Playa Chica

Playa Chica — Small Beach — is one of Gran Canaria's most accessible shore dive sites on the island's southwest coast, its entry from a compact beach making it an ideal site for divers who value the simplicity and independence of shore diving over boat operations. The 'chica' in the name refers to the modest scale of the beach itself rather than any limitation in what the dive delivers — the underwater terrain here, while beginner-friendly, offers the full character of Gran Canaria's volcanic southwest coast. The entry through the beach shallows is straightforward: sand underfoot, gentle waves, and a clear transition from the shoreline into the basalt reef that begins within comfortable swimming distance. This accessibility makes Playa Chica popular for morning and late afternoon dives, and its beginner depth range — typically five to fifteen metres across the main reef — makes it suitable for those building experience and non-specialist divers looking for relaxed, enjoyable dives in agreeable conditions. The reef begins where the sand ends, its basalt formations providing the familiar Canarian landscape of algae-covered rock surfaces, encrusting sponges in sheltered spots, and the crevices and overhangs that house the moray eels and common octopus that are the most reliably encountered macro life on any Gran Canaria reef. The endemic Canary Islands wrasse species — ornate, Canary, and rainbow wrasse — move through the rock in constant motion, their iridescent colouration making them one of the site's most visually engaging features. The sandy areas between the beach and the reef, and in the corridors between basalt formations, host their own community: southern stingrays rest partially buried in the substrate, and garden eels extend from burrows in open sandy areas. Angel sharks, though more reliably encountered at dedicated marine reserve sites, are possible on any Gran Canaria sandy dive. Playa Chica is a pleasant, practical shore dive with the authentic character of the southwest coast.