Cíes Islands
Galicia · Spain
The Cíes Islands form the southern gateway of the Illas Atlánticas National Park and have been called Galicia's Galápagos for good reason — grey seals haul out on exposed rocks above the surface while their kelp-forested underwater world teems with giant octopus, conger eels, and clouds of nudibranchs. Cold Atlantic upwellings keep the water rich in nutrients, driving an abundance of life that rivals any tropical reef in biomass. Visibility can reach 20 m in summer, revealing dramatic granite walls smothered in pink coralline algae, encrusting sponges, and sea urchin carpets.
Conditions
Depth
5 to 35 m
Advanced depths
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
15 to 22 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
12 to 21°C
7mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 12 |
| Vis (m) | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Current | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Still | Gentle | Gentle | Moderate | Moderate |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Bocage'S Wall Lizard
Last confirmed Jul 5, 2026 · 154 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Ocellated Lizard
Last confirmed Jul 8, 2026 · 230 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Podarcis lusitanicus
Last confirmed Jul 6, 2026 · 160 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Mallard
Last confirmed Jun 22, 2026 · 95 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
European Shag
Last confirmed Jul 8, 2026 · 138 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Common Octopus
Last confirmed May 22, 2026 · 59 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Grey Seal
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Flabellina Nudibranch
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear