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Jamaica

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© Shutterstock-Photo Spirit

Explore Jamaica

Scuba diving in Jamaica isn’t the first thing that comes to mind for those vacationing in this culture-rich Caribbean nation. It isn’t as well known for diving as its other West Indies counterparts, but that doesn’t equate to zero possibilities for divers in Jamaica. There are plenty of options with lots to see underwater, such as schools of tropical fish, stingrays, eels, various coral species and a few sharks and turtles.

There are around 100 dive sites around Jamaica’s 1,022 km (635 miles) of coastline, where a wealth of marine life typical to the Caribbean Sea thrives. Negril, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios are where the best diving happens, and since the 1990s, these regions have created designated marine parks and reserves, which has enabled the reefs to improve over the years.

The conditions are Jamaica’s dive sites, which are usually shallow and calm, mean that it’s a great place to take beginner dive courses. For those seeking further certifications, cave and wreck specialty courses are a good choice, as there are many sites perfect for these kinds of training.

Most dive sites are accessible by shore or boat, and are usually quick to arrive at. You can find lots of dive centers in the beach towns, or alternatively, dive resorts and most all-inclusive resorts will have their own dive center that you can use. Liveaboard diving remains scarce around Jamaica, so your best bet is to approach resorts and dive centers for your trip.

Power Plug Type
A, B
Payment Method
VISA, MC, AMEX
Tipping
10–15% / Service Staff / Tipping is expected, especially in restaurants, hotels, and for guides, unless a service charge is already included.
Currency
Jamaican Dollar (JMD)
Dial Code
+1-876
Electricity
110V / 50Hz
Time
UTC-5

Upcoming Events

Dive Centers

One Love Scuba Center, One Love Scuba Center, Ltd.

One Love Scuba Center, One Love Scuba Center, Ltd.

C/O Travellers Beach Resort, Negril, Jamaica
Scubaquatic, Scubaquatic Arrecife Ltd

Scubaquatic, Scubaquatic Arrecife Ltd

Pear Three Bottom, JMCAN06 Runaway Bay, Jamaica

Dive Sites

Mares, Janez Kranjc
Montego Bay (★4.2)

Montego Bay (★4.2)

Montego Bay lies along the northwest coast of Jamaica. The reef is colorful and populated with a variety of fish and lots of lobster. This dive site is accessible from shore and a great site for beginning divers.

Top Wildlife Sightings in Jamaica

Tons of tropical fish, abundant soft and hard coral species, sponges, eels, turtles and some sharks are commonly encountered in the waters around Jamaica. With 260 species of reef fish, including pufferfish, butterflyfish, sea slugs, parrot fish, and even mackerel and barracuda, there is some impressive diversity here. On occasion, nurse sharks and the West Indian manatee have been spotted, and if you’re lucky, you could even come across larger sharks and whales if they happen to be migrating.

Particularly at Montego Bay, you’re bound to meet a myriad of colorful fish among the healthy reefs here. For encounters with majestic rays, visit Stingray City where lots of stingrays fly by. While turtles can be seen in many dive sites, one of the top rated spots is Surprise Reef, where they are known to frequent. Though somewhat remote, Shark’s Reef is where divers see stingrays and nurse sharks relaxing on the sandy bottom.

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 200

Alamy-WaterFrame
Moray Eel

Moray Eel
199 Sightings
J
12
F
8
M
27
A
22
M
7
J
33
J
30
A
15
S
14
O
9
N
8
D
14

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 27

iStock-Global_Pics
Barracuda

Barracuda
99 Sightings
J
3
F
2
M
11
A
10
M
8
J
11
J
17
A
7
S
7
O
9
N
0
D
14

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 600

iStock/ultramarinfoto
Wrasse

Wrasse
68 Sightings
J
12
F
4
M
8
A
6
M
0
J
12
J
10
A
3
S
1
O
7
N
4
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 25

iStock/Juliosanjuan
Eagle Ray

Eagle Ray
65 Sightings
J
14
F
7
M
11
A
0
M
2
J
2
J
6
A
3
S
2
O
2
N
2
D
14
Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography
Green Turtle

Green Turtle
48 Sightings
J
2
F
5
M
4
A
7
M
7
J
7
J
6
A
4
S
1
O
4
N
0
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 300

Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl
Octopus

Octopus
25 Sightings
J
2
F
3
M
3
A
1
M
3
J
2
J
0
A
1
S
3
O
5
N
2
D
0
AdobeStock-wildestanimal
Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin
16 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
1
A
2
M
3
J
2
J
2
A
0
S
0
O
1
N
1
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 12

iStock/cinoby
Lionfish

Lionfish
626 Sightings
J
57
F
33
M
66
A
63
M
43
J
58
J
72
A
53
S
37
O
39
N
43
D
62

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 80

iStock/Extreme-Photographer
Stingrays

Stingrays
424 Sightings
J
36
F
20
M
57
A
40
M
22
J
50
J
66
A
35
S
14
O
29
N
24
D
31

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 130

AdobeStock-JirinaVFR
Pufferfish

Pufferfish
325 Sightings
J
23
F
21
M
37
A
51
M
23
J
35
J
28
A
35
S
15
O
18
N
19
D
20

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 100

iStock-burnsboxco
Parrotfish

Parrotfish
254 Sightings
J
20
F
10
M
23
A
35
M
16
J
13
J
34
A
23
S
24
O
16
N
20
D
20

