Explore Saba
The volcanic island of Saba is somewhat off the beaten track, untouched by tourism and uncrossed, where pristine warm water with crystal visibility hosts incredible marine life protected by the Saba Marine Park, with healthy reefs and tropical fish abound. This Dutch Caribbean island rises from great depths the sea floor, and as a result of volcanic activity, many dive sites around the coastline boast dramatic topography and underwater formations, including exciting walls, large pinnacles, seemingly endless drop-offs, and even underwater lava flows and hot springs.
Scuba diving in Saba is suitable for any diver’s level of experience. From shallow reefs to deep walls, this place has everything for adventure-seeking underwater explorers. Divers can spot a multitude of diverse species, from coral and sponges, pretty tropical fish, schools of large fish like barracuda, five species of shark, tons of turtles, and if you’re lucky and the season is right, even manta and eagle rays, whale sharks, and whales are a possibility.
Diving in Saba is mostly done by boat, due to the steep coastline. Therefore it’s recommended to dive with any of Saba’s dive centers. There are a few dive resorts too, and divers also have the liveaboard option, however, liveaboards tend not to depart from Saba itself, rather they arrive from other destinations.
As for dive courses, Saba is a great place to acquire a nitrox or deep diver certification if you haven’t already, due to many of its deep drop-offs. To get the best out of diving here, it’s a good idea to be a certified advanced diver, or even take the course at one of the dive centers during your stay, as there are many great training sites suitable to complete these courses.
Dive Activity
Diving in Saba
Shore diving is almost impossible because of steep coastline, therefore you’ll visit sites by boat. Many are reef diving sites, perfect for beginners and advanced divers. With plenty of vibrant coral, tropical fish, turtles and even reef sharks, it’s like diving inside a rainbow. There are ems t great reef diving sites around the island; one known to be unmissable is Tent Reef.
For those wanting something a little more challenging, like drift and deep diving, dive sites off the west coast, such as Out Limits, Third Encounter and Twilight Zone are perfect. These spots are deep and can sometimes experience strong currents.
Thanks to Saba’s epic topography crafted by volcanic activity, wall dives are aplenty. Out of the island’s 30 sites, most are walls and pinnacles that descend to the endless abyss.
Top Wildlife Sightings in Saba
At any of the 30 sites that encircle Saba, you can encounter everything you can imagine that is typical of beautiful Caribbean diving. Thanks to heavy restrictions on fishing, anchoring and education, many thriving reefs and marine life species are healthy and in high population.
Nassau grouper, pelagics including great barracuda, horse-eye jacks, tarpon and five species of sharks are regularly spotted. Colorful tropical critters include turtles, eels, triggerfish, parrotfish, snapper angelfish and much more. Many schooling fish are also abundant, such as wrasses, smaller and surgeonfish. There’s some cute macro life here too, and if you’re fortunate, you may find a frogfish. Lucky divers can meet mantas, eagle rays and even whale sharks.
Furthermore, amazing hard and soft corals, gorgonians, sea fans and sponges exist on all dive sites, including some breathtaking elkhorn colonies to the east.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography
357 Sightings
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42
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29
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11
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25
M
19
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78
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21
A
58
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38
O
10
N
14
D
12
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
95 Sightings
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2
F
13
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3
A
3
M
10
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27
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9
A
14
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9
O
0
N
2
D
3
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
83 Sightings
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12
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16
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0
A
6
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6
J
3
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0
A
13
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15
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0
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6
D
6
Shutterstock-Andrey Armyagov
Hawksbill Turtle
53 Sightings
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4
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8
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0
A
2
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4
J
16
J
0
A
7
S
4
O
3
N
2
D
3
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
43 Sightings
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0
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4
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2
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6
M
1
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2
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2
A
11
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8
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0
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2
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5
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
23 Sightings
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2
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3
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0
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1
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2
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1
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0
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0
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9
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1
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1
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3
iStock-ShaneGross
Loggerhead Turtle
19 Sightings
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3
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0
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1
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2
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0
J
2
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0
A
0
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10
O
1
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.: 80
iStock/Extreme-Photographer
Stingrays
227 Sightings
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30
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22
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6
A
22
M
10
J
37
J
10
A
45
S
16
O
8
N
9
D
12
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
196 Sightings
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18
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19
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8
A
19
M
10
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36
J
14
A
41
S
13
O
4
N
9
D
5
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
137 Sightings
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9
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13
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1
A
11
M
13
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40
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9
A
19
S
10
O
0
N
7
D
5
The best Months to Dive in Saba
Saba is perfect for diving all year round, with barely any difference in water temperatures and ocean conditions no matter the season. The climate is tropical, and warm all year round with an average air temperature of 26.5°C/77°F.
Sea temperatures normally fluctuate between 26°C-28°C/77°F-84°F, and visibility is excellent, and is usually anywhere between 18 meters/60 feet to a reportedly 60 meters/197 feet on exceptionally good days.
Do be aware however that hurricane season continues from June until the end of November.
