© Scubapro

Sosua, located on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic in the Puerto Plata province, offers an exceptional diving experience that attracts divers from around the globe. This picturesque town is perfectly positioned near the airport and just a short drive from Cabarete, known as the kite surfing capital of the Caribbean. Sosua’s unique geography creates a protected zone ideal for diving, where the calm waters of Sosua Bay offer excellent visibility and a variety of dive sites. This makes it a wonderful diving destination for both beginners and advanced divers.

In Sosua Bay, divers can explore around 20 dive sites, featuring vibrant reefs, dramatic walls, and intriguing wrecks. Popular sites like Airport Wall provide thrilling experiences with pinnacles and tunnels, while sites such as Five Rocks and Coral Gardens display an impressive range of marine life. For those seeking adventure, the Zingare Wreck offers an exciting dive at a depth of 35 meters/117 feet. From December to April, the region offers an added spectacle as humpback whales migrate through the waters, adding a breathtaking element to the diving experience. Sosua is also a hub for dive courses, making it a sought-after destination for those looking to enhance their diving skills or explore new underwater environments.

Dive Activity

Diving in Sosua

Scuba diving in Sosua promises variety, including wall, reef, wreck, cave and drift diving. Sosua Bay is perfect for those who enjoy easy reefs, while sites closer to Puerto Plata can involve exhilarating drift diving. Around two hours inland, the El Dudu Caverns are eerie cave dives in a freshwater lake hosting interesting critters. The Zingara wreck is one of the most famous shipwrecks, while Airport Wall, is a top wall site that’s so big that it consists of three dive sites.

As for logistics, boat diving is common practice in and around Sosua. All the sites are accessible by boat, and most operators use powerful speedboats to reach diving areas.

Dive Centers

Dive Sites

The best Months to dive in Sosua

The tropical Caribbean climate promises great year-round diving, with 26°C–28°C/79°F–82°F water temperatures. The dry and high season from December to May entails sunnier, drier weather, though the northern coast sees rougher oceans.

June to November is the rainy season, though downpours often pass quickly. During this time, the north coast experiences calm oceans, allowing for better diving conditions. June to November is also hurricane season, so consider taking out travel insurance.

For greater chances of spotting humpback whales, visit between December and March.

Top Wildlife Sightings in Sosua

Sosua diving promises the beauty of the Caribbean Sea, which teems with diverse marine creatures. Hard and soft corals, sponges, sea fans and gorgonians decorate the reefs where vibrant fish and reef critters like eels, octopus, stingrays and more, all thrive.

If you like the big stuff, you’ll be excited to encounter manta rays, nurse sharks, barracudas, whale sharks, and of course, the famous humpback whales that come to breed and give birth from December to March.

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

Moray Eel

Moray Eel

166 Sightings
J
3
F
8
M
23
A
23
M
9
J
22
J
22
A
19
S
13
O
8
N
4
D
12
Green Turtle

Green Turtle

69 Sightings
J
5
F
1
M
7
A
13
M
5
J
2
J
6
A
2
S
12
O
4
N
6
D
6

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

Total number of species approx.: 27

Barracuda

Barracuda

37 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
12
A
4
M
0
J
4
J
5
A
4
S
3
O
2
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.: 600

Wrasse

Wrasse

17 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
4
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
2
A
5
S
0
O
2
N
2
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

Octopus

Octopus

14 Sightings
J
1
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
2
J
1
A
1
S
4
O
1
N
1
D
1
Hawksbill Turtle

Hawksbill Turtle

14 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
4
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
2
S
6
O
0
N
2
D
0
Loggerhead Turtle

Loggerhead Turtle

9 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
6
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
1
S
0
O
0
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.: 12

Lionfish

Lionfish

141 Sightings
J
14
F
3
M
24
A
11
M
8
J
23
J
9
A
16
S
10
O
5
N
7
D
11

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

Total number of species approx.: 90

Angelfish

Angelfish

131 Sightings
J
5
F
0
M
24
A
7
M
11
J
22
J
11
A
19
S
13
O
5
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.: 100

Parrotfish

Parrotfish

129 Sightings
J
7
F
0
M
26
A
12
M
4
J
22
J
9
A
12
S
12
O
6
N
8
D
11

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

Total number of species approx.: 130

Butterfly Fish

Butterfly Fish

99 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
16
A
6
M
8
J
13
J
13
A
12
S
13
O
6
N
3
D
5

