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Dive Sites
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Airplanes
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A Convair 440 (almost as big as a DC-3) sunk intentionally as a artificial reef. After hurricane Lenny in '99 it was dragged to 80'. Before completely intact and now in 2 big pieces where penetration of the wreck is still possible. Other parts of the plane located in 45' located on a reef. This is a very nice, interesting dive with a great photo opportunity.
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Andicuri
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Most challenging dive. Monster size boulders leave the diver in awe. Incredible formations of brain and star coral. Also, black coral, sea fans and soft coral cover the sea floor. Experienced divers only due to the rough seas traditionally dominating the island's windward coast.
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Antilla Wreck
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W.W.II German freighter. Best wreck in the Caribbean. Wreck is over 400 feet long and sits on its port side. It breaks the surface from a maximum depth of 60 feet. Abundance of colorful fish on coral encrusted wreck. Large jewfish lives in forward section. Throngs of blue tangs will eat bread out of your hands at the stern of the boat. There is more fish here than on any reef. Definitely a dive to be logged.Locally referred to as the "Ghost Ship" this German freighter (brand new at the time) was scuttled on May 10, 1940 when the Germans invaded Holland during World War II. The largest wreck in the Caribbean (400' long), it is great for penetrations due to the large compartments of this vessel
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Arashi Reef (35-40')
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A fascinating reef for beginners. Parts of a sunken Lockheed Electra are scattered at 35 feet of water. Coral formations, parrot and angelfish surround the airplane wreckage and coral heads.. The front half of the fuselage, wings and cockpit sit upright in an eerie take-off position. The props and cowling may be deathly silent, but try to tell that to the sergeant majors, yellowtail snapper, caesar grunts, gray chromis and blue tang that do loop-the-loops around the ghost plane. Head south, and the "runway" is dotted with boulder brain coral, star coral and sea rods gives way to a ledge smattered with sea fans and a rainbow array of encrusting sponge. An azure school of blue parrotfish cruise the ledge in tight formation. A two-and-a-half-foot hogfish zooms from shadow to shadow in search of an in-flight snack.
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Baby Beach Reef
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Large formations of elkhorn coral, with sheet coral make a perfect place for crabs, octopus and lobster. Great visibility and accessible from the shore.
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Bali Barge Reef
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Site where the barge portion of the old Bali Restaurant was sunk. Nice sloping wall/reef with lots of fish, plume worms, moray eels and eagle rays. Starts in 25 feet and goes to 130 feet.
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Barcadera Reef
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Great reef with lots of fish, lobster and moray eels.A very healthy and beautiful reef. Very dense reef with large coral formations. Many brain corals and an abundance of huge sea fans in the shallows. Starts in 15 feet and goes to 80 feet. Seahorses to be found at this site in about 45' of depth. Great dive for photography.
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Blue Reef & Debbie II
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Paths of wildly spread leaf and brain corals await you at this bottom-reef.This reef is known for its huge lobsters and stingrays taking their daily "siesta" waiting to be photographed. Giant barrel sponges in purple, orange and green are found everywhere. In 1992, a 120' fuel barge was sunk as an additional attraction. The wreck attracts schooling fish and barracudas.
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Cabez Reef
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Due to strong currents, for experienced divers only. Come face to face with barracudas, amber jacks and rainbow runners. Also known for stingrays.
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California Wreck
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The wreck is surrounded by large coral formations and an abundance of tropical fish. This dive site is only for advanced divers, due to currents and sometimes choppy seas. The California made history as the ship that received, but didn't respond to the S.O.S. signal from the Titanic. The wreck is almost 100 years old.
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Commandeurs Reef
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Sloping into the deep, formations of sheet and leaf coral rise to decorate this dive. Extensive marine life such as snappers, groupers, grunts and angelfish, while runner, jacks and barracuda patrol the area on occasion.
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The Cross
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There is a 10' memorial monument surrounded by beautiful coral formations, different soft corals and sea fans. Excellent drift dive.
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Dantchi's Delight Reef
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Easy and beautiful dive with a lot of orange sponges, staghorn coral and damsel fish. Starts in 15 feet and goes to 60 feet.
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DePalm Slope
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Magnificent coral formations sloping to great depths. Well known for its great barracudas. Excellent for drift diving. Spotted eagle rays are often seen on this site.
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The Finger
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The reef comes out like a finger pointing down to the deep water. Beautiful coral formations, sea fans in the sand surrounding the finger. Moral eels, tropical fish are seen every dive. Keep your eyes open for an occasional turtle cruising by.
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Gino's Choice
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This site consists of a cool drop-off with huge brain and star coral leading down the slope to the bottom. Lots of sea fans salute you as you cruise along.
