Puerto Rico Dive Sites

Media Luna (La Parguera)

Also known as: Cayo Media Luna · Medialuna Key · Arrecife Media Luna · Media Luna · La Parguera, 2006

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Snorkel spotFrom Puerto Rico Dive Sites, the sourced field guide

Media Luna (La Parguera)

RegionGuánica & La Parguera
MunicipalityLajas
AccessAccess not established
Site typeNot established
Depth (reported range)12–13 ft (4–4 m)Single source (current tier 1–2)
SnorkelSnorkel-friendly
Hazardsexposure: farther out than the operator's other snorkel spots, visited only when the wind is calm
Protected areaLa Parguera Natural Reserve
LocationPinned on location: a DRNA mooring buoy at the site.Location evidence: Official GIS[6]
ConfidenceVerified
Last researched2026-10-17

Overview

Heads up: Media Luna (Half Moon) sits farther out than the other snorkel spots a local operator uses, and the operator only goes when the wind is calm. It is a snorkel spot in the La Parguera Natural Reserve off Lajas, with clear water over a patchwork of coral; the operator reports occasional dolphins, and turtles, spotted eagle rays and manatees passing through. A 2008 DRNA survey found 12 to 13 feet at the two day-use buoys, with boulder star coral dominant but many colonies overgrown by algal turf. Long-term monitoring stations here sit at about 16 and 33 feet. Check current DRNA rules.[1][2][3][4][5]

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Heads up: exposure: farther out than the operator's other snorkel spots, visited only when the wind is calm. See safety notes

Habitat & marine life

  • calcareous sand and coral rubble typical of reef zones exposed to high wave energy; sparse colonising seagrass; boulder star coral (Montastraea annularis) dominant, many colonies overgrown by algal turf (2008)[3]
  • Patch reef (Inner-Shelf) at station 'Media Luna 5m (Parguera)'[4]
  • Aggregate reef (Inner-Shelf) at station 'Media Luna 10m (Parguera)'[4]
  • occasional dolphins[1]
  • sea turtles, spotted eagle rays and manatees frequently pass through (operator)[2]
  • threespot damselfish among the coral colonies (2008)[3]

Marine life is what sources report having seen or commonly seeing — not a guarantee.

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Snorkeling

  • exposure: farther out than the operator's other snorkel spots, visited only when the wind is calm[1]
  • snorkeling: listed on a current operator's La Parguera snorkeling-sites page ('Half Moon' islet); very clear water and a patchwork of coral below[1]

What sources say about snorkeling here. Conditions change — check the sea state before you go.

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Recent diver reports

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First-hand reports from divers, reviewed before they appear. Conditions change daily; a report describes one day.

Safety considerations

  • exposure: farther out than the operator's other snorkel spots, visited only when the wind is calm[1]

What to know

  • Open to wind and swell, roughest on the north and west coasts in winter and midsummer. Check the NWS San Juan marine forecast before going out. More →

Ocean conditions change daily. Dive within your training, plan with current local information and consider a local professional guide. Water safety guide.

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Protected area

  • La Parguera Natural Reserve (Reserva Natural La Parguera)

    Natural Reserve · Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources · Site position falls inside the official boundary[5]

    NOAA's MPA Inventory classifies this area's protection level as "Uniform Multiple Use"; fishing: no site restrictions. Anchoring: restricted.[5]

Regulations change. Check with DRNA (Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales) before diving.

Depth reports by source

ReportedSourceStatus
12–13 ft (4–4 m)Vicente & Associates, Inc. for DRNA (Coral Reef Initiative NA06NOS4190108, task CRI-13)[3]Current source

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See also

Straight-line distance only — not travel time, and not necessarily reached from the same departure point.

Sources & verification

Last researched: 2026-10-17 · Last independently verified: not yet field-verified · Confidence: Verified

  1. 1.Snorkeling Sites & Reef In La Parguera — Paradise Scuba & Snorkeling Center (2026-10-14) · Dive operator · Tier 2: Specialist · accessed 2026-10-17
  2. 2.About La Parguera — Paradise Scuba & Snorkeling Center (2026-10-12) · Dive operator · Tier 2: Specialist · accessed 2026-10-17
  3. 3.Estudio de boyas de amarre localizadas en las Reservas Naturales de Guánica, Parguera y Caja de Muertos (file E2: field inventory, section 3.2) — Vicente & Associates, Inc. for DRNA (Coral Reef Initiative NA06NOS4190108, task CRI-13) (2008-05-07) · Government · Tier 1: Primary / authoritative · accessed 2026-10-11
  4. 4.Puerto Rico Long-Term Coral Reef Monitoring Program Database Compilation (DwC-A v1.9, GBIF dataset b3b7d5c4-f73a-475b-a203-c6a1ddd040cd, DOI 10.15468/heuugg) — DRNA Puerto Rico / NOAA CRCP (published via OBIS-USA IPT) (2022-02-13) · Government dataset · Tier 1: Primary / authoritative · accessed 2026-10-17
  5. 5.NOAA Marine Protected Areas Inventory 2024 (feature service NOAA_MPA_Inventory_2023), State = PR — NOAA NOS Office of National Marine Sanctuaries - MPA Center (2024) · Government dataset · Tier 1: Primary / authoritative · accessed 2026-09-25
  6. 6.Estudio de boyas de amarre localizadas en las Reservas Naturales de Guanica, Parguera y Caja de Muertos - Inventario, evaluacion ambiental y recomendaciones (main report, file E1) — Vicente & Associates, Inc. for DRNA (Coral Reef Initiative NA06NOS4190108, task CRI-13) (2008-05-07) · Government · Tier 1: Primary / authoritative · accessed 2026-09-25
  7. 7.Noreste Mooring Buoys3_WFL1 (layer pr_mooringbuoys2) - Boyas de Amarre — Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales (DRNA); published on ArcGIS Online by a DRNA Northeast Ecological Corridor reserve management officer (2021-06-10) · Government dataset · Tier 1: Primary / authoritative · accessed 2026-10-17
  8. 8.Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) — Domestic Names, Puerto Rico — U.S. Geological Survey (2026-08-28) · Government dataset · Tier 1: Primary / authoritative · accessed 2026-10-17

Facts are summarised in our own words from the sources above; we do not reproduce operators’ or publishers’ descriptions. How confidence is assigned.