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Diving in the Dominican Republic is impressive, varied and spectacular. No matter what level of diver you are, diving in the Dominican Republic has always something to offer every one. Here’s a list of some of the different diving sites in Dominican Republic; |
1: Sosúa
In the North Coast region of Puerto Plata, visitors staying in resorts from Costambar to Cabarete head to this site for diving. There are shallow reefs where beginners can sit on the sand underwater and watch the tropical fish swim by. Sosúa also has great advanced dives, too, especially in the waters near the international airport. The main diving spots are Las Palmitas, the Airport Wall, Five Rocks with plenty of coral, and La Pirámide, a series of interconnecting tunnels. The best months for diving in the North are June to September when the water is at its calmest and visibility is at its best.
2: Cabrón
This site is off the Las Galeras beach and is an advanced dive site from 5 meters to 54 meters down with plentiful rock and coral formations, tons of fish, and a wall. Heading west of Sosúa along the North coast are wrecks to explore off the shores of Cofresí and Montecristi. Major salvage operations are underway in the waters off the province of Montecristi. Qualified divers can join the search and salvage team to look for sunken ships using state of the art search and salvage equipment. There are over 20 shipwrecks to choose from, including the historic 1563 fleet. Punta Rucia near Montecristi has an atoll called Cayo Arena (Sand Island), which offers incredible coral diving. Cayo Arena is sometimes covered completely by the ocean, and at other times is extremely visible for exploring.
3: Grí Grí Dive School
An hour from Sosúa in Río San Juan, visitors staying at Caribbean Village Playa Grande can dive at this dive school. The surrounding waters offer good beginning and advanced dive sites with abundant tropical fish and marine life. It is possible to see dolphins, whales (from January to March), barracudas, groupers up to 1-1/2 meters long and many colorful reef fish.
4: Cabrera
Advanced divers will enjoy fresh-water cave-diving through wide tunnels here. The site has a beautiful inland lake, where the light effects are amazing with the 10-meter wall and the underwater trees reflected.
5: Las Terrenas
This site is further along the North coast and has a location called "The Whales," where one can dive in holes and view lobsters, groupers and coral formations.
6: La Caleta National Underwater Park
This is the best area for enjoyment of reef and wreck dives, night dives and fresh water cave diving near Santo Domingo and you can choose both shallow and deep water diving. During the months of November to January, the water on this side of the island is at its calmest, increasing visibility to its maximum level. The Hickory wreck is an iron ship used many years ago to explore Spanish galleon wreck treasures. A second wreck, at a depth of 100 feet, is only a few minutes away by boat from the Hickory. The coral formations at this depth are a carpet of color, a tapestry of textures creating a profound sense of wonder at the delicate balance in this ecosystem. This underwater park can be reached in about 17 minutes by fast boat from Boca Chica, or about 25 minutes by slow boat from the public park on Las Americas highway.
7: Catalina Island
This is a good diving spot for experienced divers, where the "wall" attracts not only vacationers from the nearby La Romana resorts but also divers traveling from the North coast. The site is 20 minutes by boat from a dock in La Romana and is probably one of the few places to see very large fishes. Its shallower dive of about 25-30 feet off the island is a pleasure with abundance of purple sea fans, orange, brown and gray gardens, and a variety of multi-colored, fluorescent fish. There is excellent visibility of 90-100 feet and good light refraction.
8: Saona Island
This is a popular area for diving in the Southeast of the country, which can only be reached by boat from La Romana. The island is a protected sanctuary within the National Park of the East, and has abundant marine life, such as turtles, whales, sharks and big fishes.
9: Punta Cana
Located on the East coast of the island, it features the longest coral reef on the whole island, about 30 kilometers long.
10: Los Bajos
This is an isolated place along the southwest shore, in Bahía de Ocoa (Ocoa Bay), and has been reported to have large fish populations. Only a two-hour drive from Santo Domingo, the bay is a popular weekend resort for Dominicans and has beach houses along the quiet, gray-sand shores of Palmar de Ocoa.
11: Barahona
This is a new area further to the west, which is for divers seeking unexplored and seldom-visited sites.
