Clear blue water, gorgeous wall dives, and colourful marine life are a number of the greatest the reason why the Caribbean is such a preferred space for diving adventures. For those who’re an avid diver, you’re most likely questioning which is the very best Caribbean diving spot.
This relies on what you’re on the lookout for, as you’ll find shore diving choices for rookies, deep wrecks for journey seekers, and loads of marine life for animal lovers. That will help you discover the right one for you, right here is our record of the ten greatest Caribbean diving spots.
The Bahamas
The Bahamas is a high Caribbean diving spot for all sorts of scuba divers, providing greater than 700 islands. Positioned near the U.S. and between the Caribbean and the western Atlantic Ocean, The Bahamas has a wide range of diving choices.
For those who’re an animal lover, you’ll be able to see swimming pigs and flamingoes in addition to a wide range of sharks throughout the realm. You’ll discover tiger sharks swimming across the aptly named Tiger Seashore and hammerheads over at Bimini, situated on the identical strip.
Are tiger sharks and hammerheads somewhat an excessive amount of? These on the lookout for a dive website with rather less marine life within the space can see Jeep wrecks down in Jeep Reef, or head off on a drift dive close to Harbour Island.
Cozumel, Mexico
Located on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, Cozumel is a wonderful diving vacation spot all yr spherical. Simply accessible and providing a variety of diving resorts plus 45 completely different dive websites, it’s a great place for all budgets and ability ranges.
The southern space of Cozumel is a protected marine park that accommodates a plethora of colourful marine life together with a wide range of fish species. Whether or not you’re a newbie or a extra superior diver, you’re certain to have a good time within the waters right here.
For those who’re on the lookout for marine life that’s extra than simply fairly fish and coral, Cozumel is not going to disappoint. Divers ceaselessly encounter an array of sea life, together with the uncommon splendid toadfish, in addition to extra frequent species akin to turtles, nurse sharks, eagle rays, and inexperienced moray eels.
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
The biggest of the US Virgin Islands, St. Croix affords alternatives from beginner-friendly shallow reefs to thrilling wall dives and beautiful swim-throughs. This is among the greatest Caribbean diving spots for Americans, as you’ll be able to journey right here with out a passport.
For those who’re on the lookout for a really exhilarating expertise, head to Cane Bay Wall, which drops from 40 toes to over 3,000 toes and has a lot to see inside the leisure limits, together with 300-year-old anchors and marine life akin to stingrays and seahorses.
Divers who love exploring wreckages ought to undoubtedly attempt St. Croix. With shipwrecks at Butler Bay, tugboats, and big oil barges accessible to even newer divers, there really is one thing for everybody.
St. Croix is a well-liked spot for night time divers too. Head over to Frederiksted Pier, the place you could possibly encounter frogfish, crustaceans, squid, octopi, and different nocturnal marine life.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is residence to 5 extremely notable diving areas: Santo Domingo, Juan Dolio, Airport Wall, Bayahibe, and Paradise Reef.
Bayahibe is arguably the preferred dive location, because it affords attention-grabbing wrecks and caves and is an effective spot for deep dives. Learners are capable of entry the Atlantic Princess Wreck at 43 toes, however if you happen to’re a extra skilled diver, you’ll be able to discover Saint George at 120 toes down.
For a enjoyable diving day journey, head to Silver Financial institution. Positioned simply north of the Dominican Republic, this sunken financial institution is among the only a few areas on the planet the place you’ll be able to expertise swimming with humpback whales. Attempt to go to between January and April, as it’s a devoted breeding and calving zone so that you could possibly swim alongside some humpback infants!
The Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands additionally supply a wide range of scuba diving spots. At Grand Cayman, the biggest and hottest of those islands, it is possible for you to to see among the best wrecks within the Caribbean: the usKittiwake at round 65 toes deep. Even if you happen to’re a newbie, you’ll be able to entry this breathtaking website.
