Archipiélago de Malpelo

The Malpelo Archipelago is located 506 km west of Buenaventura, in the Colombian Pacific. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the islands most visited by divers, ranked among the world’s top 10 destinations for advanced scuba diving. It also draws many scientists, as the island has become a setting for numerous research projects and studies on the discovery of new species.

Malpelo has been constantly monitored by the Colombian Navy since 1986, to conserve its natural habitat and prevent indiscriminate fishing. The island is also Colombia’s largest seabird nesting colony, with about 60 reported bird species, including the Nazca booby, the masked booby, the swallow-tailed gull, and the snowy tern, among others.

An important fact about the Archipelago is that its coasts are of volcanic origin, rising from more than 4,000 meters deep, which is why it is also known as “the living rock.” The main island also has a maximum height above sea level of 360 meters, is 1,643 meters long, and up to 727 meters wide.

The Malpelo Archipelago is located 506 km west of Buenaventura, in the Colombian Pacific. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the islands most visited by divers, ranked among the world’s top 10 destinations for advanced scuba diving. It is also visited by scientists, as it has become a site for research on new species.