Diving with Sea Turtles in Tenerife
Sea turtles are one of the most memorable encounters while diving in Tenerife. Divers and snorkelers regularly report encounters in calm bays, reef areas, and seagrass zones around the island.
What sea turtles can you see in Tenerife?
The two species most commonly encountered around Tenerife are green sea turtles and loggerhead turtles. Both are protected marine species and can occasionally be seen by divers and snorkelers, especially in calmer coastal areas. Green sea turtles are the ones most often associated with reef and seagrass environments. They tend to feed slowly along the seabed, which makes them easier to observe when conditions are calm and visibility is good. Loggerhead turtles are more solitary and often cover larger distances with less predictable encounters.
Green sea turtle on the left and loggerhead turtle on the right. Photos taken in Abades Bay, Tenerife during dives with Tenerife Diving Academy.
Best places to see sea turtles in Tenerife
Turtles move freely, so there are no guaranteed locations. However, sightings are more common in: sheltered bays, seagrass meadows and calm reef systems. One of the most reliable dive environments for encounters is Abades which is home to a small green sea turtle population, thanks to its calm conditions and mix of sand, reef, and seagrass. In Abades, turtle encounters are also possible while snorkeling or during shallow dives, so you don’t necessarily need to be an advanced diver to see them. Most sightings happen in the upper water column, often within the first 10 metres, where turtles may be feeding or passing through.
Being a responsible diver around sea turtles
Sea turtles are protected marine animals and should always be approached calmly and respectfully. Keep your distance, avoid sudden movements, and never chase or touch them for photos. Do not block their path to the surface or corner them against the reef. Good buoyancy control helps prevent accidental contact and allows turtles to behave naturally around divers.
How to tell green turtles and loggerhead turtles apart
Green sea turtles and loggerhead turtles can sometimes be confused while diving in Tenerife, especially in clear blue water where you often only get a few seconds to observe them. However, there are a few simple features that help with identification underwater. Green turtles are generally more streamlined, with a smoother, more rounded shell. They often look calm and “gliding” in the water, and are frequently seen grazing slowly over seagrass or algae in shallow areas. Loggerhead turtles are usually bulkier, with a noticeably larger head and a stronger, more robust build. Their shell tends to look rougher and more textured, and they are often seen cruising steadily rather than feeding in one spot.
When is the best time to see sea turtles?
Turtles can be seen year-round in Tenerife, as they are not seasonal visitors and move freely around the island. The best chances are usually during calm, low-traffic dives — typically early in the morning or later in the afternoon — when visibility is better and marine life is less disturbed.
Year-round turtle sightings chart for Abades Bay Tenerife. Source scubago.com - link
Turtle migration and life cycle
Sea turtles are highly migratory animals and can travel enormous distances across the Atlantic Ocean during their lifetime. Around Tenerife, most turtles encountered by divers are juveniles or subadults using the Canary Islands as a feeding and resting area during their migration routes. Adult females eventually return to nesting beaches, often thousands of kilometres away, where they lay their eggs on the same beaches where they were born. Male turtles spend almost their entire lives at sea and rarely come close to shore except during breeding periods. Because of these long migrations, individual turtles seen in Tenerife may later travel through completely different regions of the Atlantic.
What to expect
Seeing a sea turtle while diving in Tenerife is never guaranteed, but that unpredictability is part of what makes the encounter so special. Whether it happens in shallow water while snorkeling or during a relaxed dive over sand and reef, it’s often a quiet, memorable moment that stays with you long after the dive.