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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.

Charca de Taliarte, Gran Canaria
Charca de Taliarte, Gran Canaria.

How to get to Charca de Taliarte snorkeling spot?

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.

Charca de Taliarte snorkeling map
Charca de Taliarte snorkeling map.

Water entrance for snorkeling Charca de Taliarte

Stairs lead down to the rocks. You can then enter the water from the rocks, through a shallow passage.

Charca de Taliarte snorkeling exploration tips

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.

Parrotfish in Taliarte, Telde
The Parrotfish is one of the most colorful fish you can spot at this location.

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.

Club tipped anemone and cleaner shrimp
A Cleaner shrimp (Lysmata grabhami) next to a Club-tipped anemone (Telmatactis cricoides).

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.

Spotted sea hare in Taliarte
The Spotted sea hare is fairly common in Taliarte.

Restaurants and accommodations nearby

This spot is close to the Port of Taliarte and to Melenara Beach, where you’ll find some restaurants.

 

  • Level required Intermediate
  • Maximum depth40 feet/12 meters
  • Water entranceFrom rocks
  • LifeguardNo
  • Visitor numbersMedium to high
  • Access costsFree from the shore

MAP Spot

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.