Tenerife: Scuba Diving for Certified Divers in Tenerife

Tenerife’s south coast gives certified divers a lot to see in a short outing: 20 underwater sites sit only 5 to 20 minutes from Puerto Colón by speedboat. Depending on the day’s conditions, you may visit a wreck, a cave, or a site known for turtles, rays, moray eels, octopuses, and large Atlantic visitors.

I like the short boat ride, which leaves more time for the main event, and the practical setup at Puerto Colón. Equipment is included, departures run several times a day, and the small group is limited to 10 people. One point to weigh is that insurance and photos cost extra, and divers over 55 need a medical certificate.

The staff also earns praise for being warm and well organized. Tobi, a German team member, gets a special mention for helping with a diver’s glasses, while the reception staff and instructors are described as funny, welcoming, and easy to work with.

Key points to know before booking

• Twenty nearby sites: The crew chooses among wrecks, caves, and coastal spots based on the day’s sea conditions.
• Only 5 to 20 minutes by speedboat: You spend less time commuting and more time near the underwater sites.
• A 45-minute underwater session: The scheduled activity is compact enough to fit into a busy Tenerife day.
• Equipment is included: You receive a BCD, regulator, weights, fins, boots, wetsuit, tank, and water.
• Small groups with several languages: The maximum is 10 participants, with instruction available in Spanish, English, Italian, French, Russian, and Dutch.
• For certified divers only: PADI, SSI, and other certification holders are welcome, but uncertified participants cannot join.

Starting at Puerto Colón with Travel Sub

Your meeting point is the reception of PADI 5* Travel Sub Dive Center Tenerife. Look for the Escuela Nautica building directly in front of pier 5, inside the private parking area at Puerto Colón. Go into the building and find the reception desk.

This location is useful because it sits about 100 meters from the water. You do not need to carry equipment through a long town walk or arrange a separate transfer to the marina. For a morning or afternoon activity, that simple start makes a real difference.

The center operates two speedboats and offers multiple departures each day. That gives you more choice when fitting the outing around beach time, lunch, or another Tenerife plan. Check the available start times when booking, since the exact departure schedule is not fixed in the tour details.

The group limit is 10 people. That is not a private trip, but it is small enough to keep the briefing and boat boarding manageable. It also gives the instructor or dive master a reasonable chance to keep track of the group underwater.

The 30-minute briefing and equipment setup

The first formal stop is Puerto Colón, where you spend about 30 minutes on safety instructions and preparation. This is the part of the outing that can feel routine, but it matters. Certified divers arrive with different experience levels, equipment preferences, and recent time in the water, so a clear briefing helps everyone understand the plan.

All main scuba equipment is included:

• BCD
• Regulator
• Weights
• Fins
• Boots
• Wetsuit
• Air tank
• Water

You can use either a 12-liter or 15-liter air tank. The information does not specify how the tank size is assigned, so ask the center if you have a preference or a particular air-consumption need.

You still need to bring swimwear, a towel, and sunscreen. Insurance is not included, so check your own coverage before you go. Photos are also not part of the price, which is worth knowing if you want underwater pictures.

The staff has a reputation for keeping the process friendly rather than stiff. The comments about the reception woman and the instructor being funny and welcoming are useful here. A calm start is especially helpful when you are getting into unfamiliar equipment or returning to scuba after a long break.

A 15-minute speedboat ride along Tenerife’s south coast

Once everyone is ready, you board one of the center’s speedboats. The listed plan allows about 15 minutes for this part of the trip, while the total boat ride to a chosen site can range from 5 to 20 minutes.

That short run is one of the strongest features of the outing. You are not spending a large part of a half-day trip traveling to an offshore location. Instead, the boat quickly carries you from the marina to the coast’s underwater areas, leaving the main portion of the experience for the 45-minute session below the surface.

The exact destination depends on conditions. This flexibility is practical. A good scuba operator should match the location to visibility and sea conditions rather than promise one fixed site in every situation. You may not get to choose among all 20 locations, but the range gives the crew room to select a suitable place on the day.

The speedboat itself also keeps the trip feeling active. It is transportation, not a scenic cruise with a long commentary program. If you want a slow sightseeing boat tour, this is not the right product. If you want a quick ride to the water, it fits well.

Forty-five minutes among wrecks, caves, and Atlantic wildlife

The underwater session lasts about 45 minutes. That is enough for a proper recreational outing, though it is shorter than a two-session scuba package. The experience is best suited to certified divers who want one focused visit rather than a full day of repeated underwater sessions.

Tenerife’s south coast offers a mix of underwater settings. The center highlights wrecks and caves, giving you more than a simple swim over open seabed. Conditions determine what you see, so treat these features as possible destinations rather than guaranteed stops.

The marine life list is appealing and varied. You might encounter:

• Turtles
• Rays
• Angel sharks
• Moray eels
• Octopuses
• Several types of Atlantic fish
• Larger Atlantic animals during night outings

The wording around wildlife is important. This is a natural environment, not an aquarium, so no animal sighting can be promised. Clear water and good visibility can improve your chances of spotting marine life, but the day’s conditions and the chosen site remain factors.

I especially like the balance between larger animals and smaller details. Turtles and rays provide the memorable headline encounters, while moray eels and octopuses reward careful looking around rocks and crevices. Wrecks and caves add structure to the outing, giving you places to examine rather than simply moving across open water.

The activity also mentions night scuba trips, where Atlantic giants may appear. The main schedule described here is a standard 2.5-hour outing, so confirm the departure type if a night session is your priority. Do not assume every available time follows the same format.

Returning by boat after the session

After the 45-minute underwater period, you return to the speedboat for the ride back to Puerto Colón. The listed return leg takes about 15 minutes, and the activity ends at the same Travel Sub reception where you started.

