Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Diving & Snorkeling
Compared to other Caribbean islands, the DR is not known as a diving destination. That
being said, it has some great places for underwater exploring - the offshore area around
Bayahibe on the southeast coast is generally considered the best. The warm Caribbean
waters around here have pretty fields of coral and myriad tropical fish that make for fun
easy dives. Two national parks east of Santo Domingo - Parque Nacional Submarino La
Caleta and Parque Nacional del Este - can be reached through dive shops in Boca Chica
and Bayahibe, respectively.
La Caleta is an underwater preserve covering just 10 sq km but is one of the country's
most popular dive destinations. The main attraction is the
Hickory,
a 39m salvage ship
with an interesting past that was intentionally sunk in 1994. Parque Nacional del Este has
a number of interesting dives, too, including another wreck - a massive 89m cargo ship -
and a site ominously called Shark Point.
The DR's north coast provides a very different diving experience. Facing the Atlantic,
the water there is cooler and somewhat transparent, but the underwater terrain is more var-
ied, making for challenging dives and unique profiles.
Sosúa is the dive capital here and excursions can be organized to all points along the
coast. Divers exploring the waters near the Península de Samaná can sometimes hear
humpback whales singing; Las Terrenas and Las Galeras have a few small dive shops.
Other off-the-beaten-track options are two diveable freshwater caves - Dudu Cave, near
Río San Juan, and Padre Nuestro, near Bayahibe. Dudu, with two openings, three different
tunnels and a spacious stalactite-filled chamber, is one of the most memorable cave dives
in the Caribbean (generally needed is an Advanced Diver certificate or at least 20 logged
dives in order to come out here). Located within the Parque Nacional del Este, Padre
Nuestro is a challenging 290m tunnel that should be attempted only by trained cave
divers. With the exception of the cave dives, most of the sites also make for excellent
snorkeling.
Dive prices vary from place to place, but average US$30 to US$40 for one tank, plus
US$5 to US$10 for equipment rental. Most people buy multidive packages, which can
bring the per-dive price down to around US$25. You must have an Open Water certificate;
if you're new to the sport, dive shops offer the Discover Scuba and Open Water certifica-
tion courses. Snorkeling trips cost around US$25 to US$40 per person.
