Since Jacques Cousteau helped invent one of the first self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, thus SCUBA, people all over the planet have taken up this amazing sport to experience first-hand the wonderful world beneath the sea. In recent years the Dominican Republic has become a popular destination for vacationing qualified divers, as well as those who want to satisfy their curiosity and take up the sport. There are many dive shops to chose from on the island that offer good quality instruction with courses ranging from Open Water (for beginner divers), Adventure Diver, Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, Dive Master, Assistant Instructor, and Specialty Diving such as Deep, Wreck, Navigation, Photography, and Naturalist.

One of the most well known dive destinations on the North Coast is the Sosua area, with a variety of dive spots to choose from, suitable for either those just learning the craft, to the experienced diver. The 3 Rocks is a shallow dive site (just over 50 feet) and great for beginners to view a large variety of fish, as is the Canyon, at a depth of only 35 feet. Both sites are within a short 5-10 minute boat ride from Sosua Beach. The Airport Wall for experienced divers goes to a depth of 80 feet and offers many sponges, hard and soft corals, different species of fish, also lobster and eel that dwell in a small cave. Another dive recommended for those more experienced is called The Caves which are around 50 feet in length at 80 feet deep. The 5 Rocks is a good dive for all levels with good visibility to see the many corals and lots of marine life. The Puntilla is an excellent beginner dive at a shallow depth of 40 feet, and The Garden that reaches 80 feet is self-explanatory in its name and an interesting site for all dive levels. There is also the Mini- Wall, so named as the drop only descends to a depth of 65 feet, nevertheless is a good dive for the less experienced and with excellent visibility. All dive sites are a 5 to 15 minute boat ride from shore.

Travelling east from Sosua will bring you to Rio San Juan/Playa Grande with good offshore waters for both beginning and experienced divers to view a myriad of colorful tropical fish and marine life. Cabrera is a short drive away and offers fresh water cave diving and an inland lake with a 30 foot wall with unbelievable lighting. The Samana peninsula offers varied sites in Las Terrenas with many holes and coral formations to explore, and from Las Galleras beach is the well known Cabron for advanced divers that descends along a spectacular underwater tower to a depth of 150 feet.

Wreck diving is offered off the shores of Monte Cristi to the west of Puerto Plata, and another worthwhile trip is to Punta Rucia, also in the western part of the North Coast, which takes you to Cayo Arena (Sand Island) to view incredible coral formations and varied marine life.

Moving on to the south and east coasts of the island, Santo Domingo, Boca Chica and Juan Dolio, Bayahibe, and Punta Cana/Bavaro offer many and varied destinations that include wreck dives, night dives, and fresh water cave diving. One of the most sought out dive sites is La Caleta National Underwater Park located east of Santo Domingo, which covers an area of approximately 10 square kilometers. In 1984 the National Parks Department scuttled an old 130 foot ship called The Hickory, that was used to hunt for treasure from sunken Spanish galleons. This has created a very lively artificial reef of colorful coral formations with thousands of tropical fish and rich marine life. Nearby at a depth of 100 feet lies another ship named Capitan Alsina, 105 feet in length that was sunk in 1989. Both novice and experienced divers can enjoy this wonderful underwater park that can be reached by boat (about 20 minutes) from the resort hotels in Boca Chica.

There are many popular dive sites that can be reached both from Bayahibe and La Romana by boat. Catalina Island has one of the best wall dives in the Dominican Republic, in addition to a spectacular shallower 30 foot dive through beautiful gardens with an abundance of fish and sea fans. Nearby Saona Island also has some great dive spots including some areas for good drift diving. The beaches of Punta Cana/Bavaro are protected by an 18 mile long colorful coral reef for shallow dives that is easily accessible by boat from all the resort hotels in the area.

Those who want to travel off-the-beaten-path should head for Barahona in the southwest of the island near the Haitian border. As this area is still basically untouched by tourism, divers have only recently discovered this unexplored paradise. There is an abundant of sites to visit with an astounding variety of marine life and unlimited visibility in these pristine waters.