Scuba diving in Punta Cana

Punta Cana diving is easy, resort-based diving on the Dominican Republic's east coast: shallow reefs and a few wrecks off Bávaro's beaches, plus day trips to the calmer, clearer south coast around Bayahibe and Catalina Island. Most visitors dive through their resort, and the area is a popular place to try scuba or finish an Open Water course while on vacation.

The local diving

The reefs off Punta Cana and Bávaro lie inside a protective outer reef, mostly in 30–60 ft, with hard and soft corals, sea fans, and the usual Caribbean cast of parrotfish, angelfish, and moray eels. The Astron, a cargo ship that ran aground near Bávaro, is a popular shallow wreck, and a few other small wrecks and reefs sit a short boat ride from the beaches. Local conditions depend heavily on the wind, since this coast faces the Atlantic; on calm mornings it is pleasant and relaxed, while on windy days the ride out can be rough and visibility drops.

The day trip south

For the best diving in the region, most divers make the drive of roughly 1–1.5 hours to Bayahibe. From there, boats head to Catalina Island's Wall and Aquarium, the St. George wreck — a large ship sunk as an artificial reef in 1999, with its upper deck in the 50–80 ft range and bottom around 130 ft — and reefs within Parque Nacional del Este and around Saona Island. The south coast is sheltered from the Atlantic swell, and visibility is usually much better than off Punta Cana.

Conditions and season

Water runs from the upper 70s °F in winter to the mid-80s in late summer; a 3 mm suit is plenty. Visibility off Punta Cana is typically 30–60 ft, often 60–100 ft on the south coast. Hurricane season runs June through November. Trade winds are usually strongest in winter and early spring, which is when east-coast boat trips are most likely to be cancelled.

Good to know

• Many resorts offer try-dives in the pool and Open Water courses, with checkout dives on the local reefs.
• Bring your certification card and logbook, especially for the St. George or other deep dives.
• National park fees apply in Parque Nacional del Este and are usually included in Bayahibe trip prices.
• Between January and March, humpback whales gather in Samaná Bay to the north — a popular whale-watching trip, though not a dive.

Who it suits: beginners, families, and vacationers who want a few relaxed dives. Keen divers should budget at least one day trip to Bayahibe and Catalina.