One of many greatest attracts to Grand Cayman for divers is Stingray City. This can be a assortment of sandy banks which can be residence to large stingrays, the place each divers and snorkelers can swim alongside these majestic animals.
For those who get an opportunity for a day journey to Little Cayman, you should have the chance to go to the world-famous Bloody Bay Wall, a dream vacation spot for a lot of divers.
Turks and Caicos
Positioned simply southeast of The Bahamas is Turks and Caicos. This secluded archipelago homes 40 islands cut up by the Turks Island Passage, a 7,200-foot underwater trench, properly value exploring if you happen to get the prospect.
Many vacationers select to go to Providenciales, which can be a preferred spot for divers seeking to discover reef partitions and gatherings of nurse sharks between the months of July and September.
Arguably among the best Caribbean islands for scuba diving, Turks and Caicos is properly value a go to between January and March. Throughout this time, the ditch separating the islands serves as an underwater passageway for migrating marine life. You’ll be able to encounter some really magnificent species right here, together with turtles, humpback whales, and even dolphins.
There may be additionally a terrific vary of unbeatable wall dives with submerged cliffs. With a wide range of drop-offs and caverns, the place you’ll be able to see colourful and thrilling marine life akin to nudibranchs.
Grenada
In case you are on the lookout for a fantastic vacation spot the place you’ll be able to see some really wonderful shipwrecks, then Grenada is the spot for you. Positioned simply north of Venezuela, this relaxed and laid-back island has an enormous vary of wreck dives on supply for all ranges. Remember to go to the Bianca C, which sits between 100 and 165 toes deep. This world-class cruise liner is a really magical sight to behold deep beneath the waters.
Hoping to come across some marine life? Grenada doesn’t maintain again on this respect both. At Fisherman’s Paradise, the place the Caribbean meets the Atlantic, you’ll find an array of animals akin to octopi, nurse sharks, eagle rays, and moray eels.
Remember to make a journey to the world-famous Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park; you don’t even should be within the water to expertise this one. It’s also a preferred spot for snorkelers and company touring on glass-bottom boat journeys.
Belize
Located simply between Mexico and Guatemala, Belize is residence to the world’s second-largest reef system. A UNESCO World Heritage Web site, it is among the greatest Caribbean diving spots you’ll find.
Scuba divers in Belize can get pleasure from light situations for shore diving, that are nice for these simply beginning out, in addition to wonderful whale shark encounters in the event that they go to between the months of April and June.
For those who get an opportunity, head to Half Moon Caye. One of the widespread dive websites in Belize, right here you’ll be able to see a variety of corals and underwater vegetation. It’s also frequented by animals akin to reef sharks and sea turtles.
Curacao
A big island within the Dutch Caribbean, Curacao is thought for being residence to a terrific number of marine life and colourful coral reefs. It additionally affords light situations, making it among the best Caribbean diving spots for rookies.
There may be additionally a choice of wrecks to be explored right here, together with the Superior Producer, the place you’ll be able to enter the ship’s cargo holds and wheelhouse and may discover marine life akin to groupers and barracudas making themselves at residence.
Aruba
One of the well-known dive areas within the Caribbean is situated only a 10-minute boat journey from the shores of Aruba: the Antilla wreck. This sunken wreckage is cut up into two and rests at 60 toes deep, however some components nonetheless stick out above the water. For those who select to go to this space, you might encounter marine life together with lobsters, turtles, and moray eels.
The enjoyable doesn’t cease there, nevertheless, as Aruba is definitely residence to 14 reef dive websites, seven wrecks, and 7 devoted drift websites. Plus, it’s a cushty location to go to all yr spherical, because it sits outdoors of the hurricane belt. This makes it among the best Caribbean dive spots for summer time journeys.
After studying our record of 10 greatest Caribbean dive spots, which is your favourite? Tell us within the feedback. And if you need assist planning a scuba diving journey, attain out to one in all our skilled journey advisors by way of our Contact Us web page.
