El Dofi
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 — treat everything here as planning ranges.
The Dofi complex is the Medes' signature swim-through: broad limestone galleries that pierce the islet and frame blue exits like cathedral windows. Groupers loiter in the half-light, corvina stack in the shadowed chambers, and torch beams pick out scarlet cardinalfish and encrusting sponge where sunlight never reaches. Passages are wide enough that this remains cavern-style diving rather than true penetration, but lights, trim and an unhurried pace make the difference between corridor and silt-out. Outside, the reef slope carries morays, octopus and scorpionfish in classic Medes density.
The moment you come for: Tunnel arches with blue-light exits, groupers and corvina in the chambers, easy access
Topography: Limestone tunnel network threading the islets, opening onto rocky slopes and coralligenous patches
Entry: Minutes from L'Estartit by boat; moorings are fixed and dive slots managed under park rules.
Know before you splash
Hazards: Overhead environment — stay within natural light and training limits; summer diver traffic inside the tunnels.
Permits & rules: Diving in the park runs on a daily quota through authorized centers.
Conservation: Strictly protected no-take zone; touching walls damages slow-growing encrusting life.
Nitrox: Worth it here — profiles sit in the range where enriched air meaningfully extends no-stop time (with the training to use it).
Who you'll meet
For photographers
Wide angle: ★★★★★ · Macro: ★★★☆☆ — editors' 1–5 rating of what this site gives each style of shooting