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 7000

iStock-Michael Zeigler
Crab

Crab
239 Sightings
J
16
F
21
M
18
A
39
M
19
J
33
J
24
A
17
S
4
O
14
N
7
D
27

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 90

Shutterstock-Rich Carey
Angelfish

Angelfish
197 Sightings
J
27
F
11
M
26
A
22
M
12
J
12
J
33
A
10
S
9
O
17
N
4
D
14

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 130

Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek
Butterfly Fish

Butterfly Fish
175 Sightings
J
26
F
12
M
10
A
16
M
9
J
12
J
41
A
10
S
7
O
18
N
6
D
8

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 85

iStock-mirecca
Surgeonfish

Surgeonfish
168 Sightings
J
26
F
11
M
3
A
15
M
12
J
17
J
34
A
17
S
5
O
11
N
4
D
13

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 60

iStock-Global_Pics
Spiny Lobster

Spiny Lobster
152 Sightings
J
23
F
15
M
18
A
22
M
4
J
16
J
12
A
13
S
2
O
14
N
7
D
6

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 350

Alamy-Andre Seal
Damselfish

Damselfish
143 Sightings
J
28
F
5
M
10
A
18
M
14
J
19
J
10
A
7
S
3
O
19
N
5
D
5

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3

Shutterstock_Leo Lorenzo
Trumpetfish

Trumpetfish
135 Sightings
J
5
F
11
M
19
A
26
M
7
J
12
J
14
A
11
S
7
O
11
N
3
D
9

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 2

AdobeStock-hakbak
Nurse Shark

Nurse Shark
110 Sightings
J
10
F
13
M
12
A
8
M
3
J
4
J
12
A
14
S
1
O
4
N
8
D
21

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 60

iStock-Global_Pics
Soldierfish

Soldierfish
108 Sightings
J
11
F
3
M
8
A
14
M
1
J
8
J
33
A
4
S
4
O
10
N
8
D
4

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 55

Shutterstock-RLS Photo
Lobster

Lobster
107 Sightings
J
8
F
3
M
19
A
15
M
9
J
12
J
5
A
6
S
2
O
7
N
3
D
18

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 150

Shutterstock-aquapix
Sweetlips and Grunts

Sweetlips and Grunts
85 Sightings
J
11
F
7
M
2
A
7
M
3
J
5
J
18
A
3
S
4
O
10
N
7
D
8

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 60

iStock-Global_Pics
Squirrelfish

Squirrelfish
82 Sightings
J
17
F
9
M
11
A
6
M
0
J
7
J
3
A
7
S
2
O
11
N
1
D
8

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 40

iStock-wrangel
Triggerfish

Triggerfish
74 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
10
A
13
M
1
J
7
J
29
A
5
S
1
O
3
N
3
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 28

Udo Kefrig
Clownfish

Clownfish
66 Sightings
J
6
F
4
M
3
A
5
M
6
J
4
J
6
A
4
S
4
O
10
N
4
D
10

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 120

AdobeStock-Composer.
Flounder

Flounder
62 Sightings
J
6
F
9
M
4
A
2
M
5
J
7
J
10
A
3
S
8
O
2
N
1
D
5

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 40

iStock-Hoatzinexp
Jackfish

Jackfish
60 Sightings
J
16
F
1
M
1
A
6
M
1
J
2
J
4
A
13
S
2
O
4
N
7
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 110

iStock-Rainer von Brandis
Snapper

Snapper
60 Sightings
J
13
F
5
M
3
A
1
M
0
J
7
J
7
A
6
S
4
O
3
N
11
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 20

iStock-stephankerkhofs
Porcupinefish

Porcupinefish
50 Sightings
J
7
F
6
M
9
A
10
M
1
J
4
J
2
A
2
S
3
O
3
N
0
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 90

Shutterstock-Levent Konuk
Goatfish

Goatfish
40 Sightings
J
5
F
1
M
4
A
4
M
0
J
1
J
9
A
5
S
1
O
6
N
4
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 30

Shutterstock-s_a_j
Sand Eel

Sand Eel
32 Sightings
J
6
F
4
M
7
A
1
M
0
J
2
J
3
A
2
S
1
O
3
N
1
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3400

Shutterstock-Shane Gross
Shrimp

Shrimp
30 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
7
A
3
M
0
J
3
J
5
A
3
S
0
O
5
N
1
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 250

Shutterstock-Henry_and_Laura_Whittaker
Grouper/Basslets

Grouper/Basslets
28 Sightings
J
0
F
8
M
0
A
6
M
0
J
2
J
2
A
0
S
3
O
4
N
0
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 250

Alamy-Nature Photographers Ltd
Skate Fish

Skate Fish
25 Sightings
J
1
F
3
M
3
A
6
M
0
J
5
J
0
A
4
S
1
O
1
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 25

AdobeStock_Vladimir Wrangel
Boxfish

Boxfish
25 Sightings
J
7
F
3
M
2
A
6
M
0
J
0
J
3
A
3
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 8

Alamy-Reinhard Dirscherl
Bannerfish

Bannerfish
22 Sightings
J
6
F
1
M
0
A
3
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
4
S
4
O
2
N
2
D
0
Alamy-WaterFrame
Common Seahorse

Common Seahorse
20 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
3
A
3
M
0
J
1
J
4
A
0
S
1
O
3
N
4
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 300

iStock-deraugenzeuge
Snake Eel

Snake Eel
18 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
2
A
1
M
0
J
4
J
1
A
3
S
0
O
0
N
3
D
3