Sint Maarten (Netherlands)
A tiny in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico, is split into the Dutch and French side. St Maarte
© iStock-vladispas
Explore the SSS Islands
The SSS Islands of the Leeward Islands in the Netherlands Antilles are made up of St Eustatius, Saba and St Maarten. These islands lie in the warm, clear, marine life abundant waters of the Caribbean Sea. These three islands are the less frequented and so less crowded of the islands, providing divers with a relaxing diving getaway. There are also numerous liveaboards which visit this region. Each island has their own handful of dive centres which cater to a wide array of divers; from those wanting to take dive courses and start their diving journey, to shipwreck lovers, to those wanting to spot the avid marine life, all the up to technical divers. The waters here are protected which has allowed the marine environments here to remain in pristine condition and attract a high abundance of marine life. The three islands have a few things in common such as; they are all volcanic islands which means there are some impressive lava flows underwater, they all have some thrilling wreck dive sites and the reefs are flourishing. The three islands though also have their own unique elements; St Maarten has many shallow shore dives which are ideal for beginners, Saba Island has the highest chance of spotting Sharks and St Eustatius holds the largest wreck of the Caribbean. The climate of these islands is warm and tropical, with air temperatures ranging between 28 and 31 degrees Celsius and the water temperatures ranging between 26 and 29 degrees Celsius which makes for a warm and pleasant diving experience any time of the year. The marine life here can be seen all year round as well with some of the highlight species including Sea Turtles, Reef Sharks, Rays and so much more. If divers are looking for a colourful, relaxing and also thrilling diving getaway, this region is the place to go.
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Diving in the SSS Islands
The SSS Islands of the Leeward Islands in the Netherlands Antilles are made up of St Eustatius, Saba and St Maarten. These islands lie in the warm, clear, marine life abundant waters of the Caribbean Sea. These three islands are the less frequented and so less crowded of the islands, providing divers with a relaxing diving getaway. There are also numerous liveaboards which visit this region. Each island has their own handful of dive centres which cater to a wide array of divers; from those wanting to take dive courses and start their diving journey, to shipwreck lovers, to those wanting to spot the avid marine life, all the up to technical divers. The waters here are protected which has allowed the marine environments here to remain in pristine condition and attract a high abundance of marine life. The three islands have a few things in common such as; they are all volcanic islands which means there are some impressive lava flows underwater, they all have some thrilling wreck dive sites and the reefs are flourishing. The three islands though also have their own unique elements; St Maarten has many shallow shore dives which are ideal for beginners, Saba Island has the highest chance of spotting Sharks and St Eustatius holds the largest wreck of the Caribbean. The climate of these islands is warm and tropical, with air temperatures ranging between 28 and 31 degrees Celsius and the water temperatures ranging between 26 and 29 degrees Celsius which makes for a warm and pleasant diving experience any time of the year. The marine life here can be seen all year round as well with some of the highlight species including Sea Turtles, Reef Sharks, Rays and so much more. If divers are looking for a colourful, relaxing and also thrilling diving getaway, this region is the place to go.
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Dive Sites
The best Months to Dive in the SSS Islands
The SSS Islands offer year-round diving opportunities, thanks to their tropical climate. Water temperatures range from 78°F/25°C in winter to 84°F/29°C in summer, providing comfortable conditions for divers throughout the year. Visibility generally remains high, often exceeding 80 feet/24 meters, making it ideal for underwater exploration.
While diving is possible all year, the best conditions are typically found from March to September. During this period, calmer seas and minimal wind ensure safer and more enjoyable dives. However, the islands experience stronger winds and currents from October to February, which may reduce visibility and make some dive sites less accessible. It is advisable to plan accordingly and consult local dive operators for current conditions.
Top Wildlife Sightings in the SSS Islands
The SSS Islands – Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius – offer a vibrant array of marine life. Divers can expect to encounter colorful reef species such as parrotfish, angelfish, trumpetfish, and moray eels, along with spiny lobsters and sea turtles which are commonly seen year-round.
Seasonal highlights include sightings of nurse sharks and southern stingrays, particularly around deeper reefs and sandy slopes. Eagle rays and reef sharks are more frequent during the cooler months, especially near Saba’s renowned pinnacles and Statia’s wreck sites.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography
Green Turtle
838 Sightings
J
67
F
69
M
61
A
55
M
74
J
168
J
64
A
81
S
54
O
29
N
55
D
61
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
798 Sightings
J
47
F
76
M
121
A
77
M
62
J
144
J
47
A
50
S
26
O
28
N
53
D
67
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
347 Sightings
J
24
F
27
M
40
A
31
M
28
J
38
J
37
A
23
S
30
O
20
N
19
D
30
Shutterstock-Andrey Armyagov
Hawksbill Turtle
203 Sightings
J
26
F
20
M
31
A
17
M
18
J
26
J
2
A
19
S
6
O
1
N
17
D
20
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
149 Sightings
J
12
F
7
M
26
A
22
M
19
J
10
J
14
A
4
S
2
O
2
N
25
D
6
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
141 Sightings
J
4
F
4
M
16
A
13
M
11
J
24
J
9
A
13
S
19
O
8
N
11
D
9
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
118 Sightings
J
8
F
8
M
9
A
7
M
7
J
12
J
3
A
9
S
13
O
11
N
19
D
12
iStock-ShaneGross
Loggerhead Turtle
37 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
3
A
2
M
6
J
5
J
1
A
2
S
13
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.: 80
iStock/Extreme-Photographer
Stingrays
937 Sightings
J
71
F
67
M
92
A
78
M
63
J
167
J
45
A
87
S
37
O
46
N
93
D
91
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
666 Sightings
J
41
F
55
M
82
A
65
M
47
J
134
J
41
A
54
S
36
O
24
N
38
D
49
