With a range of relaxed but surprisingly vibrant reefs and wrecks, St Maarten's varied dive sites offer a great introduction to scuba diving or a low-key break for experienced divers looking to explore underwater at a leisurely pace.
Scuba Dive Level
All Levels
Visibility
50 to 100 feet (15 to 30 meters)
Average Water Temperature
80
Wreck Diving
Tropical Fish
With a range of relaxed but surprisingly vibrant reefs and wrecks, St Martin or St Maarten's varied dive sites offer a great introduction to scuba diving or a low-key break for experienced divers looking to explore underwater at a leisurely pace.
Diving in St Maarten St Martin is predominantly resort-based although there is one liveaboard, Caribbean Explorer II, that splits its itineraries between St Maarten and Saba & St Kitts.
Located 190 miles off the eastern tip of Puerto Rico in the northeast Caribbean Sea, the island of St Martin is divided between the southern Dutch country of St Maarten and the northern French Collectivity of St Martin. As the best dive sites and the majority of dive operators are located in the south of the island, this guide will focus on diving St Maarten (also referred to as Sint Maarten).
Comprising over 35 dive sites along the island's south and southeastern coasts, diving in St Maarten features rocky, coral encrusted reefs, numerous wrecks, and some colorful marine life. St Maarten diving is particularly suited to novice divers and snorkelers, with many sites offering shallow, sheltered conditions perfectly suited to learning or improving dive skills.
Thanks to the formation of Marine National Parks, the marine life around the island boasts some of the best diversity in the Caribbean. As well as a host of tropical reef species, Caribbean reef sharks are a common sight, and specific shark dives are popular.
Find out why the Caribbean is one of our Best Liveaboard Destinations.
St Martin - St Maarten scuba diving is great year-round, and the June to November hurricane season rarely causes much disruption.
The Man of War Shoal Marine Park covers nearly 8,000 acres of protected reefs, wrecks, seagrass meadows, and sand habitat to the south of St Maarten. The marine park protects a huge diversity of marine life including 700 reef fish species, sharks, turtles, rays, lobster, conch, and crabs. It also falls on an important migratory route for whales and dolphins.
Marine animals you can expect to spot diving St Maarten include:
Here are some of the top scuba diving spots in St Maarten:
1. Charlie's Shoal
A seldom-dived and undisturbed stretch of reef just outside Simpson Bay on the island's south coast. Charlie's Shoal is a fringing Reef with a maximum depth of between 50 and 65 feet (16 and 20m) making it perfect for Open Water divers. Calm waters and great visibility make for a very relaxing spot with a good chance of encountering turtles, rays, barracuda, grouper, and even nurse sharks.
2. HMS Proselyte
In the center of St Maarten's souths coat, HMS Proselyte is the most popular of St Maarten's 11 wreck dives and is only a couple of minutes from the harbor. This Dutch and then British Royal Navy frigate sunk in 1801 when it hit Man of War Shoal. It now lies in 20 to 55 feet (6 to 16m) and is a fantastic artificial reef, covered in corals and varied marine life.
3. Carib Ghost
The Carib Ghost, also known as Carib Cargo or RORO, was badly damaged by Hurricane Luis in 1995 and then 'removed' in 1996 by a commercial dive operation. Local dive centers finally found where she had been sunk in 85 feet (26m) of water directly south of Cay Bay. The site offers a good opportunity for new wreck divers to experience safe wreck penetration.
4. Fuh Sheng
Another of St Maarten's excellent wreck dives, Fuh Sheng is a 120 foot (36m) fishing boat that sank in 1995. With fantastic visibility, this slightly deeper wreck offers encounters with lobsters, stingrays, and large groups of garden eels. There are often sharks found patrolling the sandy bottom.
5. Fish Bowl
A bright and lively reef featuring the best of St Maarten's marine diversity, Fish Bowl is close to the harbor and a popular and easy-to-reach site. The maximum depth is 60 feet (18m) and a large arch swim-through featuring barracuda and reef sharks offers some extra excitement.
6. Big MommaHere are some of the top snorkeling spots in St Maarten:
St Maarten's 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.
December through April and also July and August are peak tourist seasons.
Fly into Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) in Simpson Bay from the majority of US east coast cities. The liveaboard embarks from Bobby's Marina in Philipsburg.
The majority of the dive sites in St Maarten are very close to shore, and local operators run 1 or 2-tank dives from small boats on a daily basis.
Most vacation activities involve the ocean, with snorkeling and beach tours, and sailing expeditions readily available. There are also sightseeing tours of the island's interior as well as of historical Philipsburg.
Explore St. Maarten
