Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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Last updated on September 4, 2024
With its sheltered waters and spectacular rocky drop-off, Charca de Taliarte is a pleasant snorkeling spot on Gran Canaria’s east coast. Rays, parrotfish and schools of salema are often spotted here. Exploring the crevices in the volcanic rock, you can also encounter crabs, moray eels, and different types of invertebrates.
Taliarte is on the east coast of Gran Canaria, near Telde. The snorkeling spot, called Charca de Taliarte, is just behind the southern breakwater of the port.
We recommend parking between the promenade and the harbor entrance. You’ll then be less than 100 meters from the water entry.
Stairs lead down to the rocks. You can then enter the water from the rocks, through a shallow passage.
This small cove with its clear waters is very popular with locals for swimming. Situated at the entrance to the port and sheltered from the north swell, it generally offers perfectly calm seas.
As soon as you enter the water, a rocky platform immediately appears with a maximum depth of 8 feet/2.5 meters. Swimming to the left, a steep drop-off, up to 40 feet/12 meters high, gives way to a sandy bed.
The whole area is full of fish, with schools of seabream, salema and ornate wrasse, as well as the very colorful Parrotfish.
If you take a closer look at the rocky seabed, especially the numerous crevices, you’ll get a chance to spot Spotted sea hares (Aplysia dactylomela), American anemones (Telmatactis cricoides), crabs and cleaner shrimps (Lysmata grabhami).
On the sandy bottom at the foot of the drop-off, you might be lucky enough to spot a stingray, which loves this sheltered area.
This spot is close to the Port of Taliarte and to Melenara Beach, where you’ll find some restaurants.
These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
