Comino Divesites - Santa Maria Caves

Santa Maria Caves is one of the most visited dive sites. There is a small cove where your boat will set anchor; take a bearing for the far corner of the cove. That is the entrance to the first cave you can see from land as tourist boats enter the cave. Once off the boat you can descend to the sandy sea bed and feed the sea bream as they come 30 to 40 at a time to grab bread.

Moving on from the feeding frenzy, take your bearing across the cove, follow the cave to the end and to the left, at two metres, the tunnel branches off into a small bell chamber big enough for four divers to go in and see the immense bright sapphire blue from the ocean outside. Heading back out of the cave keeping to the left under the arch and back out to the sea, keep following the wall around five metres, and you will enter the main cave entrance. From here the cave splits into a Y shape. Keeping right brings you back out, keeping left takes you deeper in. Following to the left you come to a ledge.
As you rise to the top you notice the route off to the right. Keep to the left, and ascending you will surface in an air chamber inside the cave where you can climb out. Take a moment to take in the view and descend again, heading off the ledge and back down to the cave floor. You will notice sunlight, and not far away is the exit to the cave. Heading out into the open to your left there will be a big overhang.

You will see the arch, swim through a ZORO ‘Z’; once through ZORO you will see some boulders below at 15-18 metres. Swim back around the reef to your right. Following the wall around you re-enter the cave staying on the right side. Once inside you come to a narrow passage. Swim through this, it looks tight but you can pass with twins, once out and the whole group has reunited outside, swim straight out and you should find yourself underneath your boat. If caves are not your thing you can stay outside on the reef. It is fantastic for kids’ snorkelling, and this site has been used as the
location for many films in the past. As for marine life you’re sure to see sea bream, also stingrays down on the sand and octopie morays along with passing amberjacks.