El Arenal Dive Site at Darwin Island

A serious Darwin Island dive site for hammerheads, whale sharks and strong-current diving

Information about El Arenal

Accesibility

Animal Watching

Biodiversity

Physical level

El Arenal is a dive-only highlight at Darwin Island, with no landing and no beach visit. Underwater, the site follows a sandy slope below the area of the former Darwin's Arch, now Darwin's Pillars. It is one of the places divers look for classic far-northern Galapagos encounters: scalloped hammerheads around cleaning-station activity, whale sharks in season, Galapagos and blacktip sharks, rays, green turtles, dolphins, tuna, jacks and other schooling fish.

The setting is also what makes the site demanding. Currents are usually moderate to strong, and published dive descriptions place the depth roughly between 14 and 37 metres. This is not a casual snorkeling stop; it belongs on liveaboard dive itineraries for confident, experienced divers who are comfortable following a guide in current.

Wildlife is never guaranteed, especially with large pelagic animals. The reason El Arenal matters is the combination of Darwin Island's remote position, nutrient-rich current, cleaning stations and open-ocean exposure. When conditions line up, it can feel like a front-row seat to the marine life that makes Darwin and Wolf so important in the Galapagos.

Interesting facts about El Arenal

Activity: scuba diving only

Landing: none

Access: liveaboard dive itineraries in the far north of the Galapagos

Underwater setting: sandy slope below the former Darwin's Arch, now Darwin's Pillars

Conditions: moderate to strong currents; reported depth about 14-37 m

Best fit: confident, experienced divers

Possible wildlife: scalloped hammerheads, whale sharks, Galapagos and blacktip sharks, rays, green turtles, dolphins, tuna, jacks and schooling fish

Pictures of El Arenal

Where is El Arenal

Possible Activities in El Arenal

Wildlife observation

Diving

Highlights Close to El Arenal

Darwin's Towers

Huge schools of hammers and Galápagos sharks, whale sharks, Mantas: Darwin's Towers (formerly: Darwin's Arch) is arguably one of the world's best diving sites.

Located just off the southeast tip of Darwin Island, the islet of Darwin's Towers (formerly known as Darwin's Arch, but the arch collapsed in 2021) is a fantastic marine wonderland. The main attractions are the whale sharks and hammerhead sharks that often gather here. But there are many other species you can find - green turtles, majestic manta rays, dolphins, large schools of fish, and other species of sharks are all frequent encounters.

We have met divers with over 1000 logged dives that still called it the single best diving site of their life! If you have any particular species that you are keen to see on your dive, contact one of our Galápagos experts today, and we can advise on the best dive itinerary to suit your requirements.

Main Darwin Island

Darwin Island (originally named Culpepper Island) was renamed in honor of the famous naturalist. It is considered by many to be one of the best underwater habitats anywhere on earth.

Darwin is the most northerly island in the Galápagos, and is over 100 miles northwest of Isabela. Together with its neighbour Wolf Island, it is the most remote part of the archipelago.

Renowned for the large schools of hammerhead sharks that gather here (for reasons scientists still don't fully understand), Darwin and Wolf are tips of huge long-extinct undersea volcanoes that grew up over half a mile from the seafloor below.

You will enjoy spectacular diving here, and among the species you are likely to encounter are hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, rays, green turtles, and a myriad of tropical reef fish. If you have any particular species that you are keen to see on your dive, contact one of our Galápagos experts today and we can advise on the best dive itinerary to suit your requirements.