Les Illes Hotel & Diving

Les Illes Hotel & Diving is a long-established family business situated on the Costa Brava, right at the edge of the L'Estartit port. Its location is perhaps its greatest asset, sitting immediately adjacent to the Medes Islands natural reserve, one of the most significant marine protected areas in the Mediterranean.

The centre has been operating for over 25 years, providing a base for divers looking to explore the unique underwater topography of the region. Because it is integrated with a 3-star hotel, you can transition from your accommodation to the dive boats in minutes, making it a practical choice for those planning multi-day diving trips.

The centre is run by a permanent team of qualified instructors and guides who have extensive local knowledge of the Medes Islands and the surrounding coastline. This expertise is vital for navigating the varied conditions found across the different dive sites, from calm reef flats to more exposed walls.

As an established school, they cater to a wide range of diver needs, providing everything from introductory dives to professional-level training. The staff are experienced in managing both recreational and technical diving programmes, ensuring that the specific requirements of each diver profile are met.

The training programme is extensive, covering all major certification levels through PADI, SSI, and CMAS. Beginners can start with Discover Scuba Diving or Open Water Diver courses, while more experienced divers can progress through Advanced Adventurer and specialty training.

For those looking to expand their technical repertoire, the centre offers several advanced modules, including Deep Diver, Dry suit, and Wreck diving. They also provide specialised instruction in technical areas such as Buceo técnico, Recreational side mount, and Search and Recovery. Specialty courses are also available for skills like perfect buoyancy, navigation, and limited visibility/night diving.

The centre is well-equipped for both recreational and technical divers, featuring a high-specification Nitrox station. They operate four Bauer compressors, including a dedicated Nitrox unit, with a large storage capacity of 35 cylinders of 50 litres at 300 bar. Standard Nitrox mixes of 32% and 36% are available, with special blends provided upon request.

For those needing to hire kit, the centre provides a full range of equipment, including wetsuits in all sizes and Mares brand products. They also stock rechargeable torches and underwater lights for night diving and cavern exploration. On-site facilities include dedicated areas for rinsing and drying your equipment after each immersion.

The Mediterranean biodiversity here is exceptional, particularly around the protected walls and seagrass meadows. You will encounter a wide array of large fish, including groupers (Epinephelus), dentex, and barracuda, alongside rays and ocean sunfish. Schools of white seabream and various species of snapper are also common throughout the archipelago.

The rocky structures and gorgonian forests are home to many invertebrates, including octopuses, spiny lobsters (Homaridae), and various species of lobster. You can also find large conger eels and moray eels (Muraenidae) sheltering within the cracks of the reefs.

For macro enthusiasts, the sites offer plenty of interest, from colourful nudibranchs (Chromodoris willani) to various species of shrimp and small crustaceans. The presence of sea fans and red gorgonians provides a vibrant backdrop for observing the smaller inhabitants of the reef.

Diving in the Medes Islands can involve varying conditions depending on the site. Some areas, such as Carall Bernat, are known for moderate to strong currents, requiring divers to be comfortable with drift diving and to use surface marker buoys.

The topography ranges from sheltered reef flats to more exposed walls and deep fissures, meaning that while some sites are very calm, others require more experience to navigate safely.