Costa del Silencio, Canary Islands, Spain

Pasito Blanco Caves

Pasito Blanco, also known as the caves of Costa del Silencio, is a shallow lava labyrinth located between Las Galletas and the Pasito Blanco marina on Tenerife's southern shoulder. Depths range from 6 metres at the top of the reef to 18 metres at the deepest cuts. The terrain is sculpted by old basaltic flows that hardened underwater, leaving a maze of swim-throughs, short tunnels, rocky arches and skylights of dazzling sunlight. Inside the caves, schools of sardine and brown chromis funnel through the openings, and Atlantic damselfish, broomtail wrasse and ornate wrasse are abundant on every surface. Octopus and Atlantic shovelnose lobster shelter in the cracks, and the resident angel shark, the iconic Canary species, is sometimes spotted on sand patches between rocks. With moderate depths, easy navigation and consistent visibility around 20 metres, Pasito Blanco is a benchmark training and night dive on the island. The Canary Islands sit on the eastern edge of the Atlantic and benefit from the cool, nutrient-rich Canary Current that flows south along Africa, keeping water temperatures between 18 C in late winter and 23 C in late summer and supporting a mixed Atlantic and macaronesian fauna with confirmed Canarian endemics. The archipelago is the last reliable European stronghold of the angel shark Squatina squatina, classified as critically endangered by the IUCN, and dive operators contribute regular sightings to the Angel Shark Project monitoring programme. Local dive centres operate year round and most sites can be accessed with one short boat or shore transfer.