Dive Into The Caribbean With These Must-See Sites

With the weather starting to warm up, Spring & Summer travel plans are being made and the Caribbean is at the top of the destination list! With its near perfect temperatures, beautiful culture, and pristine waters, who doesn’t want to spend a few days in a literal paradise? With hundreds of islands, each with a special charm, the Caribbean and scuba exploration go hand-in-hand. You’ll find old wrecks, new wrecks, coral reefs, sheer walls, gentle drop offs and fabulous pinnacles to investigate. You can dive from shore, from dive boats or spend your days diving from a liveaboard. Warm, clear water, beautiful beaches and a laid-back pace make the Caribbean a good dive holiday choice. This list of Must-See Caribbean Dive Sites is courtesy of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (www.PADI.com).

Anse Chastanet, St. Lucia

Scuba St. Lucia

Located in the marine park, this shallow reef is popular for both diving and snorkeling. With more than 150 different fish species on the reef, this site is a favorite for photographers. This is also an excellent dive for beginners to get their feet wet.

The Cenotes, Mexico

PADI

If you want to try something truly special, dive a cenote. These deep, freshwater-filled sinkholes formed when the roofs of limestone caverns collapsed and filled with water. The Yucatan’s elaborate cenotes have intricate cave systems and underground tunnels that draw divers from around the globe. Many cenotes boast pristine turquoise waters and a beautiful array of stalagmites and stalactites formed over millions of years. Proper scuba training and experience is a must for this experience.

Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras

Pierre Malo

Utila is the smallest of Honduras’ Bay Islands, but can offer some of the largest underwater animal encounters in the Caribbean. Offering warm water, pristine reefs and plenty of tropical fish, Utila is a great dive destination for divers of all levels. As a bonus, the island is often frequented by whale sharks – one of the ocean’s gentle giants. While sightings are more frequent in early spring and late summer, it’s not uncommon to spot whale sharks year-round, which is why Utila claims to be “the whale shark capital of the Caribbean”. Utila is the smallest of the Honduras’ Bay Islands, after Roatán and Guanaja, in a region that marks the south end of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the second-largest in the world.

Moliniere Underwater Sculpture Park, Grenada

Michelle Taylor

Jason DeCaires started the Underwater Sculpture Park in 2006 in one of Grenada’s Marine Protected Areas. With more than 50 life-size sculptures, the project shows environmental processes that turn art into an artificial reef. As marine life begins to grow on the surface of each piece, a variety of colors and patterns emerge, making a stunning visual.

SS Stavronikita, Barbados

PADI

The most famous wreck on the island, this purposely-sunk Greek freighter, now part of the Folkestone Underwater Park, hosts a rainbow of huge tube and rope sponges. The Stavronikita lies in 36 meters/120ft of water with the stern at 30 meters/100ft and the bow at 21 meters/70ft.

Stingray City, Grand Cayman

PADI

On this shallow dive on a sandy bottom, hordes of southern stingrays surround you as they glide past hoping for a feed from a friendly divemaster. You’ve probably seen many photos and television documentaries featuring this famous site.

James Bond Wrecks, New Providence, Bahamas

Stuart Cove

Relive the adventure of 007 by diving the Vulcan Bomber, a wreck purpose-sunk for the movie Thunderball, and the Tears of Allah another wreck that was used in the movie Never Say Never Again.