The Isla Dragonera in the extreme southwest of Mallorca is a natural park with an impressive diversity of species above and below the water. Sascha Tegtmeyer dived off Dragon Island. A diving travel report about an extraordinary island. 

Unpaid Advertising / Experience report.

Only winding serpentines through the hills lead to the small town of Sant Elm in the extreme southwest of Mallorca: If you open the car windows and point your nose to the wind, you can smell the pine trees and literally hear the waves breaking on the island of Sa Dragonera . The tranquil place seems a little sleepy by Mallorca standards. There are many small cafes, restaurants and a cozy atmosphere that invites you to relax and unwind, while the rocky Dragon Island is omnipresent in the background. While some people actually want to recognize a dragon in the rock formation, the name probably comes from the Dragonera lizards, thousands upon thousands of which are native there.

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Scuba Activa – German-speaking diving center in Sant Elm

The German-speaking base Scuba Activa is located on the outskirts of Sant Elm and has the underground nature park around the island right on its doorstep. Owner Mathias Günther has lived in Spain for a long time, came to the small, rustic town almost 20 years ago and opened his diving school there: “Immediately after I became a diving instructor, I packed my things in the van and set off.

We had chosen the house shortly before and then there was no stop! ", Reports the native of Swabia, who since then offers almost daily dive tours on the island. The Dive Center attaches great importance to service and a family atmosphere: "We do not want to grow any further. As we are, we are exactly right! ", Emphasizes Mathias calmly. "The many repeat guests agree that our concept is right."

Great underwater world – just let yourself be surprised

We want to go to a dive site called Aquarium. But is the Mediterranean really an aquarium? At first I'm skeptical as to whether this description can be accurate - lots of fish and colorful corals are often not present. We start with the Zodiac: The inflatable boat anchors not far from the base at a small rocky outcrop, to which the divers descend in full equipment and wade through the water into the boat. The ship then rushes through the waves to the diving spot on Dragon Island - the journey to the spot only takes ten minutes.

Monstrous the island towers ahead of us. Their rocks, between which birds nest everywhere, are threateningly falling into the sea. The waves lash against it. We anchor in a sheltered bay, over which a formation is sprung, which is aptly called the Indian face. Pretty impressive and exciting here in front of Dragonera - and beautiful.

With a courageous roll backwards you go into the water and down into a truly fantastic underwater world! I dive with base manager Mathias, who wants to show me this unique spot. We pass large stone formations and float down over a wide plateau. Lo and behold: We are in the aquarium! In front of the blue water, like in a 3D photo, there is a huge swarm of barracuda that approaches without fear, through which we almost dive and which seems to follow us at a safe distance.

We are accompanied on our tour by damselfish, two-banded bream and goldenstripes. For quite a while we are accompanied by a large white winged butterfly ray, which floats gracefully in front of us. Impressive, I've never seen a ray like that! A little deeper at the foot of the cliff there is a grouper family that you almost get the feeling that they have been waiting for their appearance and are watching us curiously.

On the way back you go through a chimney, past octopuses and a thread snail. As we dive out, we enjoy the beautiful and relaxed atmosphere that the sun's rays create in the crystal clear water. The wonderful variety of fish and the wonderful landscape of this diving site are truly uniquely impressive.

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Isla Dragonera – a highlight for divers

The nature park offers a unique ambience and ideal diving conditions: Because the Dragon Island and the surrounding waters are a protected area, there is an incredible biodiversity here, including everything that is native to the Mediterranean. Only last year the course was set to give the diving area an additional boost:

“Dragonera is now completely declared a nature park underwater,” reports diving instructor Mathias proudly. And it's not just the Aquarium spot that's a highlight: the Sa Dragonera protected area is large and is an independent island in the Balearic archipelago. There are almost 25 places here. Other highlights include Barracuda Point, Cap de Llebeitx, Isla Mitjana and the diveable wreck of the “MS Josephine” at a depth of 33 meters, which is known for the many free-swimming moray eels.

Scuba Activa lies optimally in its exposed position and manages the spots twice a day. You can tell base leader Mathias how proud he is of this unique place: "As you have seen, we already had a lot of fish. And the stocks will continue to increase! "Reason enough for me to come back soon - to the aquarium in front of Dragon Island.

Arrival to San Telmo

Direct flights are available from all major German airports, for example with Eurowings, Condor and Ryanair.

Home & Living

There are countless simple to upscale hotels in the southwest of Mallorca. Mathias Günter offers the mediation of accommodations around San Telmo and in the whole southwest. In addition to the hotel offer, there are also holiday apartments and houses to rent - from one-room apartments to houses with a pool.

Diving in Mallorca

The dive center Scuba Activa is located in San Telmo in a residential building with a garden just outside the center and is run since its founding 1996 by owner Mathias Günther. He is assisted in the summer months by a six-person instructor team. In the afternoon after the dives, guests often sit together with a cold drink in the cozy garden of the base. The training takes place according to PADI and CMAS guidelines. Two to three boat trips are offered daily. The journey to the 30 dive sites around the Isla Dragonera including cave and wreck spots takes between five and ten minutes.

Prices

A dive including a boat trip costs 38 euros. Complete rental equipment is available per dive for 17 euros. Bottles are offered in 10, 12 and 15 liter sizes. Discounts are available for early bookers and for three or more dives. Info: www.scuba-activa.com

FAQs Mallorca – The most important questions and answers about the island

I have put together the most important questions and answers about your Mallorca vacation so that you can start your next trip well informed.

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Have you ever scuba diving in Mallorca or have you visited the Isla Dragonera Natural Park? Share your experiences in the comments.