There are diving destinations that leave you speechless. Malpelo is one of them, and those who know it understand exactly what we mean.
A rock in the middle of the Colombian Pacific, more than 500 kilometers from the coast, with no beach, no resort, no tourists. Just ocean, current, big life… and underwater moments that justify everything you have dived before.
If you have ever dreamed of seeing a wall of hammerhead sharks (not one, not five, but dozens circling around you), Malpelo is your place. And this year, in December 2026, from Te Moana Expeditions, we are going to experience it.
Why Malpelo is different from anything you have ever dived
Malpelo Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve. Access is not open to everyone: entry is regulated, permits are limited, and dives are always carried out aboard authorized liveaboards. That is exactly what makes its ecosystem so exceptional.
Its cold, nutrient-rich waters, fed by the Pacific currents, support a food chain that culminates in something very few people have had the privilege of witnessing.
This is not easy diving: the currents are strong, the depths are considerable, and the level of experience required is high. But the reward is worth it.
The species you will encounter underwater
Malpelo is not a place of colorful reefs or calm tropical fish. It is pelagic, wild, and every dive can bring something different. This is what you will see with your own eyes:
The smalltooth sand tiger shark
(Odontaspis ferox), locally known as “The Monster of Malpelo”, is a rare and elusive species that lives in deep waters. Malpelo offers some of the most unique sightings in the world of this species in relatively accessible waters, making the island a place of pilgrimage for divers and scientists.
Hammerhead sharks.
The great star. Sphyrna lewini gather here in schools that can exceed one hundred individuals.
You see them passing in formation, slow and majestic, completely ignoring you.
Silky sharks
Curious, close, omnipresent. Carcharhinus falciformis are the most sociable inhabitants of Malpelo and usually accompany you throughout the entire dive. If you are not a shark diver yet, they will turn you into one.
Oceanic whitetip shark
Carcharhinus longimanus appears in these waters sporadically, but genuinely. One of those sightings that guides treasure and divers never forget.
Manta rays and mobula rays
At certain times of year and in specific locations, manta rays make an appearance in the areas most exposed to the current, feeding on plankton near the surface.
The best dive sites in Malpelo
El Bajo del Monstruo
The jewel. An underwater mountain that rises from the bottom at around 30 meters. This is where the schools of hammerheads gather. The current can be intense, but when the school appears, everything else stops mattering.
La Gruta
A spectacular underwater cavern, with walls covered in life: lobsters, moray eels, crabs. Ideal for divers who also enjoy underwater photography.
El Arrecife de la Nevera
A shallower area where reef life is denser. A good spot to end a day of deep dives with something more relaxed and colorful.
Los Farallones
Vertical walls that drop to considerable depths. Here, silkies are constant and schools of snapper form silver clouds in the blue water.
The December trip: very limited places
This December 2026 we are organizing our expedition to Malpelo aboard a liveaboard specially selected for this type of destination.
As always at Te Moana Expeditions, the group is small. We are not a mass-market agency: we are divers who organize trips for other divers, with more than 10 years of experience doing so. You can feel that before departure, during the trip, and when you return wanting to do it all over again.
Places for Malpelo in December are very limited due to the access permits for the reserve. If this trip is calling you, do not leave it until tomorrow.
Contact us and we will tell you all the details of the trip. Malpelo is not for everyone. But if you are reading this, it is probably for you.
