Explore Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic offers a unique diving experience that combines rich history with natural beauty. Known for its protected bay and La Caleta National Underwater Park, it features dive sites suitable for all skill levels. The park is home to spectacular shipwrecks like the Hickory and Limon, alongside vibrant coral reefs teeming with marine life. Adventurous divers can explore an intriguing system of freshwater caves nearby, offering a thrilling experience for advanced and technical divers.

With calm currents and shallow, easy dives, Santo Domingo is perfect for beginners. However, those seeking more challenge can venture further south to areas with stronger currents ideal for drift dives. The variety of marine life is a major draw, with sightings of French angelfish, green moray eels, turtles, and even sharks and manatees. Most diving is done by speedboat, but there are also opportunities for shore diving, with liveaboards offering trips to the island’s top sites. Dive centers cater to all budgets, and the proximity to a major international airport makes Santo Domingo an accessible and exciting dive destination.

Places to Explore

La Caleta Underwater National Park

Located offshore from Boca Chica, you will find La Caleta Underwater National Park. This is a protected marine environment and a great dive site area.

Top Dive Sites Map

★★★★☆ Catuan (Wreck)

The “Catuan“ is a tugboat sunk in 2006 with a length of about 33 meters. It lies at a maximum depth of 20 meters and is now a beautiful underwater habitat. It is suitable for beginners and advanced divers.

596
Logs
225
Divers
22.0 m
⌀ Depth
16.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ 3. Riff

Very beautiful reef, it is built like an underwater mountain. The depth on the north side is about 98 ft (30 m), on the south side up to 185 ft (55 m). This reef is especially suitable for advanced divers, because the average depth is always over 65 ft (20 m). Optimal also for deep diving.

132
Logs
58
Divers
31.0 m
⌀ Depth
12.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Almendra

Very nice dive site with a flat area and a steep wall! Ideal for beginners and advanced divers, excellent for training and further education. Perfect for deep dives.

119
Logs
59
Divers
23.0 m
⌀ Depth
16.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Pica Rocca

10 minutes by boat from Boca Chica and centrally located in the lagoon - direction south. Best suited for beginners and advanced divers. Depth approx. 12 - 25 meters.

227
Logs
80
Divers
21.0 m
⌀ Depth
15.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Cabu

The dive site “Cabu“ is 10 minutes by boat from Boca Chica and well suited for beginners and advanced divers. Ideal diving depth between 15 and 25 meters. Beautiful corals and rich vegetation.

151
Logs
61
Divers
23.0 m
⌀ Depth
15.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★★ Boya Blanca

Super nice reef at a depth of max. 10m. This place is a good training place for OWD and specialties. It is ideal for beginners and Try Scuba. Boja Blanca is also great for UW photos!

705
Logs
174
Divers
12.0 m
⌀ Depth
12.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares

★★★★☆ Parede - Dominican Republic

The dive site “Parede“ is located about 15 minutes southeast of Boca Chica. It is a round reef at a depth of about 20 m with outcrops up to 10 m deep. It is easy to dive and suitable for beginners and advanced divers.

111
Logs
70
Divers
21.0 m
⌀ Depth
17.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares

★★★★★ Nitrox Garden

Nitrox Garden is located in the middle of the lagoon and about 15 minutes by boat from the dive center. Due to its depth (buoy anchored at 20 m) suitable only for advanced divers. Ideal also for the Specialities Deep Diving, EAN and the XR programs. The reef drops to well over 40 m on the southern side.

274
Logs
76
Divers
29.0 m
⌀ Depth
16.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Aqualung

★★★★☆ Nitrox Garden 2

Nitrox Garden is located in the middle of the lagoon and about 15 minutes by boat from the dive center. Due to its depth (buoy anchored at 20 m) suitable only for advanced divers. Ideal also for the Specialities Deep Diving, EAN and the XR programs. The reef drops to well over 40 m on the southern side.

22
Logs
18
Divers
26.0 m
⌀ Depth
19.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares

★★★★★ Gorgonia Boca Chica

Gorgonia is located 15 minutes by boat from Boca Chica. The depth is between 20 and 60 meters. It has many crevices to dive through and is beautifully vegetated.

82
Logs
40
Divers
24.0 m
⌀ Depth
22.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares, Predrag Vuckovic

★★★★☆ Canyones, Boca Chica

The Canyones are located in about 10 minutes by boat from Boca Chica! It is a very nice reef with many valleys that can be dived through! It lies in a depth of 12 - 27 meters. Well suited for beginners and advanced divers.

213
Logs
90
Divers
23.0 m
⌀ Depth
16.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Scubapro, Stephen Frink

★★★★☆ Roccadilly

10 minutes by boat from Boca Chica and centrally located in the lagoon - direction south. Best suited for beginners and advanced divers. Depth approx. 12 - 25 meters.

263
Logs
102
Divers
21.0 m
⌀ Depth
15.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares, Janez Kranjc

★★★★☆ Picadilly

10 minutes by boat from Boca Chica and centrally located in the lagoon. Best suited for beginners and advanced divers. Depth approx. 13 - 22 meters.

523
Logs
183
Divers
20.0 m
⌀ Depth
14.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Aqualung

★★★★☆ Canyon 1, Boca Chica

The Canyons are located in about 10 minutes by boat from Boca Chica! It is a very nice reef with many valleys that can be dived through! It lies in a depth of 12 - 27 meters. Well suited for beginners and advanced divers.

368
Logs
109
Divers
23.0 m
⌀ Depth
16.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Aqualung

★★★★☆ Stingray Point, Boca Chica

Stingray is located 12 minutes by boat southeast of Boca Chica. The buoy at the dive site is anchored at about 16 m depth and due to the depth more suitable for advanced divers. The reef runs in a southeasterly direction.

194
Logs
107
Divers
21.0 m
⌀ Depth
15.0 m
⌀ Visibility

Diving in Santo Domingo

La Caleta National Park is a popular diving area, where wreck diving, cave diving and exceptional reef diving can be enjoyed by beginners and seasoned underwater explorers alike.

Advanced and tec divers will appreciate the natural caves and tunnels, like Tanía and Roca Cueva caves, as well as the many historical wrecks, including El Limon and El Hickory.

Deep diving is also possible, especially at some of Santo Domingo’s most famous sites, such as the wreck of the Capitán Alsina and Don Quico.

The best Months to dive in Santo Domingo

The tropical Caribbean climate allows for excellent year-round diving, with water temperatures fluctuating between 24°C-28°C.

December to May is the dry season in Santo Domingo, promising ideal weather for diving and the calmest seas. What’s more, from December to March, you might hear the songs of humpback whales while underwater. Book your trip early if you plan to stay during this time, as it’s the tourist high season.

June to November is the rainy season, although showers normally last for a short period of time. Diving is still superb, with plentiful fish action and warmer summer ocean temperatures during this time. Be aware that this is also the Caribbean’s hurricane season.

Statistics

Historical data and trends

Dive Activity & Environmental Conditions

Centers Map

Caribbean Divers - Boca Chica

Calle Duarte # 42, 15700 Boca Chica, DOM