That makes the timing easy to understand: roughly 30 minutes for the safety briefing, 15 minutes out, 45 minutes underwater, and 15 minutes back. The stated total is 2.5 hours, which leaves room for gearing up, boarding, and transitions.

You should still avoid scheduling something immediately afterward. Boat trips and equipment changes rarely run with the precision of a museum entry time. The provided schedule is a useful guide, but leave yourself some breathing room before lunch, a transfer, or another booking.

Water is supplied, but food is not listed. Bring your own snack if you know you will want one after the session, though the activity details only specifically require swimwear, a towel, and sunscreen.

What the $63 price includes

At $63 per person, this is a fair price for a short boat-based scuba outing because the major equipment is covered. You are paying for the boat, tank, instructor or dive master, wetsuit, BCD, regulator, weights, fins, and boots, rather than only paying for access to the water.

The value improves if you do not travel with your own full kit. Renting all of that separately can make a low headline price less useful, but here the core gear is already part of the fee. The 12 or 15-liter tank is included as well.

The price is less complete if you need extra protection or a record of the experience. Insurance is not included, and neither are photographs. If you normally rely on separate scuba insurance, add that cost when comparing this trip with another operator.

A babysitter is available if parents want to scuba together. That is an unusually useful inclusion for families, although the details do not explain the babysitting arrangement, age limits, or advance booking requirements. Parents should ask the center directly before relying on it.

The free cancellation window is 24 hours before the activity, and you can reserve now while paying later. Those terms help if your Tenerife schedule is still moving around, but check the booking conditions for the exact reservation you choose.

Who will get the most from this outing

This trip is designed for certified divers. PADI, SSI, and other certification holders can join, but it is not an introduction to scuba. If you have never been certified, you need a beginner course or discovery session instead.

I would recommend it to you if you want:

• One compact session rather than a full-day package
• Several possible sites instead of one fixed location
• A quick speedboat run from a convenient marina
• Equipment included in the basic price
• A small group and multilingual instruction
• The chance to visit wrecks or caves
• A flexible departure that fits around other plans

It may be less suitable if you want two or three sessions in one day, a guaranteed encounter with a particular animal, or a private guide. The group is capped at 10, not limited to one household or buddy pair.

Pregnant women cannot take part. Divers over 55 need a medical certificate, so arrange that before arrival rather than discovering the requirement at the reception desk.

The language range is a real advantage for international groups. Instruction is available in Spanish, English, Italian, French, Russian, and Dutch. That does not mean every language is offered at every departure, so confirm your preferred language when selecting a time.

The staff and the small details that matter

The strongest praise centers on the human side of the operation. The reception staff and instructor are described as very friendly and funny, and the equipment and organization also receive positive attention. That combination matters because scuba outings involve many small steps: fitting a wetsuit, checking a regulator, arranging weights, boarding safely, and moving as a group.

One review specifically thanks Tobi, a German team member, for helping with glasses. It is a small detail, but it gives you a sense of the helpful attitude you can expect from the crew. Good service is not only about grand gestures. It is also about noticing when someone needs a hand with personal gear.

The rating is 4.8 from 27 reviews. That is a strong result, though the sample is not huge. I would read it as a useful sign that the operation generally delivers a friendly, organized outing, not as a guarantee that every departure will be perfect.

The included babysitter also suggests the center has thought about practical family needs. Since no detailed terms are provided, contact the center before booking if childcare is essential to your plans.

Practical preparation for your day

Wear swimwear beneath your wetsuit and bring a towel for the return. Sunscreen is important before and after the session, particularly while waiting at the marina or riding in the boat.

Arrive at the reception in the Escuela Nautica building, not simply at a general point around the harbor. The directions are specific: the building is in front of pier 5, within the private Puerto Colón parking area. Go inside and find the reception desk.

Bring proof of your certification if the center requests it. The activity is open to PADI, SSI, and other certified divers, but the exact check-in procedure is not stated.

If you are over 55, bring the required medical certificate. This is not a minor suggestion. Without the certificate, you may not be able to participate.

Ask about insurance if you are unsure of your existing cover. Since it is not included, you should know what protection you have before entering the water.

Should you book the Travel Sub Tenerife outing?

Book it if you are already certified and want a well-priced, short boat trip with several possible underwater locations. The combination of 20 sites, a fast ride from Puerto Colón, included equipment, and a 45-minute session gives you a useful taste of Tenerife’s south coast without taking over the whole day.

I would be especially comfortable recommending it to independent certified divers who value friendly staff and simple logistics. The praise for the reception team, instructors, equipment, and organization points to a welcoming center rather than a bare-bones boat transfer.

Think twice if you need insurance, photos, a private group, or a guaranteed animal encounter included in the price. Also confirm the details of a night outing, preferred tank size, language, or babysitting before paying.

For the right diver, $63 is a sensible way to get under Tenerife’s water with the essentials handled. The trip is short, flexible, and focused, with enough choice in the nearby sites to keep the outing interesting.

FAQ

Is this activity suitable for beginners?

No. It is for certified divers only, including PADI, SSI, and other certification holders.

How long does the activity last?

The activity lasts 2.5 hours. This includes the safety briefing, speedboat travel, the underwater session, and the return to the center.

How long is the underwater session?

The scheduled scuba session lasts about 45 minutes.

What equipment is included?

The price includes a BCD, regulator, weights, fins, boots, wetsuit, a 12 or 15-liter air tank, and water. An instructor or dive master is also included.

Where do I meet the group?

Meet at the reception of Travel Sub Dive Center in the Escuela Nautica building, in front of pier 5 within the private Puerto Colón parking area. The activity ends at the same location.

Is a medical certificate required?

A medical certificate is required for participants over 55. Pregnant women cannot take part, and insurance and photos are not included.