Scuba diving holidays in Santa Domingo

If you are planning to stay on the South Coast during your diving holiday in the Dominican Republic, Santa Domingo is an excellent base from which to explore a diverse range of dive sites. From ancient underwater caves to vibrant reefs and famous wrecks, divers will be in their element here.

Many dive centres in Santa Domingo offer a full range of diving experiences, including reef diving, wreck diving and freshwater cavern diving. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced diver, professional instructors can offer support, equipment and training to enhance your undersea adventures. From PADI Open Water Diver certification to night and cave diving courses for more experienced divers, there are plenty of options available.

For an unforgettable cave diving experience, exploring Cueva Taina near Santo Domingo is a must. These ancient cave systems follow the former coastline of the Dominican Republic millions of years ago, which has risen over time to form grottos and tunnels adorned with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites.

Located just outside Santa Domingo, La Caleta National Park is one of the Dominican Republic's premier dive destinations. Not only does this important reserve host a large reef system inhabited by a rich array of colourful marine life and corals, but several interesting wrecks can also be explored here.

One of La Caleta's wrecks is El Limon, a 115-foot tugboat, which has become a haven for fish such as blue-striped grunt, yellow goatfish, sergeant majors, trumpet fish, blue tangs and squirrelfish. The second is the famous Hickory, a 130-foot transport freighter that was once used as a treasure-hunting vessel but sank in 1986. Both wrecks lie on a flat sandy bottom in 60 feet of water.

Other interesting underwater wrecks can be found around Juan Dolio, including the Tanya, the Catuan and the Embassy, all of which provide a haven for an abundance of fish and other sea life. These are just some of the diving highlights to discover around Santa Domingo.