When it come to diving in the Dominican Republic the dive sites of Sosua Bay are not to be missed with a wide range of dives suitable for beginners & the more advanced divers. Take a look at some of the sites that we have listed below then come & join us at 5 Star SDI – Scuba Diving International Dive Center ‘Superior Dive Sosua’.
3 Rocks & Coral Gardens (Max Depth 18m/60ft) –
These 2 Sosua Bay dive sites really have it all & are ones that you’re probably going to visit at least once when diving in the Dominican Republic with us at Superior Dive Sosua. An abundance of marine life and as interesting for complete novice divers as well as the seasoned pros. 3 Rocks is the perfect place for first time divers starting off in 3m/10ft with a nice sandy bottom sloping down to 9m/30ft. The friendly sergeant majors, blue tangs & yellow tail snappers will come to greet you as you enter the water. This site is the home to the nurseries where we’re growing staghorn corals.. As we leave the deeper side of the 3 Rocks & head slowly down into the Coral Gardens we pass over thousands of garden eels. watch as they duck back into their holes as you glide over the top of them. In the Coral Gardens itself you will find beautiful patches of corals inhabited by sea fans, whips & sponges.
Mini Wall/Deep Wall (Max Depth 33m/110ft) –
Whether we start at the deep line in 14m/35ft or the shallow lines in front of Playa Alecia this dive site is a real gem. Hundreds off see fans line the top of the reef. Hang out at the top of the wall and glaze down into the depths. If your an advanced diver then lets head down a little deeper & then take a look up and watch as the sunlight shimmers at the surface. We have regulary been seeing sea turtles and it’s a favorite site to find tiny seahorses. A must do dive which is accessible for divers with open water certifications and above. If you decide that you would like to take part in one of our private lionfish hunting excursions then the deeper parts of the wall are a good place to look for our lunch.
West Wall & La Puntilla (Max Depth 20m/65ft) –
These two dive sites are just a 30 second boat ride from the beach and can be dived in a variety of different ways. Who would know that you would find such a variety of marine life this close to shore. Starting in 5m/15ft and going down to 20m/60ft these dive sites are favorites of ours. When it comes to diving in the Dominican Republic you expect to find some pirates treasure & the West Wall is home to 3 sunken cannons from an old galleon. Expect to see grunts, wrasse and snapper just hanging out at the top of the wall. As we head over the top of the wall and a little deeper take a look under the overhangs to find giant spiny arrow crabs and moray eels. This is another great site for finding seahorses so pay attention they are not so easy to find.
Canyon (Max Depth 18m/60ft) –
At the far left hand side of Sosua Bay we will find the Canyon. A sandy bottom with a huge rock pinnacle is based inside of the reef. Glide around Rob’s Rock and watch as schools of fish swim around you. A perfect site for those photography enthusiasts with a max depth of 9m/30ft inside the wall and plenty of light for those great pictures. As we head away from the inner reef you will start to understand why the dive site got it’s name. Pass in-between a split in the reef and start heading down to 18m/60ft. Watch as the french grunts start to move away and the ocean opens up. It’s then our choice as whether we follow the wall towards the cliffs of Los Charamicos or take the opposite direction and look out for the wreck of the little fishing boat the Miguelina.
Airport Wall & Elephante (Max Depth 26m/85ft) –
What can we say about the Airport Wall? A favorite Sosua dive site & one of the best & most renowned when diving in the Dominican Republic. This is without doubt one of the best wall dives in the DR, with multiple points of entry, tunnels, swim throughs and a truly stunning bottom topography. The wall can be as shallow as 5m/15ft and drops down to 26m/85ft plus. With so many places to explore along this wall we could dive it over and over and still not get tired of the scenery. The Airport is best dived in the mornings when ocean conditions are at their optimum with minimal waves and wind.
Pyramids & Palmeras (Max Depth 18m/60ft) –
On the same side of Sosua Bay as the Airport Wall we can find two separate dive sites. Palmeras is home to a number of swim throughs and Pyramids has a number of intriguing rock formations. These dive sites are suitable for PADI Open Water Divers and above. Both are only a short boat ride from shore and are easily frequented. If we drop into Las Palmeras then we will head west in the direction of Puerto Plata Airport where after a long leisurely drift dive we will meet up with the end of the Pyramids. The Pyramids itself starts in a tiny bay with a huge boulder perched on the side of the cliffs. Meander down into just 5m/15ft of water and lets start our dive. But be careful of those black spiny sea urchins. After either dive we will put up a surface marker buoy and the boat will come to pick us up.
Ray Point / Chiquita Reef (Max Depth 40m/130ft)
Just love this dive site. The wall starts at 20m/65ft and then the sheer drop goes well beyond the recreational dive limits. Glide along the wall and look out into the depths in the hope of seeing Spotted Eagle Rays passing by. This dive site is situated in front of Playa Chiquita and really is a must for those advanced divers. Fan corals, huge overhangs, grunts, wrasse and yellow stingrays populated this reef. I was even lucky enough that i encountered a whole pod of dolphins here on a previous dive and they stayed with us for 15 minutes curiously checking us out and playing in the water as we continued our dive.
The Zingara (Max Depth 36m/118ft) –
Salvaged from Puerto Plata 20 years ago and sank here specially for diving this 30m/100ft long old cargo freighter, that used to transport coffee and fruit around the Caribbean, is covered in corals and home to an array of differing fish. It sits in 36m/118ft of water and is a definitely for the more experienced diver. The long mooring line comes all the way down to the chimney and it is possible to penetrate into the stern and engine room. It is not a long dive due to its depths but it is spectacular & a must see when diving in the Dominican Republic. There are a few stories of how the Zingara came to lay where it is but those will have to wait until you book a dive package with us.
Larimar (Max Depth 40m/130ft) –
Just in front of the new Marriott ‘Ocean Club’ Hotel is Larimar Reef. This deeper reef is a great spot for training dives for the PADI Advanced Open Water Course. The top of the reef is 18m/60ft and then slopes down to 30m/100ft plus. Head down over the wall glide along taking in the long barrel sponges that populate. Expect to see some resident Angel Fish & if you’re lucky a big old turtle that’s made her home here.
Coral Garden Wall (Max Depth 40m/130ft) –
After the 3 Rocks & Coral Gardens you will find the Coral Garden Wall. A deep expansive outer reef that needs exploring. Some parts gently slope down other parts have gigantic rock & coral structures. We could dive this site over and over and find new things every time. With no mooring lines you are able to drop in at a variety of points but watch your computer as we go down. Sea fans, whips, sponges populate this area and if you hit the right points it’s also a great place to find those invasive lion fish.
Five Rocks –
A aptly named dive site that spans 100m/330ft plus. These large rock pinnacles make an interesting dive, starting at a very shallow 4m/13ft and dropping down to 26m/85ft. The coral heads themselves look like huge pillars and provide excellent underwater photography opportunities. Look out for crabs, moray eels and puffer fish. Expect to spend around 8 minutes on the boat heading in the direction of Puerto Plata & the Airport.
Diving in the Dominican Republic at it’s best with 5 Star SDI – Scuba Diving International Dive Center ‘Superior Dive Sosua – We Get You Wet All Over’.