Punta Cana

★★★★☆ (425)

Punta Cana shares the country’s longest reef system and is littered with amazing dive sites consisting of artificial reefs and healthy coral reefs full of marine life.

You’ll see typical Caribbean life like nurse and reef sharks, possible eagle rays, turtles, stingrays, and lots of fish: snapper, angelfish, grunts, parrot fish, and grouper.

Dive Activity

Potential Wildlife Sightings

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: 27

iStock-Global_Pics

Barracuda
29 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
5
J
5
A
5
S
0
O
3
N
0
D
5
Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography

Green Turtle
26 Sightings
J
7
F
3
M
0
A
3
M
4
J
4
J
3
A
0
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: 200

Alamy-WaterFrame

Moray Eel
22 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
3
J
5
J
4
A
3
S
0
O
4
N
0
D
0
Alamy-National Geographic Creative

Leatherback Turtle
13 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
7
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
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: 25

iStock/Juliosanjuan

Eagle Ray
6 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
2
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0
iStock-crisod

Reef Manta Ray
2 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0
Shutterstock-Ed Jenkins

Hawksbill Turtle
2 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
0
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: 600

iStock/ultramarinfoto

Wrasse
2 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
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: 300

Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl

Octopus
2 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
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: 80

iStock/Extreme-Photographer

Stingrays
29 Sightings
J
2
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
7
J
6
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
2
N
4
D
6
Show More

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

Total number of species: 12

iStock/cinoby

Lionfish
22 Sightings
J
2
F
3
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
7
J
0
A
4
S
0
O
0
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: 90

Shutterstock-Rich Carey

Angelfish
20 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
6
J
3
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
11

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

Total number of species: 130

AdobeStock-JirinaVFR

Pufferfish
15 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
5
A
0
M
0
J
4
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
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: 85

iStock-mirecca

Surgeonfish
13 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
4
J
0
A
4
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: 2

AdobeStock-hakbak

Nurse Shark
11 Sightings
J
6
F
3
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
2
J
0
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: 150

Shutterstock-aquapix

Sweetlips and Grunts
10 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
5
J
0
A
0
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: 130

Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek

Butterfly Fish
9 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
6
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
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: 28

Udo Kefrig

Clownfish
9 Sightings
J
2
F
3
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
2
J
0
A
0
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: 40

iStock-Hoatzinexp

Jackfish
9 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
6
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
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: 90

Shutterstock-Levent Konuk

Goatfish
8 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
2
J
0
A
3
S
0
O
0
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: 100

iStock-burnsboxco

Parrotfish
7 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
5
J
0
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: 350

Alamy-Andre Seal

Damselfish
7 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
3
A
0
M
0
J
4
J
0
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: 55

k

Lobster
6 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
3
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: 20

iStock-stephankerkhofs

Porcupinefish
5 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
2
J
0
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: 110

iStock-Rainer von Brandis

Snapper
4 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
4
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0
Alamy-WaterFrame

Common Seahorse
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
3
J
0
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: 250

Shutterstock-Henry_and_Laura_Whittaker

Grouper/Basslets
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
3
J
0
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: 40

iStock-wrangel

Triggerfish
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
3
J
0
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: 8

Alamy-Reinhard Dirscherl

Bannerfish
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
3
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: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Spiny Lobster
3 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0
iStock-Lindsey Dougherty

Silvertip Shark
2 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0
AdobeStock-Nikolai Sorokin

Blacktip Reef Shark
2 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
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: 2

iStock-stock_colors

Tarpon
2 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
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: 30

Shutterstock-s_a_j

Sand Eel
2 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
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: 3

Shutterstock_Leo Lorenzo

Trumpetfish
2 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
2
J
0
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: 80

iStock-bearacreative

Emperor
2 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
2

Dive Centers Catering This Dive Site

Shark Dominican Divers

Av Espana plaza mayoral local 211, 23000 Bavaro, DOM

Shark Juan Dolio Diver

CARRETERA JUAN DOLIO AV. VILLAS DEL MAR, 21000 Guayacanes, DOM

Dive Sites Nearby

Mares

Manolo Cave (★4.4)

A fun reef dive with small cave/cavern to explore and fun swim-throughs. Lots of healthy reef life and multicolored hard and soft corals. Look for nurse sharks hiding under ledges.
Mares

Paradise - Dominican Republic (★3.9)

Paradies Reef is just that, an underwater paradise and a must-see dive off the coast of Punta Cana. The reef sits in 26 feet to 105 feet of water so there is something for every level of diver. A great night dive location as well to see the Dinoflagellates glow in the water at night.
Scubapro, Stephen Frink

Park Reef (★3.9)

Sitting just off Punta Cana, this is a great dive site for new open water divers. Park Reef features interesting rock formations overgrown with corals and populated with abundant marine life.
Scubapro

Bavaro (★3.7)

Bavaro shares the country’s largest reef system with Punta Cana and is home to great dive sites full of coral gardens and underwater passageways.
Ylenia F. (#2923314)

Astron, wreck (★4.1)

This wreck sits in 40-50 feet of water just offshore from Punta Cana and is a true shipwreck. The 300-foot Russian ship sank in 1979 while delivering a huge amount of corn to Cuba. It sits right offshore and thus can be done as a shore dive, with part of the ship still sitting above water.
Mares

Chorizo (★3.6)

Ten minutes away by boat from Bahia Principe Hotel Bavaro, nice coral reef with white sandy bottom at 10 mts of depth. Good site for beginners and advanced divers.