Dominica Island is a paradise for scuba diving lovers. You’ll find everything a diver could wish for: some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea, a dense fauna made up of hundreds of colorful fish, large pelagic, marine mammals, shipwrecks and unique active underwater volcanos.
Some information for you:
The average temperature of the water can vary from 21 to 27 °. It is therefore recommended to wear 3 to 5 mm wetsuit.
You can dive all year in Dominica, however, the period from January to May offers the best diving conditions.
Let’s see together what are the best diving areas and the 10 best dive spots in Dominica
The best dive sites inside the Soufriere Scotts Head Reserve
This Marine natural park located South of Roseau, offers remarkable dive sites. Between caves, pinnacles and lava flows you will discover incredible coral gardens, gorgonians and colorful sponges. Scuba diving at Scotts Head is also an opportunity to admire unusual diving spots like “Champagne”, where thousands of bubbles escape from the seabed. The very good underwater visibility is perfect for underwater photographers. Another good news, fishing is prohibited in this marine park! This is why there is an abundant wildlife that will makes your dive stay, one of the most enjoyable in the Caribbean.
Champagne, a unique dive site
Beginner friendly
It is, undoubtedly, the most famous dive site of Dominica. This spot took its name from the thousands of bubbles escaping from the ground. Easily accessible from the shore, this place has also become a reference for snorkelers and free divers. In this fantastic environment, it is not uncommon to see sea turtles, seahorses, scorpion fish, squid, lobsters, crabs etc. This dive site is accessible to all levels, from beginners to experienced divers.
The Abym
Beginners level
Also called “Le Sourcier”, this dive site takes you to a steep underwater cliff diving 500 meters deep. During your immersion, you will fly over a vertiginous wall covered with corals, gorgonians, anemones and sponges. This dive spot is one of the most famous in Dominica for underwater photography because of its colorful environment and its rich macro life. If you are a good spoter, you will probably find seahorses, crabs, shrimps or beautiful nudibranchs. You can also dive with stingrays, sea turtles, barracudas, parrot fishs or scorpion fishs. The very important point about this dive site is its accessibility even to beginners because of these very favorable dive conditions. I forgot to mention, around the island, you can even see, at certain times, whales!
Soufriere Pinnacles
Beginner level
This dive site, located near the village of Soufriere, is made up of a series of pinnacles plunging into the depths. Accessible from the shore, you must use your fins for an hundred meters to reach the beginning of the reef. Once reached, you will discover an amazing wall and pinnacles covered with corals, gorgonians and colorful sponges. Sometimes turtles and stingrays will come and play with you. Small tip for you, if the current rises, it is possible to do a drift dive that leads to the dive site “Abym”.
Dangleben’s Pinnacles
Beginner level
This dive spot takes its name from the Dangleben’s family who owned the land at the edge of the site. This submarine crater offers an amazing underwater formation. At only 8 meters deep, five colorful pinnacles expose an abundant life. Here, the coral formations are particularly impressive. Around these reefs swim schools of tunas, trevallies, barracudas, wrasses and snappers. On the walls of the pinnacles, we find a macro life developed with seahorses or shrimps camouflaged in the anemones to escape the predators.
It is advisable to go to this dive site when there is some current to observe schools of fishs.
Pointe Guignard
Beginner level
This dive spot in Dominica offers a beautiful underwater architecture composed of a steep wall, caves and a beautiful arch 12 meters hight. In this grandiose setting, one can observe a very dense fauna including turtles, stingrays, moray eels, lobsters, schools of parrot fish, seahorses and many others. To visit the caves, a perfect buoyancy is required to avoid lifting the sediments on the bottom.
Cottage Point
Beginner level
It is one of the few dive sites in Dominica where you can find remains of wrecks. At Cottage Point, between 5 and 10 meters, lies a wreck of the 18th century. It is therefore possible to admire chain links and other scattered remains from the ship.
Scotts Head Drop-off
Intermediate level
It is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful dive sites in Dominica. Once underwater, you will head to a spectacular wall descending to 70 meters deep. The multitude of corals, gorgonians, crinoids, sponges and anemones gives the feeling of observing a multicolored painting. The dive site is ideal for beginners because the vast majority of the fauna and flora is in the first 10 meters.
