Scuba diving holidays in Punta Cana

Located on the eastern tip of the island of Hispaniola, which the Dominican Republic shares with Haiti, Punta Cana is a popular place for diving, especially for beginners. The clear, shallow waters host a rich diversity of beautiful corals and marine life, as well as wrecks, caverns and swim-throughs that will lead you on all sorts of exciting underwater adventures.

For cave diving enthusiasts, one of the most popular diving sites in Punta Cana is the famous La Cueva site. This unique barrier reef features numerous caverns to explore at depths of around 8-13 metres (26 to 43 feet), and nurse sharks and stingrays are frequently spotted here. Another impressive diving site off the coast of Punta Cana is Batato, a series of interesting rock formations that have created many small passages to explore over time.

More advanced divers will enjoy the fascinating volcanic rock formations near Bavaro, which provide more challenging diving opportunities in beautiful underwater caves and swim-throughs adorned with stalagmites and stalactites. The clear, warm waters host a variety of fish and colourful corals such as brain coral, elk-horn and stag-horn coral.

For those intrigued by wreck diving, there are numerous shipwrecks scattered in the area. The Aston Wreck is one. This 300-foot Russian freighter ran aground off the coast of Punta Cana during a storm in 1978. It was literally torn into two pieces, half of which remains above the surface today. Sitting in 16 metres of water, this is an excellent dive site for beginners, and all sorts of marine life such as barracuda, manatees and rays reside here.

Monica is another wreck well worth exploring. Considered one of the most beautiful wrecks in the Dominican Republic, this wooden-hulled ship sank during a storm a century ago whilst transporting equipment from a sugar plantation. Although the wooden hull has rotted away over time, interesting steel artefacts from the plantation still remain intact, as well as the propeller and other machinery. Reef fish and other sea life are abundant here.

Local dive centres will advise you of the best and most suitable dive sites for your level of experience, whilst providing training and certification if required, so you can make the most of your diving holiday in Punta Cana.