Aruba

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One of the most unforgettable experiences while in Aruba is scuba diving. Divers see a fabulous array of corals and fish, some even spot a seahorse and see how stingrays hover above the seabed. Swimming slowly over the corals, you’re bound to see lobsters, moray eels and other exotic sea life. If you’re lucky, you may even come across an energetic dolphin or a gentle sea turtle. Aruba is known as one of the main wreck diving destinations in the Caribbean allowing divers to visit eleven wrecks and over twenty dive sites.

Best time to dive?

The weather in Aruba is friendly for diving most of the year. However, it is pretty much calm between April and June. This sets the right mood and the suitable conditions for divers from all walks of life to get their feet wet. 

It is usually dry in Aruba between April and November. With consistent sunshine, you have the perfect opportunity to dive during the day and come out to bask under the sun. Therefore, you will be rarely surprised by extreme conditions. Additionally, the sea temperature is about 85°F with the air temperature being slightly higher at 89°F. The ry season does not only offer a fun dive time but also a perfect time to hang around the beach

Best time to Dive?

The weather in Aruba is friendly for diving most of the year. However, it is pretty much calm between April and June. This sets the right mood and the suitable conditions for divers from all walks of life to get their feet wet. 

It is usually dry in Aruba between April and November. With consistent sunshine, you have the perfect opportunity to dive during the day and come out to bask under the sun. Therefore, you will be rarely surprised by extreme conditions. Additionally, the sea temperature is about 85°F with the air temperature being slightly higher at 89°F. The ry season does not only offer a fun dive time but also a perfect time to hang around the beach

Do you offer Diving services?

Promote your services and connect with divers

Are you a Scuba diver?

Join and get the best benefits for your next trip

Do you offer Diving services?

Promote your services and connect with divers

Are you a Scuba diver?

Join and get the best benefits for your next trip

Sea Life

Boasting a rich marine life you would expect scuba diving to be one of the best activities in Aruba… and it is. Expect to see anything from a seahorse or sea turtle to moray eels and stingrays; the marine life in Aruba makes scuba diving an experience you won’t forget. Aruba is, in fact, one of the world’s best wreck diving destinations with both artificially and naturally created dive sites, including aircraft and shipwrecks, as well as casualties from the second World War.

Having these excellent dive sites you’ll obviously find a diverse range of marine life – including manta rays, stingrays, eagle rays, turtles, moray eels, barracuda, scorpion fish, jacks, yellow tails, groupers and octopuses (or octopi… depending on your nationality). There are also seahorses, starfish, sea cucumbers, angelfish, clownfish, puffers, the four eye butterfly fish, squirrelfish, French angel, goatfish, yellow goatfish, the sergeant major fish… plus more.

Dive Sites

Aruba’s dive sites lie along the protected western and southern coasts, a short distance from the hotels onPalm 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 boat travel the most convenientmethod of reaching the off-shore reefs. Interesting coral formations are found from shallow water depths of20 to 100 feet (6 – 30 meters), with little or no current and flat surface conditions.

Over twenty more divesites are shared by the dive operators on the island.

California Wreck

The wreck is surrounded by large coral formations and an abundance of tropical fish. This dive site is only for advanced divers, due to currents and sometimes choppy seas.
The wreck is almost 100 years old.

Pedernales​

A beginner’s paradise offering a combination of large pieces of wreck spread out between coral formations. You can see sections of cabins, wash basins, lavatories, etc. as well as the pipe line system that goes with this oil tanker, which was torpedoed in 1942 during World War II by a German submarine.

Antilla Wreck

Locally referred to as the “Ghost Ship” this German freighter (brand new at the time) was scuttled on May 10, 1940 when the Germans invaded Holland during World War II. The largest wreck in the Caribbean (400′ long), it is great for penetrations due to the large compartments of this vessel.

Renaissance Airplane

Dive into this Convair 400 wreck. The airplane was sunk on a sloping reef surrounded by soft corals.

Blue Reef & Debbie II

Paths of wildly spread leaf and brain corals await you at this bottom-reef.This reef is known for its huge lobsters and stingrays taking their daily “siesta” waiting to be photographed. Giant barrel sponges in purple, orange and green are found everywhere. In 1992, a 120′ fuel barge was sunk as an additional attraction. The wreck attracts schooling fish and barracudas.

Mangel Halto Reef

A pronounced slope from 15′ down to 110′ gives you the opportunity to admire a myriad of coral combinations. You will see brain coral to deep water gorgonians, sea anemones, tube and vase sponges and all types of marine life from octopus to sea horses and schools of tropical fish. Accessible from the shore.

Jane Sea Wreck

A 250′ cement freighter sitting upright on the bottom in 90′ of water. The wreck attracts lots of schooling tropical fish and large barracudas. Deep water gorgonians, sponges and coral growing on the wreck. Excellent for photography.

The Finger

The reef comes out like a finger pointing down to the deep water. Beautiful coral formations, sea fans in the sand surrounding the finger. Moral eels, tropical fish are seen every dive. Keep your eyes open for an occasional turtle cruising by.
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Dive site info by aruba-travelguide.com

How to Arrive

Visitors are coming through the cruise port of Aruba or our state-of-the-art international airport. At the Queen Beatrix International Airport, you’ll find frequent nonstop, or convenient single-connection flights from most major U.S. cities, as well as daily flights from all major hubs, around the world.

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