Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Malpelo Fauna And Flora Sanctuary (2006). One Of The Largest No Take Marine Protected Areas In The Eastern Tropical Pacific, Known For Schools Of Hammerhead Sharks, Silky Sharks And Whale Sharks. Colombian Navy Base On The Rock. · Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca

Malpelo is a bare rock rising from deep Pacific water about 500 kilometres off the Colombian coast, and it is one of the great shark-diving places on Earth. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a no-take marine sanctuary, and the reason divers come is the open water: schools of hammerhead sharks, silky sharks, sometimes whale sharks, big tuna and rays, in water that is often cold and moving fast. Be clear about what this is. You cannot visit as a tourist. There is no landing, the island is a navy outpost, and the ONLY way here is a roughly ten-day liveaboard dive trip from Buenaventura, with a long crossing each way. It is for EXPERIENCED divers only, with advanced certification and many logged dives. Strong currents, deep sites and no hospital or chamber nearby make this a serious expedition. If you are not a confident diver, go to Gorgona instead, and plan Malpelo months ahead. The reward is real: few places offer so many sharks in one dive, in water that stays wild and unvisited by crowds.

Remote rocky island about 500 km west of Buenaventura in the Pacific, reached by a 30-hour liveaboard dive boat, Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca, Colombia

There are no visiting hours, because there is no public landing and no entry on foot. The sanctuary is reached only by liveaboard boat, and the operator sets the daily dive schedule, usually several dives a day around the dawn and dusk windows. Trips run through much of the year, with rougher seas in some months, so confirm dates with the operator. The island is CLOSED to landing, camping and shore visits for everyone except navy and research staff.

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