Travel Sub Dive Scuba Experience: First Dive and Turtle-Area Snorkel from Puerto Colón, Tenerife

TRAVEL SUB DIVE CENTER

2-in-1 Scuba Diving & Snorkeling in Turtle Habitat

★ 4.7 (2,017) · from $84

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Prices and timetables checked 2026-10-17. This page contains affiliate links; I earn a commission if you book.

The Travel Sub Dive scuba experience is a beginner's introduction to diving, run by the PADI 5-star Travel Sub Dive Center from Puerto Colón marina in Costa Adeje. It costs $84 per person, about €75 at the 2026-10-16 rate, and combines one shallow scuba dive with a snorkel in an area known for sea turtles.

The detail that changes the decision is how little of the three hours is spent underwater. The itinerary adds up to 110 minutes: 30 for the briefing, two 15-minute speedboat rides, then 25 minutes of diving and 25 of snorkelling. A second rule matters even more: no flying and no climbing to altitude for half a day after the dive.

I have not been on this trip. Everything below comes from the listing, its reviews, free APIs and the sources linked inline. For other ways to snorkel see my Tenerife snorkeling tours guide and the full list of boat tours in Tenerife, or start from the harbouradvisor.com home page.

What is the Travel Sub Dive scuba experience and what do you do?

The Travel Sub Dive scuba experience is a half-day first dive: you learn the basics in a briefing, ride a speedboat to a site, dive to a maximum of 12 m with a PADI instructor, then snorkel.

The listing promises turtles, rays and fish. The operator claims turtles show up in about 95% of outings and also admits they are wild animals, so no sighting can be guaranteed. A reviewer on the booking page asked for clearer wording on that point, and I'd treat the turtle as a good chance rather than a promise.

• The dive: a shallow, supervised first breath underwater with an instructor beside you; one instructor covers two people.
• The snorkel: the remaining water time is spent at the surface with a mask and snorkel.
• The boat: a speedboat moves the group between the dive centre and the site, and the listing says to watch for dolphins and whales on the way.
• The footage: the includes list says photo and video footage is "available on the spot", which reads like an add-on rather than free, so ask.

Where does the Travel Sub Dive scuba experience start?

It starts at the Travel Sub Dive Center reception inside the Escuela Náutica building facing pier 5, within the private parking area of Puerto Colón marina.

Look for a large banner with the centre's name at the entrance, then go inside to reception. The listing says to call if you cannot find it. The pin is the same spot I link in the table: Travel Sub Dive Center on Google Maps. The marina sits in Costa Adeje, so many hotels in the area are a short ride away, although the listing does not offer pickup.

What is the timeline of the 3 hours?

The listed timeline is 110 minutes of activity in a 3-hour slot, and the remaining 70 minutes cover check-in, kitting up, changing and the walk back.

The listing describes the dive and the snorkel as 2-in-1, but the dive is the shorter-feeling part at 25 minutes. If you are choosing between this and a longer snorkel-only trip, those 25 minutes are what you pay the extra for.

What are the medical limits and the altitude rule?

The centre excludes children under 8, pregnant women, people over 70 and people with heart, respiratory, epilepsy, diabetes or other pre-existing medical conditions, and it bans flying for 12 hours after the dive.

• Age: minimum 8 years; minors aged 8 to 17 must have an adult on the boat, and that adult pays for the activity.
• Health: the exclusion list covers heart problems, breathing problems, epilepsy, diabetes and pregnancy.
• Glasses: a mask cannot be worn over glasses, so you wear contact lenses or go without. The includes list also mentions prescription goggles, which contradicts that, so ask which applies.
• Bring: a sun hat, towel, sunscreen and flip-flops; bring an ID or passport for children.
• Not allowed on board: smoking, large bags, fishing, alcohol, drugs and glass.

The altitude rule is the one that catches visitors out. Divers Alert Network (DAN) recommends a minimum surface interval of 12 hours before flying after a single no-decompression dive and 18 hours after repeated dives or several days of diving. Tenerife's volcano is the temptation: Teide National Park sits high above sea level, so do the dive after the Teide trip, not before.

12 hours is the minimum preflight surface interval after a single no-decompression dive, rising to 18 hours after multiple dives.

