S'Illa des Porros (or illa de Sanitja), with a coastline without buildings and a seabed with abounding wildlife, such as large groupers, barrucadas, dentones and false pollocks. There are also remains of boats that have succumbed to their waters. Accessible to all levels because of the shallower side doesn’t reach the 8 meters and the deepest reaches 30.

In Cala en Morts there is the so-called Swiss Cheese Cave, which gets its name from the many galleries that form it and that communicate with each other. A nice dive with the penetrating rays of light that create a beautiful set of lights and backlighting.

Es Pont d'en Gil is the name of a natural bridge that hangs on the cliffs in the middle of the sea. It is close to Ciutadella and you can dive in its waters to reach Sa Cigonya, a beautiful cave, about 200 meters, full of stalactites and stalagmites. If you go through you can access a vault with a fine sandy beach.

South of the port of Maon there is a diving paradise. These are the surrounding funds of Illa de l'Aire with their rock arches and abundant wildlife. About 20 meters under the islet of Cagaires we discovered a whole system of natural galleries with walls covered with coral, anemones, and sponges where groupers, moray and eels hide. The waters of the Illa de l'Aire collected the remainings of centuries of navigation disasters. In the sand and rocks there can still be seen some objects as anchors, cannonballs and other pieces of artillery.

If you want to know more about the possibilities that Menorca offers for scuba diving with excursions for all tastes and levels, take a look at this guide.

Why not take a trip to Menorca? Have a look at our flights here!

Pictures bt buenaventuramenorca.com

In addition to a long list of land-based leisure activities, the island offers another extensive gamut of sports and activities in the ocean. Tenerife is practically one huge outdoor gym, open 365 days a year. Its climate, landscapes and natural setting make it eminently appealing for doing sport, attracting professional and amateur sportspeople alike. Here are a number of sea-based sports and activities. They cater to all tastes, from those done solo to others involving pairs or the whole family.

Entertainment? The Sea is the Medium

The Atlantic Ocean’s waters are one of Tenerife’s great treasures, thanks to their perpetually crystal-clear condition and pleasant, stable temperature all year around. Here are nine sports that will make you want to never go back to the humdrum of the rat race.

Diving

Let’s start by putting our head under water. What can you see down there? The island boasts 60 diving spots fringing the whole coastline, with sandy or rocky sea floors or volcanic reefs. The seabeds are varied and teeming with life. Vision is incredibly clear on account of the crystal-clear waters that enable the sun’s rays to penetrate to a depth of practically 40 metres.

Free Diving

Let’s continue with sports involving immersion. Apart from the sea, the island has centres for learning or perfecting free diving. The sea temperature, the scant variation in temperature between depths of 0 and 50 metres (hardly 1 degree centigrade) and the acute visibility up to about 20–25 metres, are some of the striking diving conditions here. There are diving spots all around the island, but the best area is the west, on account of the unusual relief features, which make the temperature, currents and weather ideal for doing all forms of snorkelling and free diving. All the necessary equipment is available for starting out in this watersport or perfecting your technique.

Windsurfing

Here, the watersport par excellence is windsurfing. Some beaches are perfect for amateur windsurfers, notably El Médano, whose success lies in having more than 300 windy days a year. The town has stores that sell or rent out equipment, as well as repair shops and companies offering courses. Top-level competitions are held in Tenerife, including the World Championships.

Kitesurfing

As with windsurfing, El Médano (Granadilla de Abona) is one of the best spots for kitesurfing; indeed, it is actually one of the best in Europe. The winds are strong virtually year around and the water temperature ranges from 16 to 26 degrees centigrade between winter and summer.

Surfing and Bodyboarding

The island’s coastline is packed with places for surfing and bodyboarding – you can find the ideal spot for them virtually anywhere along its perimeter. The most powerful waves are on the north and northwest coastline, while in the south and southwest the breakers are less intense. The sea can, however, be rougher or calmer depending on the time of year.

Stand Up Paddle

This watersport is becoming increasingly more popular around the world. Ideal spots for SUP can be found along various stretches of the eastern and southeastern coastline. This activity can be done on one’s own, in pairs or with the whole family.

