We Know Because We Go! | Book with a 5-Star Team,| Trusted by 10,000+ Divers
We Know Because We Go! | Book with a 5-Star Team,| Trusted by 10,000+ Divers
Year-round diving is available throughout these small but intriguing volcanic dive environments. Divers will encounter an abundance of diverse and thriving marine life across relaxed dive sites in calm clear waters.
Average flight time from LAX
9
Scuba Dive Level
All Levels
Visibility
50 to 100 feet (15 to 30 meters)
Average Water Temperature
79
Wreck Diving
Wall Diving
Year-round diving is available throughout these small but intriguing volcanic dive environments. Divers will encounter an abundance of diverse and thriving marine life across relaxed, uncrowded dive sites in calm waters. All experience levels are welcome to scuba dive St Eustatius' unique historical dive sites, St Kitts' reefs and wrecks, and Saba's marine park.
Scuba diving in St Kitts, St Eustatius, and Saba is predominantly resort-based although there is one liveaboard, Caribbean Explorer II, that splits its itineraries between St Maarten and Saba & St Kitts.
Scuba diving tends to be via small, independently-owned dive shops, such as Scubaqua on St. Eustatius.
Located in the eastern Caribbean Sea, the four islands of Saba, St Eustatius, St Kitts, and Nevis lie in line northwest to southeast and form part of the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. While Saba and St Eustatius belong to the Netherlands and St Kitts and Nevis are a country of the British Commonwealth, the islands are often dived together and share similar geographical and ecological traits.
Saba
Although the smallest island, Saba boasts almost 30 dive sites around its rocky coastline. Volcanic origins make for fascinating underwater topography and far fewer tourists mean often empty dive sites and a pristine dive environment. The waters around Saba are protected within Saba Marine Park which extends 200 feet (60 m) below the surface and covers an area of approximately 1,300 hectares.
St Eustatius
Over 60 dive sites in St Eustatius' crystal clear waters provide access to everything from wrecks and an ancient city wall to turtles, sharks, rays, and an abundance of reef fish. Protected as part of the St Eustatius National Parks system, diving must be with an approved center and is carefully controlled to preserve this treasured environment.
St Kitts
While St Kitts hosts more tourists than Saba or St Eustatius, visitor numbers are still far lower than other Caribbean destinations. Subsurface scenery rivals topside for rich and colorful reefs and some fascinating wrecks to explore.
Nevis
The least-dived of the four islands, Nevis nonetheless offers access to the beautiful coral atoll, Monkey Shoals, as well as some unique thermal vents.
Scuba diving in St Kitts, St Eustatius and Saba is great year-round with air and water temperatures remaining fairly constant throughout the seasons. For a quieter experience, consider St Eustatius scuba diving, where the dive sites remain uncrowded due to the island not posessing a cruise ship port.
Many of the ecosystems around the fours islands consist of stretches of volcanic rock encrusted with hard and soft corals, sponges, and other tunicates. There are few true reefs, although the channel between St Kitts and Nevis is home to a coral atoll. Pinnacles boast large gorgonian sea fans and huge barrel and chimney sponges at deeper sites and elkhorn coral gardens can also be found.
Species of shark commonly found in these waters are Caribbean reef sharks, black-tip reef sharks, and nurse sharks, however, hammerheads, tiger sharks, and bull sharks are also occasional visitors.
Marine animals you can expect to spot diving Saba and St Kitts include:
Other rare spots include whale sharks, manta and eagle rays, longsnout seahorses, and frogfish.
Here are some of the top dive sites in Saba, St Eustatius, and St Kitts:
Man o' War Shoals, Saba
Off the southwest corner of Saba, Man o' War comprises two shallow pinnacles covered in life. With a maximum depth of 72 feet (21 m), diving here is suitable for all levels, and visitors can discover an abundance of corals and sponges, crabs, lobsters, and other crustaceans, rays and sharks, and even the occasional frogfish.
