See full version: Top 10 Places in the Western Caribbean to Go Snorkeling and Diving
Best for: Dives range from novice to advanced; be sure you're comfortable in a strong current, and bring a safety sausage for visibility upon surfacing. Snorkeling at Dzul Ha/The Money Bar is suitable for novices; be careful of currents that push out towards the channel in northern Cozumel. here
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary spans the 120 miles from Key Largo in the north to Key West in the southwest, and protects nearly 3,000 nautical miles of coastline and waters, home to the third largest barrier reef system in the world. Divers and snorkelers are spoiled for choice, with shipwrecks, coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass habitats all competing for their attention.
Best for: With depths beginning at only eight feet, the MUSA is suitable for snorkelers and divers alike.
Divers will want to check out the USS Vandenberg, an ex-military missile-tracking ship that went down seven miles south of Key West in May 2009 . Sitting in 145 feet of water, the top of the superstructure is at a more diveable 45 feet.
Best for: Everyone from novice snorkelers to experienced divers. [links]
If you’re looking to stay away from the big chain resorts like Sandals, then Check Prices Check Prices Small Hope Bay Lodge might be more your style. Located on the relaxed and secluded Andros Island, Small Hope is aimed at people looking to fish, scuba dive, and reconnect with nature. Established in 1960, Small Hope Bay Lodge was the first dive lodge in the Caribbean, and the resort’s beachfront cabins are a stone’s throw from the Andros Barrier Reef — one of the largest in the world. The resort offers more than 60 dive sites, including wrecks, coral gardens and stunning blue holes. With onsite instruction for beginners and a handful of different all-inclusive dive packages, Small Hope is a top choice for novices and experienced scuba experts. more
Want to mix a little romance with your diving? Then consider Check Prices Check Prices Couples Sans Souci . This tranquil Ocho Rios resort has great food, an award-winning Spa, and plenty of easy trails for strolls in the lush and unspoiled natural surroundings. Then there’s the scuba diving, with options for certified and uncertified divers. You can explore nearby reefs, swim with dolphins, watch trumpet fish and sea turtles, and get all nervous around nurse sharks (don’t worry, they don’t bite — not normally, anyway). The resort also runs night dives for an additional $50, providing a whole new nocturnal experience among octopi, moray eels, drum fish and stingrays. more
Not only does Check Prices Check Prices Curtain Bluff have one of the largest wine collections in the Caribbean (which, by the way, makes it a great place for surviving the zombie apocalypse), it also offers a huge array of activities. For watersports fanatics, this means plenty of swimming, water skiing, kayaking, windsurfing, snorkeling and scuba diving — all included. The resort’s twice-daily snorkeling trips, by boat, are a particular highlight, making it a great place to combine both snorkeling and scuba diving. Curtain Bluff is located on the southern coast of Antigua, which is where you’ll find the island’s best dive sites including the ever-popular Cades Reef. [links]
Scuba diving is fully included at all Sandals and Beaches Resorts. Both require a scuba certification to dive, but you can take an introductory “PADI Resort Certification Program” at the resorts for a nominal fee, allowing you to dive the next day. Combined, these two resort operators cover many of the best dive sites in the Caribbean, from Montego Bay in Jamaica to St. Lawrence in Barbados. PADI — the Professional Association of Diving Instructors — voted Check Prices Check Prices Sandals Resorts “one of the top 5 Dive Operators in the Western Hemisphere”, so you know you’ll be in good hands. And good flippers.
The best sites here are wall dives, so divers should be comfortable with both drift and deep diving techniques. Top dive sites in Lighthouse include Half Moon Cay, Long Cay, and the world-famous Belize Blue Hole. [links]
As the biggest and most popular of Belize’s cays, Ambergris offers impressive visibility coupled with pleasant, easy diving. Ambergris is ideal for casual divers or anyone traveling with non-divers. With 25 miles (40 km) of barrier reef just 1 mile (1.6 km) offshore, getting your dive fix doesn’t mean sacrificing your whole day.
With so many fabulous dive sites to choose from in a sprawling barrier reef system, a liveaboard will give you the opportunity to taste a bit of everything. Itineraries are robust and diverse, ticking off many of the signatures sites listed above. Most offer an 8-day, 7-night trip and the opportunity to do as many as 28 dives!
The reefs here display dazzling marine diversity and abundant life. Schools of cobalt blue Creole wrasse are common, as are purple gorgonian fan corals that filter feed along the sheer walls. Large brown barrel sponges often hold protected Nassau grouper, which enjoy the swirling jacuzzi inside. Take a closer look to find banded cleaner shrimps offering a free gill cleaning. [links]
Lighthouse is the easternmost atoll in Belize’s Barrier Reef. Although it’s just 50 miles (80 km) from Belize City, its reefs have been hailed as the healthiest and most developed in the region. Given its position in the Atlantic Ocean, it can be subject to strong winds. Luckily, there is no shortage of fabulous sites on the lee side to choose from. [links]
Philippe Giraud / Getty Images here
The picturesque central coastline of Anses d'Arlet is known for its white sand (which is gorgeous for sunbathing) and sloping rock walls (spectacular for scuba diving). But however picturesque the setting is above the water, there’s even more wondrous beauty to discover beneath the ocean’s surface. Thanks to its serene waters, this dive spot is known as “the pool” and is perfect for dive enthusiasts who are just beginning to master the sport. The calm waters are ideal for scuba divers of all levels, and the colorful underwater gardens are not to be missed. here
Diamond Rock (Rocher du Diamont) is probably the most famous dive spot in all of Martinique and is suitable for more advanced divers. Just 3 miles off the coast, the 574-foot-tall rock formation is the result of volcanic activity. The mystical dive spot is exceptionally well-known in the scuba diving world, as divers can swim through the very center of this massive, legendary site. Expect beautiful caves, that famous arch, and a plethora of anemones, sea fans, and hard corals. more
Just south of the Anses d'Arlet is the Pointe Burgos Reed and Wall, a 40-foot-long plateau of hard corals, barrel sponges, snappers, and sea turtles. Pointe Burgos is one of the most gorgeous dives in all of Martinique, and it is accessible to all levels of divers. Mind the current, however, as you navigate the ledge leading up to the 180-foot wall that comprises the centerpiece of this dive site. And if you love Pointe Burgos, be sure to check out Les Trois Vallées, another popular dive site in Martinique featuring walls of coral canyons.
Reinhard Dirscherl / Getty Images more