The operator is stricter than most visitors expect on one more point: the listing says wheelchair access is possible, but the same page excludes people with mobility-related medical conditions from the dive. Call the centre before booking if mobility is a concern.

What is included and what is not?

The price covers the speedboat, the dive, the instructor, all equipment, insurance and water; the listing lists photos as available on the spot and towels as something you bring.

How does the Travel Sub Dive scuba experience compare with the other snorkel tours?

It is the most expensive of the four snorkel options on this site per booked hour, and it is the only one that puts you on a scuba set.

If you only want to see fish and perhaps a turtle, the shore snorkel costs half as much. If you want a drink and a sail, the catamaran fits. The dive centre trip is the one for people who want to try breathing underwater, and it is covered with the others in the snorkeling tour guide.

Is a first scuba dive in Tenerife worth it against a snorkel trip?

For a curious beginner, I'd say yes: the $84 buys a supervised dive and a snorkel in one slot, and reviewers say the instructors calmed even nervous first-timers.

The value score on the booking page is 4.6, the lowest of the three sub-scores, which is typical of a dive priced above a plain snorkel. The question is whether 25 minutes underwater is worth the gap to a $42 snorkel. If diving is a one-off bucket-list item, I'd pay it. If you mainly want to see turtles from the surface, I wouldn't.

One couple writes that they will return and work towards a full diving licence, which is a good sign of what the experience does. The listing itself says turtle sightings are common but not certain, so go for the dive, not just the turtle.

When is the best time to go?

Sea temperature is warmest from August to October, at 24.0 to 24.2°C offshore in 2025, and coolest from January to April, at 20.2 to 20.6°C, while waves are lowest in October at a highest daily reading of 1.05 m.

The wetsuit is included, so the cold months are manageable, and the boat ride is short. Rain is rare on this coast: Open-Meteo recorded 0 days of 1 mm or more from June to October 2025 and 5 in March. Swell is the factor that cancels dive trips, so the March reading of 1.79 m is the one to watch.

The Spanish weather service AEMET issues coastal warnings that explain most cancellations. Public holidays, from the Nager.Date API, fall on 6 December, 8 December and 25 December, when the group of up to 10 fills quickly.

For wildlife context, the Spanish ministry's sheet for the Teno-Rasca marine site on Tenerife's west coast lists bottlenose dolphins, green turtles and loggerhead turtles among the species of interest, so the island's waters do hold what the listing describes: MITECO's Teno-Rasca sheet.

What do passengers say?

Passengers praise patient, attentive instructors who make nervous beginners feel safe, and the main complaint is the lack of clear information about turtle odds.

• Instructors: named by reviewers for patience and reassurance underwater.
• Beginners: several first-timers say they could not have done it without the calm guidance.
• Repeat intent: a couple say they plan to return and pursue a diving licence.
• Turtles: some travellers would like firmer odds before they book.

The 10 reviews I could read on the booking page are all five stars, so that sample is positive-only. The rating of 4.7 rests on 2,017 reviews, and GetYourGuide's summary of the last year (180 verified reviews) says the same two things.

Who should skip it?

Skip this dive if you have any of the listed medical conditions, are under 8 or over 70, are flying within 12 hours, or want a plain turtle snorkel.

• People flying out tomorrow morning: the 12-hour rule makes an early flight impossible; DAN's 18-hour figure applies if you have dived on consecutive days.
• Glasses wearers without contacts: the mask does not fit over glasses.
• Budget snorkelers: the Snorkel Excursions Abades tour costs $42.
• Drinkers: alcohol is not allowed on board.

If you want a sail instead, the catamaran tours in Tenerife include drinks and a swim. The Tenerife boat tours hub lists everything else, and a dolphin cruise at dolphin watching in Tenerife is another cheap option.

How do you book the Travel Sub Dive scuba experience?

Pick a date on GetYourGuide, check the departure time, and book at least a day ahead because cancellation is free until 24 hours before.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: GetYourGuide listing and reviews for product 105191 (checked 2026-10-17); Divers Alert Network, flying after diving; MITECO Teno-Rasca marine site sheet; AEMET; Open-Meteo APIs; Frankfurter; Nager.Date.