In the many cracks are found moray eels, lobsters, crabs, cleaner shrimps but also antennas and seahorses. Above this small world are quietly swimming schools of snappers, porcupine fish and sometimes even barracudas. This dive site will certainly leave you with a memorable memory.
Scotts Head Pinnacle
Intermediate level
Scotts Head Pinnacle is byt for THE MOST spectacular dive site of the island. Wildlife is everywhere and visibility, excellent. The dive begins on a large rock formation called “Swiss Cheese” which houses a cave occupied by a compact bench of soldier fish. It is not really a cave but rather a small arch that you will have to cross. On the other side, you will fly over a rocky flat area inlaid with coral that leads to the main pinnacle. At a depth of only 10 meters, you will cross a second arch that will take you from “the other side”, inside a volcanic crater sinking to 40 meters deep. You will also admire the ballet of tropical fish swimming in a fairy garden of gorgonians.
Mountain Top
Advanced level
Here is another beautiful dive spot along the Scotts Head Peninsula. As its name suggests, Mountain Top is a rock formation exceeding 3 meters above the surface of the water. Here, a labyrinth of tunnels, canyons and arches, is home to a very colorful and varied fauna: cardinals, sergeant majors, moray eels or barracudas. This dive site is difficult because of its strong currents.
Crater’s Edge
Advanced level
North of Scotts Head Pinnacle is an impressive underwater crater. It is a very beautiful dive where we follow a volcano ridge. This dive site is an opportunity to see tunas, barracudas, jacks, snappers chasing schools of small fish. If you look away from the show and look to the pinnacle, you will see a spectacular wall covered with colorful giant sponges.
DIVING AT SALISBURY, WEST
The dive sites located on the west side of Dominica, in Salisbury, have the distinction of being much less frequented than those of the South. The lava flows have carved the seabed creating beautiful rock formations and reefs lined with corals, gorgonians and sponges.
Diving spots in Salisbury are best suited for a dive trip and are suitable for all levels. The sites are at the same time close to the shore, shallow and rich in life: rays, sea turtles, moray eels, barracuda, tuna or seahorses. A dive trip to Salisbury cannot leave you indifferent.
Nose Reef et Whaleshark Reef
Beginner level
In the western part of the island, this reef which starts at 18 meters and reaches more than 40 meters, has a large variety of sponges barrel, tubular, etc. and corals. In this colorful setting, schools of barracuda, Spanish mackerel, jacks and amberjacks move. Macro life is not left with many varieties of crabs, shrimps and nudibranchs. They offer the opportunity to underwater photographers to produce exceptional and striking shots.
Five Finger Rock
Advanced level
This dive site is in the Cabrits Marine Park. It bears his name because of the shape of the rocks that looks like a hand and its fingers. It is a great place to see beautiful elephant ears sponges and eagle rays. You can also admire flatfish, angel fish and soldier fish.
Pinard
Beginner level
The Pinard dive spot is an impressive pinnacle incorporating a tunnel about 91 meters long. The reef fish are so abundant that this picture of life and colors is a real wonder.
GO DIVE IN PORTSMOUTH, NORTH
Point Break
Intermediary level
Point Break is an interesting site that offers the opportunity to see a lot of big fish. There is usually a strong current, but the wall and underwater landscapes are worth seeing. Do not forget to look at the blue from time to time.
Cabrits
Beginner level
The Cabrits dive site actually has several dive sites. Cabrits South and West are two beautiful colored reefs that descend sharply to a sandy bottom at 47 and 34 meters. A third reef further south goes up to 55 meters.
Douglas Bay Point
Intermediary level
Douglas Point is not limited to one dive site. At the southern end is a beautiful canyon and a tunnel covered with corals and sponges. The western end is an area where nudibranchs abound. The Douglas Point, a third dive site is a reef that descends steeply with landings at 15 meters and 55 meters. We often see lobsters and large reef fish, including barracudas and mackerels.
SWITH WITH SPERMWHALE IN DOMINICA ISLAND
We know you love scuba diving but If there is one event not to be missed, it is the observation of marine mammals and especially Spermwhale!
