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MapSpeciesParksDiving
  1. Home
  2. Diving and snorkelling
  4. Peru
  5. Ballestas Islands

Ballestas Islands

Cold rocky reef

Near Paracas

Depth: 5–20 mLevel: Advanced Open WaterAll year round
Spotted something wrong?

Cold Humboldt Current water with abundant marine life, nicknamed "the Peruvian Galápagos".

Depth

5–20 m

Recommended level

Advanced Open Water

Average visibility

8 m

Location

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1 park within 30 km.

Ballestas Islands: 14 documented species

Ecosystem

Reef

Nearby parks

What is there to see on land, near this site?

28 km away

Similar dive sites

Which other dive sites are like this one?

Same country: Peru

Same country: Peru

Same type of dive: Reef

Keep exploring

Based on what we already know about this dive site.

Share your experience diving or snorkelling at Ballestas Islands.

Water temperature

17 °C

Current

Moderate

Access

Boat

Best season

All year round

Recommended certification

Drysuit Diver

Approx. price

50 USD / dive

Plan your dive

Best season
All year round
Approx. price
50 USD / dive
See location

Same type of dive: Reef

Peru · Paracas, Ica
See on the interactive map→
Humpback WhaleLeast Concern

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humboldt SquidNot Evaluated

Humboldt Squid

Dosidicus gigas

Sally Lightfoot CrabNot Evaluated

Sally Lightfoot Crab

Grapsus grapsus

Guanay CormorantNear Threatened

Guanay Cormorant

Leucocarbo bougainvilliorum

Bottlenose DolphinLeast Concern

Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

South American Sea LionLeast Concern

South American Sea Lion

Otaria flavescens

South American Fur SealLeast Concern

South American Fur Seal

Arctocephalus australis

Peruvian PelicanNear Threatened

Peruvian Pelican

Pelecanus thagus

Humboldt PenguinVulnerable

Humboldt Penguin

Spheniscus humboldti

Peruvian BoobyLeast Concern

Peruvian Booby

Sula variegata

Blue SharkNear Threatened

Blue Shark

Prionace glauca

Critically Endangered

Tope

Galeorhinus galeus

See all 14 species found here

Paracas

Tropical rocky reef

Máncora

Peru

Up to 20 m · Open Water

Turtles · rays

See dive site
High-altitude lake

Lake Titicaca

Peru

Up to 30 m · Advanced Open Water (altitude)

Titicaca water frogs · endemic fish

See dive site
UNESCO
Reef/Sardine Run

Cape Vidal

South Africa

Up to 25 m · Advanced Open Water

Dolphins · sharks and seabirds during the Sardine Run

See dive site
ParkParacas28 km away
CountryPeru
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Nearby park (28 km away)Paracas
More places in Peru
UNESCO
Tropical reef

Sodwana Bay

South Africa

Up to 30 m · Open Water

Tiger sharks · manta rays

See dive site
Ocean