Dive Site

The Colombara Reef is located at 500 m off the north coast of the island. It offers various dive sites according to the divers’ experience and certification. From 3mt depth to 40 mt, this reef provides impressive number of groupers, amberjacks, barracudas, dentex, moray eels and many other fishes. At the north west side of the reef, there is the wreck of a merchant ship that sank in 2005. On the south side there is a wonderful wall which starts at 14mt down to 40 mt. You will find many parazoanthus, astroides and red gorgonias.

It is perhaps the most popular dive in Ustica; its particular position in a sheltered bay and the multitude of possible routes make it a perfect site for divers of different levels.

Two natural "pools", divided by a thin strip of rock, are the starting point of every dive. Then descending green posidonia meadows, you skirt rock walls full of small ravines in which moray eels and octopuses hide, to finally reach the extreme point of the tongue, where shoals of white breams, barracudas and amberjacks in hunting await the divers in a spectacle of really wonderful life and play of light.

Also known as the "Horned" rock, due to the characteristic bull shape of the rock that emerges from the water, this dive site is particularly loved by underwater photographers for the variety of the environment and the amount of color. In fact, around 35 meters, we meet a series of huge boulders completely covered with lush red gorgonians, among which it is not difficult to find some lobsters.

The different and evocative passages in small canyons and caves make the ascent extremely lively, offering a series of truly incredible plays of light.

It is one of the most evocative and exciting dives, but also one of the most demanding. The combination of the many summits creates fantastic courses, where wonderful encounters are always made with the most characteristic pelagic fish, such as tuna and amberjack.

Here it's possible to admire the false black coral (Gerardia Savaglia) and large red gorgonians, which scenically color the landscape.

One of the most beautiful cave of Ustica is called Grotta delle Cipree. Its entrance is at 18 mt deep, going toward the island, there is a rock formation that takes you up to the surface. In that part of the cave, you may remove your regulator and admire the cave’s beauty: stalactites and fossil sea-shells of the Cypreae. At the exit of the of the cave you may encounter octopuses and small groupers.

It is a very interesting archaeological area with excellent visibility. You will dive throughout a canyon-like at 15 meter depth. This will lead you into 2 little caves. In the first one, you will find Roman amphorae and anchors and the second one is full of black Cerianthus.

On the west coast, Cape Spalmatore offers 2 dives. Both of them starts in a lavic channel.
The first one, Piramidi, goes through a canyon to end on a big anchor. Then you go up through a cave shape like a spiral.
The second one, Cirri, named after the fishes which leave there, there is a group of caves that offer amazing dive in between rocks.

It must be one of the most beautiful dive of Ustica, accessible to beginners whenever there isn’t much current. In this area there is 5 to 6 dive spots. Known for is 70 m long tunnel situated at 20 meters depth. This largely illuminated tunnel shelters huge groupers, amberjack and a lot of barracudas. Emotions guaranteed in the canyon where all kinds of encounters are possible.

On the eastern side of the island, there is a very high sea cliff which we call Punta Falconiera. At 20 mt depth, you will find a little cave full of shrimps, white hakes and slipper lobster. Outside the cave you will find red gorgonias, muray eels, lobster, groupers and rock fish.