On the official tourism office page of the Valencian Community dedicated to the El Racó cove, one line catches the eye: a fishing boat wreck lies around 7 meters deep. It is the only wreck in the Calpe bay described by an official source.
Our previous page spoke of wrecks in the plural.
It mentioned merchant ships along the Peñón d’Ifach, fishing boats at Morro de Toix, archaeological remains at Gasparet, and visibility over 20 meters from May to October. No source was found for any of these claims. So we kept what overlaps and clearly tell you where the sources stop.
Which wrecks can you really dive at Calpe?
Only one wreck is described by an official source: a fishing boat resting around 7 meters deep in the El Racó cove, at the foot of the Peñón d’Ifach. For the other wrecks previously announced on this page, no name, depth, or date of sinking was found. Calpe therefore remains more a destination for rock and arches than a wreck site.
The El Racó sheet does not give the history of this boat. Its size, name, and year of sinking are unknown. What is known is enough for a relaxed dive: shallow depth, launch from a pebble beach, and a gradually sloping bottom.
Beware of lists of wrecks copied from one site to another.
An Europa Press dispatch dated March 30, 2025, describes an area called “Brut d’Ifac” where remains of fishing gear, tubes, beams, and metal structures accumulate. These debris were identified by geophysical surveys, dives, and remotely operated underwater robots. They are not a wreck to visit. The Generalitat treats them as waste to be removed, and a first operation took place on September 24, 2024. If an operator sells you “the wrecks of Ifac,” ask exactly which object they mean, at what depth, and with what supervision.
And if a wreck is what motivates your trip, look instead at other better-documented Mediterranean destinations, such as the diving sites of Malta.
Which sites around the Peñón d’Ifach according to your level?
The Calpe town hall lists ten routes: Los Arcos, Las Redes, Figuereta, Acantilados de Ifach, El Paseo, El Racó, Gasparet, Morro de Toix, La Bodega, and Mascarat. Only two have a depth published by an official source: El Racó, between 5 and 14 meters, and Los Arcos, given as 9 meters on one page and around 15 meters on another.
This ambiguity about Los Arcos is not serious.
An arch cannot be measured by a single number, and the two regional office pages probably do not refer to the same point of the site. Los Arcos is located on the north face of the Peñón, with yellow anemones around the arch according to the tourism office. The regional diving map presents it as accessible to beginners. El Racó, facing south-southeast and sheltered from east winds, is described as suitable for simple dives and training divers. We will not tell you which suits you; it is up to the instructor on site to judge.
| Site | Published Depth | Access | What the official source says |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Racó | 5 to 14 m | Shore, pebble beach | Fishing boat wreck around 7 m, site sheltered from east winds, suitable for training divers |
| Los Arcos | 9 m or about 15 m depending on the page | North face of the Peñón | Arch surrounded by yellow anemones, presented as accessible to beginners |
| Las Redes, Figuereta, Acantilados de Ifach, El Paseo, Gasparet, Morro de Toix, La Bodega, Mascarat | Not published | Ask the club | Listed by the town hall without technical sheet |
For the other eight routes, the decision will be made at the briefing, with the day’s weather. That is where you ask the important question: “For what level?”
What does the Penyal d’Ifac natural park protect at sea?
The Penyal d’Ifac is a natural park declared by decree 1/1987 of January 19 by the Valencian Generalitat. Its boundaries were extended by decree 40/2015 of April 2. The Generalitat now speaks of a marine area of the park, where studies have identified posidonia and the red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata.
This detail changes your way of diving.
The March 2025 dispatch recommends starting the cleanup in three areas where these species of high ecological value have been identified. A gorgonian breaks under a fin stroke, and a posidonia seagrass bed reforms very slowly. Thus, your stabilization counts as much as your route. The basic rules are the same everywhere else, and we have gathered them in our guide to observe without disturbing marine life.
Regarding regulations, the 1987 decree text contains no provisions on diving. We were unable to consult the 1993 management plan or the 2015 decree in their entirety. Therefore, it is impossible to decide from here whether there are closed zones or permits to obtain. Ask the center before booking; they know the local rules better than any online summary. And remember the simple gesture that depends on no text: never touch marine life.
Which diving center to choose in Calpe?
The official website of the Calpe town hall, consulted on October 3, 2026, lists two diving companies: Calpe Multiaventura and the Dive & Dive center. The PADI directory ranks Dive & Dive as a PADI 5 Star IDC Resort center, located at the Real Club Náutico de Calpe. The regional office also indicates that this nautical club offers diving.
This information tells you who exists. It says nothing about the quality of the supervision.
Our former page displayed prices from 25 to 360 euros without stating their source. We have removed them. Prices, group sizes, and included equipment should be verified directly on the center’s page at the time of your booking. Also, ask concrete questions in writing. Who guides the dive group, and how many divers per guide? Is the outing from shore or by boat? What happens if the wind changes? A serious center answers straightforwardly, and their answer is worth more than a pretty photo of the arch.
Yet, even with a well-rated center, your level and your condition on the day remain the only two criteria that no one can assess for you from a screen.
When to dive in Calpe and what backup plan to prepare?
We found no official dated source setting a diving season, water temperature, or visibility in Calpe. The May to October period cited by the former page remains an indicative reference, no more. The wind of the day decides more than the calendar, and El Racó, sheltered from east winds, can serve as a fallback solution.
Visibility says nothing about the current.
Clear water can hide swell that complicates the exit on the pebbles, or boat traffic near the port. The Real Club Náutico shelters a marina, so boats enter and exit very close to the sites. Keep a safety sausage if you dive by boat. A small torch also helps to read the cracks and tunnels of the Peñón, and our article on criteria for choosing a diving torch details what matters.
However, the best backup plan lies in your schedule. If you book only one dive on the last day, an east wind is enough to cancel it without a solution. If you keep two days margin, you have time to switch to El Racó or reschedule. To compare with another more oceanic Spanish destination, take a look at our guide to diving in the Canary Islands.
In short, the real cost of Calpe is a day of margin in your stay and a written question to the center about open sites. Would you book it that way?
FAQ
Are there wrecks to dive in Calpe Bay?
Only one is described by an official source: a fishing boat resting around 7 meters in the cove of El Racó, at the foot of the Peñón d’Ifach. We found no reliable source for other wrecks in the bay.
Which Calpe site for a beginner diver?
Official sources present El Racó as suitable for simple dives and training divers, with a depth of 5 to 14 meters. Los Arcos is described as accessible to beginners. The final choice is up to the instructor, depending on your level and the day’s weather.
Can you dive in the Penyal d’Ifac natural park?
Several diving sites are located around the Peñón, and the 1987 decree that created the park contains no rules regarding diving. The management plan and the 2015 decree could not be verified. Ask the center if there are any closed areas or permits required.
What is the best time to dive in Calpe?
No official dated source sets a season. The period from May to October remains indicative. The wind of the day matters more, and El Racó, sheltered from east winds, can serve as a fallback option.
Sources
- Legislation Penyal d’Ifac Natural Park (Generalitat Valenciana, Protected Natural Spaces, consulted in 2026)
- El Racó Cove – Calpe (Turisme Comunitat Valenciana, consulted in 2026)
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