Top Five Scuba Diving Destinations in the Caribbean

Top Five Scuba Diving Destinations in the Caribbean

The Caribbean is well known for outstanding scuba diving (and snorkeling), and just about any destination in the region will have something to offer, but these top five destinations have some of the best scuba diving to be found anywhere in the world.

Belize is known throughout the world for incredible diving. The country boasts the second largest barrier reef in the world (after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia), with 185 miles of incredible reef and countless dive sites. Underwater visibility is routinely 100+ feet at comfortable water temperatures year round. There is the famous Blue Hole where divers can descend along the walls of a submerged cave complete with underwater stalagmites and stalactites. Not only is there reef and ridge diving, but also incredible and unusual mangrove diving, where divers can explore the waters around a mangrove island that plays host to juvenile barracuda and snapper and other fish that mature under cover of the mangroves before venturing out into the open ocean. There are several dedicated dive resorts on the island of Ambergris Caye, which is the hub of Belizean scuba diving, and many dive operators and dive schools.

The Cayman Islands have long been a hot spot for scuba diving in the Caribbean, having introduced recreational diving to the region in 1957. There are more than two hundred dive sites scattered between Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, boasting an average 100 ft plus visibility. There are dive sites suitable for all levels of divers, from first timers to Nitrox, on reefs and dramatic walls. Underwater photographers have enthused about the incredible diving and photo opportunities in the reefs surrounding these islands for many years. Dive resorts on all three islands are in abundance, offering customized packages to suit your needs. The famous Bloody Bay Marine Park, where the dramatic coral wall plunges from 20 feet to 6000 feet, is located off of Little Cayman, and attracts divers from around the world every day of the year.

Bonaire is frequently overlooked as a dive destination, but in fact, the island boasts 86 official dive sites, most of which are marked by yellow stones on the road on land, and each stone bears the name of the dive site. Out of the 86 dive sites around the island, 54 are shore dives, which means that you can park at the side of the road, gear up and off you go. It should be noted that divers in Bonaire must purchase a US$25 "nature tag" prior to diving, the proceeds of which go to the preservation of the Bonaire Marine Park. This Dutch island has many dedicated dive resorts and dive centers catering to divers of all levels of experience and ability. The island is serviced by scheduled international flights and via Aruba.

Aruba, located in the Western Caribbean, has some of the best wreck diving to be found anywhere in the world. There are at least half a dozen wrecks of various sizes and at varying depths to be explored, the most popular of which is the 400 ft long German freighter, the Antilla. The island boasts several dive resorts and dive centers offering packages and instruction by certified dive instructors. Though Aruba is Dutch, everyone speaks English, and there are numerous scheduled international flights in and out of the island on a daily basis, and it is a frequent port of call for cruise ships.

Saba. Unbeknownst to many, this Dutch island offers outstanding scuba diving in an underwater marine park set amidst dramatic volcanic marinescapes with thriving communities of tropical fish and an abundance of coral. Divers travel from all over the world to experience scuba diving at its best in the waters around Saba. This tiny island is best accessed by ferry or small plane out of St Maarten.
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By P M Johnson