Aruba prides itself in having a spectacular underwater territory, complete with famous shipwrecks, fantastic coral formations, and rich marine life. The best dive spots in Aruba are situated along the protected southern and western coasts. The western coast features numerous healthy reefs which encourage explorative scuba dives.
So are you ready to find where to scuba dive in Aruba? Here are the Top 10 scuba dives in Aruba to check out:
1. Mike’s Reef Mike’s Reef is an untouched aquatic paradise where the clear waters make for a post-card worthy experience. The reef was made popular by Captain Mike Hagedoorn, who began chartering people to the paradise in 1977 when he founded Tranquillo Aruba.
2. The Antilla Wreck The Antilla is recognized as the largest wreck in the South Caribbean region. It was constructed in 1939 in Hamburg, Germany and launched in the same year. In the course of the 2nd World War, the Antilla, at the time carrying a German crew, was almost confiscated by the Dutch.
3. The Pedernales Wreck Another casualty of World War II was the ship Pedernales. This Italian-built tanker was sunk by a German submarine in the Caribbean waters. The middle part of the ship is what remains, and it lies about 25 feet from the Antilla wreck.
4. The Renaissance Island The Renaissance Island is an incredible private island owned by the famous Renaissance Resort. The island is popular for its airplane wrecks and a harbor reef with a sunken tugboat. One of the airplane wrecks lies at a depth of 39 feet, it was the first twin-engine aircraft to feature a pressurized cabin from the American-based manufacturer, Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation.
5. The Hole in the Wall and the Mangel Halto The Hole in the Wall is a varied dive site with a few entry and exit points. You can dive into the water from the jetty or via the beach. This site is especially recommended as a night dive spot.
6. The Jane C. Wreck The Jane C. Wreck was once a 190 foot beauty when it was launched in 1959. Numerous stories abound about her cargo including cement and cocaine. It was sunk in 1988 by local dive operators in an upright manner with her bow facing Palm Island. Her depths range between 50 to 90 feet.
7. The Serito Pinnacle The Serito Pinnacle is not only one of the top ten scuba dives in Aruba, but it is also among the best kept secret among diving enthusiasts. It lies unspoiled on the southern side of Aruba, and the only opportunity to get to the pinnacle is via a private charter.
8. The SS California The SS California is often misrepresented as the Californian, famously known as the ship that received the Titanic’s distressed signals but did not respond. This wreck is however interesting to explore. It lies 15 to 30 feet in depth, and it is especially ideal for underwater photography.
9. The Pet Cemetery The Pet Cemetery lies east of Baby Beach, and it got its name from the numerous pets buried there with handmade crosses and headstones. There is a wide reef tract that runs along the shore of the Pet Cemetery featuring various species of finger and pencil coral, mustard-hill coral, elkhorn and staghorn coral, and sea fans.
10. The Wall Another one of the top 10 scuba dives in Aruba is The Wall, where you could dive for days and even weeks and not see all of the abundant marine life that can be seen here. This stunning reef is home to numerous green turtles which inhabit it during their egg laying season, which is May through August.
