Caribbean Dive Shop Recs

[bhecquet]

We will be cruising in late February to the following destinations and would love to dive while we are in port. We are SSI Advanced Open water and have done 12 dives over the past 18 months. Have you ever dove with any dive shops in these ports that you can either recommend or warn me away from?

• Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
• San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Philipsburg, St. Maarten
• Tortola, British Virgin Islands

Thank you in advance.

-Beth

 

[VGdiver]

We will be cruising in late February to the following destinations and would love to dive while we are in port. We are SSI Advanced Open water and have done 12 dives over the past 18 months. Have you ever dove with any dive shops in these ports that you can either recommend or warn me away from?

• Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
• San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Philipsburg, St. Maarten
• Tortola, British Virgin Islands

Thank you in advance.

-Beth

Beth,

Contact me via DM - we offer diving from Tortola as a private charter. February is a good time as we tend to have humpback whales in the area and you can hear them singing while you dive. Occasionally, they'll be hanging out in the Sir Frances Drake Channel and we can see them from the dive boats! Very cool experience to put in the dive log!

Cheers,
Jeff

 

[Taxi42]

Beth,

Contact me via DM - we offer diving from Tortola as a private charter. February is a good time as we tend to have humpback whales in the area and you can hear them singing while you dive. Occasionally, they'll be hanging out in the Sir Frances Drake Channel and we can see them from the dive boats! Very cool experience to put in the dive log!

Cheers,
Jeff

we will be on Tortola Jan 12, 2025. interested in your charter info please. I can not send msg as I'm new here

 

[Wants2divemore]

I dove with Dive Sint Maarten on Jan 29, 2023 and had a good experience. Here's my review

Trip Report Thread 'Dive Sint Maarten - St. Maarten'

Feb 5, 2023

I was in St. Maarten on Jan 29th on a cruise and dove with Dive Sint Maarten.

Bottom line: Good experience, would use again.

Meeting location: Bobby's Marina, Philipsburg (15 minute walk, 2 minute taxi ride from cruise pier).

Boat: Double Dutch - 12 divers max, covered deck area, no restroom.

Briefing: Covered boat safety equipment and dive plan.

Dive sites dove (they have many different ones, decide which ones to dive the day of):
Carib Cargo: Metal wreck with swim through, some good reefs around with great marine life, 65’ depth
Lucy's Barge: Old wooden wreck so all that's left are...

• Wants2divemore
• Replies: 32
• Forum: Lesser Antilles

• 

The diving in San Juan is limited to the Escambron Marine Park. The diving isn't that great (shore dive, 30' deep, not much to see). I dove with Scuba Dogs in July 2022 and it was fine, but nothing special. I've heard good things about Caribe Aquatic Adventures but don't have any personal experience. To be honest, I'd spend my time in San Juan doing other things (walking around old San Juan, touring El Morro, eating some great food).

 

[FreqFlier]

Puerto Plata is on the wrong side of DR to have nice dives. The only thing I can see worth checking out is Aqua Adventures in Sosua to dive an artificial reef wreck
Puerto Rico has some great dive sites, but Dan Juan is nowhere near any of them. SW, W and NE sides is where you want to be.
Tortola may not be a bad idea, especially if you have decent guides.
Have never been in Philipsburg, St. Maarten.

 

[VGdiver]

we will be on Tortola Jan 12, 2025. interested in your charter info please. I can not send msg as I'm new here

I sent a DM with details for you to contact Dive BVI via email. info@divebvi.com is the best way to get in touch. Cheers! Jeff