Tent Reef, Saba
This wide and sprawling site offers a variety of ecosystems to explore including a vertical wall, coral reef system, volcanic boulder fields, and a shallow plateau. Marine life encounters abound with huge turtles and sleeping nurse sharks, a plethora of small reef fish, and a good chance of spotting a Caribbean reef shark.
Charles Brown Wreck, St Eustatius
Sunk as an artificial reef in 2003, the Charles Brown is a 327 foot (100m) long cable-laying vessel, and one of the island's most popular dives. With depths between 600 and 100 feet (18 and 31 m), she offers both novice and experienced wreck divers a great experience. The hull and superstructure are covered in gorgonians and sponges while schooling jacks and barracuda create a constantly moving backdrop. The wreck itself is home to many angelfish, yellow-headed jawfish, and turtles, while reef sharks patrol the edges of visibility.
Barracuda Reef, St Eustatius Famous for large numbers of barracuda, this long reef is made up of vertical walls, many ledges, overhangs, and cracks, perfect for harboring a plethora of marine life. Lobsters and moray eels can also be found here in abundance, along with dense schools of grunt and snapper, queen angelfish, and Caribbean reef sharks. Although current isn't often present, this makes a fantastic drift dive when conditions allow. Hangover, St EustatiusShowcasing the best of local diving, Hangover offers a little bit of everything, from fascinating lava structures smothered in healthy corals and interspersed with patches of sand, to overhangs that hide all sorts of surprises. Jawfish, peacock flounder, and queen conch occupy the sandiest areas while pillar corals hide yellowtail damselfish and are circled by numerous angelfish. Lobsters, moray eels, and spotted drumfish lurk in the darker crevices and it's not unusual to spot a Caribbean reef shark cruising through.
M/V Talata Wreck, St KittsSunk due to hurricane damage in 1983, this old freighter lies in shallow water between 40 and 60 feet (12 and 15 m) and is great fun to explore. Although the wreck is broken up and spread in a long line, sections of the bow and stern are still recognizable, along with the engine blocks and large parts of the steel superstructure. Marine life is abundant around this artificial reef, in particular numerous moray eels that now call it home.
Monkey Shoals, St KittsThis shallow coral atoll lies in the channel between St Kitts and Nevis and covers around 1 square mile and several distinct dive sites. Being further from shore, visibility is excellent and marine life is in pristine condition, although current and surface conditions can sometimes be challenging. Shallower areas of the reef are full of juvenille reef fish, while larger areas of pure white sand house rays, reef sharks, and plentiful macro.
Friars Bay Reef, St KittsSt Eustatius, Saba, and St Kitts' tropical climate means there is little variation in air and water temperatures throughout the year. The summer enjoys topside temperatures of around 89oF (32oC) and in the winter months, this can drop to 82oF (28oC). Summer is also the rainy season and brief daily showers are common however, this rarely disrupts diving.
To visit Saba and St Eustatius it is easiest to fly internationally into St Maarten's Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) from the majority of US east coast cities. Then take a regularly-scheduled island-hopper flight or join the liveaboard that visits Saba and St Kitts.
To reach St Kitts, fly into Robert L. Bradshaw international AIrport (SKB) and Nevis is a 45-minute ferry journey from St Kitts.
Scuba diving and snorkeling within the protected waters of Saba and St Eustatius must be done with a locally approved guide and there are a couple of local dive operators on each island who can facilitate day trips. Dives tend to be from small boats or straight from the shore and operators offer anything up to four days per day.
Being volcanic in origin, there are no proper beaches to relax at, rather the majority of the coastline is cliff and rocky shore. With that said, the beauty of the islands isn't lost, thanks to their mountainous terrain, fascinating flora, and unique panoramic views. Take a day to hike in the national park areas around volcanic craters and discover many bird and reptile species. Learn about the history of the islands on cultural tours, taste the local flavors, and enjoy music played by friendly locals.