Kayaking

Kayaking has become very fashionable as it provides access to spectacular land formations along the coastline, notably the 600-metre-high cliffs known as Los Gigantes which include grottoes and coves. Kayaking is easy to learn – just try it and you’ll see!

Sailing and Dinghy Sailing

The island’s calm waters and pleasant climate make it ideal for sailing. It boasts a total of nine marinas (see here) for mooring vessels scattered especially across the south, but also the north, which makes taking up this sport a hassle-free affair.

Deep-Sea Fishing

This is a sport that is acquiring increasingly more enthusiasts. In addition to the island’s ideal climatic and sea conditions, Tenerife also sits along the migratory route of a large variety of species, including the blue marlin and tuna.

If you’d like to find out more about these sports and activities, as well as accommodation, specialist schools or companies, check out the offers at Tenerife No Limits.

Come and experience these sports for yourself. Check out our flights here.

Text and images by Turismo de Tenerife

Like any fine group of islands in the Mediterranean, those making up the Malta archipelago have gone from being coveted by their neighbours for their strategic location to becoming the “apple of the eye” of tourists, on account of both their historic heritage and particularly their magnificent beaches and bays. Today we focus on this more idyllic aspect of these fantastic isles by touring some of the key enclaves along the coast.

Malta has beaches for all tastes and all types of use. There are large, easily accessible ones with a plethora of services which are perfect for families or those who want to holiday hassle-free. There are more secluded, less crowded coves where you can just relax and enjoy the views, spots where you can do sports like surfing, bays which can only be reached by boat and areas which are ideal for diving. Here, then, is a brief selection of some of the best beaches and bays you will encounter in Malta, Gozo and Comino, the three islands making up Malta.

Ghajn Tuffieha (Malta)

Situated next to the popular and crowded Golden Bay, in the north of the island, this beach of fine sand is much quieter and less crowded than its neighbour. The reason for this is that you have to walk down two hundred steps to get to the beach, which is a challenge for visitors. However, the effort is worth your while and you can always cool off by having a pleasant dip in the sea.

Mgiebah Bay (Malta)

Also located in the island’s north, very near a spot called Selmun, this bay has a beach of golden sand. Here the seaside is quiet and surrounded by nature in the raw. Getting there is a bit complicated but, as with the previous place, the circuitous approach is rewarded by diving you can do in stunning water, while the surrounding landscape is ideal for switching off.

Blue Grotto (Malta)

Although not a beach in the strict sense, this spot on the Malta coast is a must-visit for diving enthusiasts. The Blue Grotto is made up of six sea caves which nestle under cliffs in the south of Malta, some 13 kilometres fromValletta.You can’t fail to marvel at the crystal-clear water and coral-coated rocks. The best way to get there is by boat – the ride costs 7 euros, which is well worth paying to behold such a magnificent sight. The best time to visit the grotto is first thing in the morning, as daybreak brings shafts of sunlight that set up light effects which enhance the beauty of the spot even more.

Ramla il-Hamra (Gozo)

In the north of Gozo lies virtually the only sandy beach on this island. It is also the most popular one among locals and tourists. One of its peculiarities is the reddish coloured sand, which is quite striking when you first see it. Interestingly, the caves in this very same bay are where Odysseus is said to have been held captive for seven years by Calypso, the daughter of Atlas.

Dwejra and Azure Window (Gozo)

This beautiful gulf is located on the west coast of Gozo. It is characteristic for its stunning limestone arch, which visitors simply cannot resist photographing and sharing on social networks. It is an ideal spot for diving or boating, while enjoying the views of the coastline.

Blue Lagoon (Comino)

The island of Comino, which occupies an area of just 3.5 square kilometres, has a hidden paradise in the guide of its Blue Lagoon, a splendid bay with magnificent views which can only be reached by boat and which has crystal-clear waters that really tempt you to dive in and have a swim.

Get your Vueling and be sure to have a dip and recharge your batteries on some of the wonderful beaches and bays in the Malta archipelago.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Malcolm Debono, Bs0u10e0, William Shewring, Jennifer Morrow, Robert Pittman, Flavio Ensiki