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

Total number of species approx.: 130

Pufferfish

Pufferfish

85 Sightings
J
2
F
4
M
14
A
3
M
7
J
11
J
11
A
8
S
13
O
4
N
2
D
6

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

Total number of species approx.: 85

Surgeonfish

Surgeonfish

81 Sightings
J
5
F
1
M
12
A
5
M
5
J
9
J
12
A
12
S
11
O
4
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.: 7000

Crab

Crab

78 Sightings
J
8
F
4
M
8
A
5
M
4
J
15
J
10
A
6
S
5
O
5
N
4
D
4

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

Total number of species approx.: 150

Sweetlips and Grunts

Sweetlips and Grunts

73 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
13
A
7
M
1
J
11
J
9
A
12
S
9
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.: 3

Trumpetfish

Trumpetfish

67 Sightings
J
5
F
3
M
5
A
5
M
4
J
9
J
7
A
6
S
12
O
7
N
0
D
4

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

Total number of species approx.: 110

Snapper

Snapper

62 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
12
A
4
M
6
J
7
J
6
A
11
S
6
O
1
N
1
D
4

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

Total number of species approx.: 60

Soldierfish

Soldierfish

54 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
14
A
3
M
4
J
9
J
7
A
15
S
0
O
2
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.: 30

Sand Eel

Sand Eel

51 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
8
A
5
M
4
J
5
J
7
A
9
S
3
O
5
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.: 120

Flounder

Flounder

51 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
4
A
5
M
2
J
9
J
5
A
6
S
12
O
3
N
2
D
2

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

Total number of species approx.: 350

Damselfish

Damselfish

49 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
6
A
0
M
1
J
9
J
1
A
8
S
12
O
3
N
5
D
2

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

Total number of species approx.: 28

Clownfish

Clownfish

46 Sightings
J
6
F
0
M
4
A
3
M
5
J
5
J
4
A
2
S
9
O
4
N
2
D
2

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

Total number of species approx.: 80

Stingrays

Stingrays

42 Sightings
J
2
F
2
M
14
A
0
M
2
J
5
J
2
A
0
S
5
O
1
N
4
D
5
Common Seahorse

Common Seahorse

40 Sightings
J
0
F
3
M
6
A
3
M
5
J
6
J
8
A
6
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
2

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

Total number of species approx.: 90

Goatfish

Goatfish

36 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
3
A
0
M
3
J
9
J
3
A
6
S
8
O
3
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.: 40

Triggerfish

Triggerfish

34 Sightings
J
2
F
4
M
14
A
0
M
1
J
3
J
0
A
2
S
2
O
2
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.: 60

Spiny Lobster

Spiny Lobster

32 Sightings
J
1
F
5
M
3
A
0
M
2
J
8
J
4
A
7
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
2

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

Total number of species approx.: 55

Lobster

Lobster

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

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

Total number of species approx.: 8

Bannerfish

Bannerfish

31 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
4
A
2
M
5
J
0
J
3
A
6
S
6
O
1
N
2
D
0

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

Total number of species approx.: 250

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

Total number of species approx.: 250

Scorpionfish

Scorpionfish

30 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
6
A
3
M
1
J
4
J
5
A
5
S
2
O
2
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

Boxfish

Boxfish

28 Sightings
J
0
F
3
M
4
A
5
M
2
J
2
J
3
A
5
S
0
O
2
N
0
D
2

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

Total number of species approx.: 40

Jackfish

Jackfish

20 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
3
A
2
M
0
J
6
J
1
A
3
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.: 3400

Shrimp

Shrimp

19 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
1
M
1
J
6
J
7
A
1
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
2

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

Total number of species approx.: 60

Squirrelfish

Squirrelfish

14 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
2
A
0
M
0
J
4
J
1
A
3
S
0
O
1
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.: 15

Tuna

Tuna

11 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
6
A
1
M
0
J
3
J
1
A
0
S
0
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.: 30

Stonefish

Stonefish

7 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
3
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
0
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.: 20

Porcupinefish

Porcupinefish

7 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
1
M
0
J
2
J
0
A
3
S
0
O
0
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.: 1500

Hard Corals

Hard Corals

7 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
4
M
0
J
2
J
1
A
0
S
0
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.: 3500

Soft Corals

Soft Corals

7 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
4
M
0
J
2
J
1
A
0
S
0
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.: 2

Nurse Shark

Nurse Shark

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