Cueva del Tiburon (Cano Island)
Depth is the range from the top of the site to its usual maximum; "recommended cert" is the mainstream-agency level operators usually ask for, not a legal rule. Currents and visibility change daily, so treat everything here as planning ranges.
Shark Cave keeps Cano Island's promise at a gentler register than Bajo del Diablo. The name comes from a broad recess in the granite where whitetip reef sharks pile in to rest through the day - divers kneel on the sand at a respectful distance and watch a shelf of sharks breathe, stack, and occasionally reshuffle like badly filed books. Around the ledges, the reserve's protected biomass fills in the rest: parrotfish, big porcupinefish, morays, turtles on the rock line, and eagle rays gliding the perimeter. Shallow depths, mild current, and reliable clarity make it the reserve's best introduction dive, and a favorite second tank after the pinnacles.
The moment you come for: Resting whitetips at close, calm range, easy profile in the reserve's clear water
Topography: Low granite reef with ledges, overhangs, and a shark-sheltering recess
Know before you splash
Hazards: Surge into the ledges on swell; mind fins near the resting sharks.
Conservation: Do not crowd or block the resting recess - the sharks abandon it when pressed.
Who you'll meet
Green Sea Turtle
Porcupinefish
Spotted Eagle Ray
Whitetip Reef Shark
"Charted here" species were listed by our editors from the sources on this page. Counts are GBIF occurrence records: observations logged within about 5 km of the charted position since 1990, matched only against the species in our catalogue. They show what has been seen there, not a promise of what you will see.
For photographers
Wide angle: ★★★★☆ · Macro: ★★☆☆☆ (editors' 1–5 rating of what this site gives each style of shooting)