Scuba diving in Aruba
Scuba diving in Aruba is famous due to the spectacular shipwrecks and interesting coral formations that dominate the underwater world around this Caribbean island. This includes the 400 foot Antilles wreck, which is the largest wreck in the Caribbean Sea.
Most of Aruba's dive sites lie along the protected western and southern coasts, a short distance from the hotels settled on Palm Beach. Aruba's waters are rich in exotic marine life, including stingrays, moray eels, manta rays, barracudas and yellow tail. A large shallow sand plateau surrounds Aruba, making the boat travel the most convenient method of reaching the off-shore reefs.
Interesting coral formations are found in water depths of 20 to 100 feet, with little or no current and flat surface conditions. Over twenty diving sites are shared by dive operators on this island.
Best reefs & wrecks of Caribbean Sea
Antilles Wreck
Antilles Wreck is a W.W.II German freighter and is considered to be the best wreck from the Caribbean Sea. The wreck is over 400 feet long and sits on its port side. It breaks the surface from a maximum depth of 60 feet. Large jewfish lives in forward section. You'll find here are more fish than on any other reef.
Dantchi's Delight Reef
Offers easy and beautiful dive with a lot of orange sponges, stag horn coral and damsel fish. Starts in 15 feet and goes to 60 feet.
Airplane Wreck
An airplane almost so big as a DC-3 sunk intentionally as an artificial reef. There are now 2 big pieces. This is a very nice and interesting dive resort, with great photo opportunities.
Sonesta Reef
It's a nice reef, which starts in 15 feet and goes to 80 feet. It offers lots of brain coral, orange cup sponges, and parrot fish, along with damsel fish and butterfly fish.
Tugboat Wreck
The reef starts in 20-70 feet of water. Tugboat is home to a big quantity of fish. On occasion spotted eagle ray, sting rays and octopus can be seen here.
Kantil Reef
It's a beautiful reef with lots of parrot fish, barracuda, lobsters and many more.
Jane C. Wreck
Offers exciting diving. Jane C. it's a cargo ship wreck standing upright in sand. Bow is in 65 feet and stern is in 94 feet. The wreck is 250 feet long and the chain is hooked throughout the coral reef. It's often visited by barracuda, manta rays and even turtles.
Skalahein Reef
Offers one of the most beautiful reefs in Aruba. The reef slopes from 20 feet down to 140 feet. Lots of fish and different types of coral live there.
Barcadera Reef
It's a great reef with lots of fish, lobster and moray eels. Starts in 15 feet and goes to 80 feet. Seahorses can be found there. It's a great diving place for photography!
Bali Barge Reef
It's a site where the barge portion of the old Bali Restaurant was sunk. It's a nice sloping reef with lots of fish, plume worms, moray eels and eagle rays which starts in 25 feet and goes to 130 feet.
Bango Reef
It's certainly one of the best scuba diving sites from Aruba. It was recently discovered and here you can enjoy 5 islands of coral with an abundance of bango fish which attracts larger fish like big jacks, tuna, and barracuda. The reef is extraordinary and is home for many seahorses and turtles. It's a "must" dive resort when you make a vacation in Aruba, it's easy for beginners and great for advanced divers too.
Mike's Reef
Huge corals guide you into the homes of big barracuda's and rainbow runners patrolling coastline. Brain, mountain, star, and tower corals as well as deep water gorgonians and soft corals abound here. It's also an excellent site for photography!
Star Garret
It's a cargo ship wreck 300ft long. Offers a great abundance of sea life.
De Palm Slope
This is a good site, starts in shallow water and drops to deep water with fine corals formations, barracuda, parrotfish, surgeonfish, and yellowtail grunts; also spotted eagle rays are often seen there.
Plonco Reef
This reef slopes beyond 100ft. with large fire and star coral, sponges and gorgonians. Lobsters are common here, while fish life includes barracuda, rainbow runners, parrotfish, surgeonfish, and yellowtail grunts, moray eels and many species of reef fish. There is often enough current to turn your dive into a drift dive. Also, a good diving site for photography.