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Isla de Oro Reef
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The shallow portion of the reef offers many different combinations of brain, staghorn, star and plate coral. Lots of sea fans and soft coral also enjoy this site. Under the coral formations you can sometimes find lobsters.
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Harbour Reef/Pilot Boat
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Super dive! Gradually dropping through magnificent formations of hard and soft coral to an old pilot boat, where a pair of green morays await your arrival. On occasion spotted eagle-rays and stingrays can be seen. Favorite of many for good photography opportunities.
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Indian Head
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A large formation that looks like a head. Brain and star coral formations, schooling tropical fish await.
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Jane Sea Wreck
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Exciting dive. Cargo ship standing upright in sand. Bow is in 65 feet and stern is in 94 feet. Wreck is 250 feet long. Chain is hooked throughout the coral reef. Huge cargo spaces. Often visited by barracuda, manta rays and even turtles.
Deep water gorgonians, sponges and coral growing on the wreck. Excellent for photography.
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Kantil Reef
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Drop off from 5-130 feet. Beautiful reef with lots of parrot fish, barracuda and lots more.Fascinating "drop off" with giant boulders of brain & star coral. Also an abundance of massive formations of leaf and sheet corals. Between 60 and 80' you may see a sleeping nurse shark.
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Lago Reef
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A dive site with impressive levels of coral formations. Deep water gorgonians, sponges, sea anemones and numerous species of marine life.
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Mangel Halto Reef
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A pronounced slope from 15' down to 110' gives you the opportunity to admire a myriad of coral combinations. You will see brain coral to deep water gorgonians, sea anemones, tube and vase sponges and all types of marine life from octopus to sea horses and schools of tropical fish. Accessible from the shore.
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Mas Bango Reef
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One of the best dive-sites in Aruba. Recently discovered. Starts in about 5' and slopes down to 130'. At 130' you can enjoy 5 islands of coral with an abundance of mas bango fish which draw large fish like big jacks, tuna, and barracuda. The reef here is extraordinary, beautiful, and preserved. Home of Seahorses. This is most definitely a must do dive, photo, and a great dive to log.
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Mike's Reef
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Huge corals guide you into the homes of big barracuda's and rainbow runners patrolling coastline. Brain, mountain, star, and tower corals as well as deep water gorgonians and soft corals abound here. An excellent dive for macro photography
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Natural Bridge
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Monster size boulders leave you in awe. Incredible formations of brain and star coral and plenty of fire coral. Also, black coral, sea fans and soft coral covering the bottom. Giant barrel sponges rise from the bottom to decorate the ocean floor. Experienced divers only due to rough seas.
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Pedernalis Wreck
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W.W. II tanker. Pieces strewn over ocean floor. Great abundance of sea life. Don't miss the torpedo that is half buried in the sand. 0-25 feet.A beginner's paradise offering a combination of large pieces of wreck spread out between coral formations. You can see sections of cabins, wash basins, lavatories, etc. as well as the pipe line system that goes with this oil tanker, which was torpedoed in 1942 during World War II by a German submarine.
The abstract remains of the Pedernalis provide a curious alternative to the prim and proper Aruban wreck scene and a great night dive. All that remains of this American oil tanker is its mangled midsection. The bow and stern were hauled stateside and refitted with a new hull, and the reincarnated ship transported troops in World War II. Chunks of the hull, supports and cross beams litter the sandy bottom, sitting at odd angles and casting eerie shadows. You may be hard-pressed to visualize the haphazard pieces of steel as a once seaworthy ship, but you won't have any trouble diving it. At 20 feet with no penetration to speak of, this is an excellent, laid-back second or third dive of the day, so spend lots of bottom time snapping film and trying to count all the fish. The wreckage provides an abstract habitat for caesar grunts, squirrelfish and yellowtail snapper. White tunicates coat the metal undersides, competing for space with bursting orange cup corals. Keep an eye open for snake eels and spotted eagle rays.
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Plonco Reef
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Home of the green moray! Large morays welcome you. Large lobsters can be found here scavenging the ocean floor for a bite to eat. Giant coral formations contour the landscape.
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Pos Chiquito Reef
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One of the best night dives on the island is a seasonal event. Trips to the Pos Chiquito Reef, known locally as Bao Baranca, are scheduled each September and October in order to witness the natural regeneration of the coral reef. This site also happens to be a great year-round shore dive. This area is known for its huge star and brain coral formations found on a sloping plane.
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Santana Reef
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Myriad of elkhorn and staghorn coral with an abundance of marine life.
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Santo Largo
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The slope starts in 30' of water taking a drop as far as the eye can see. Awesome coral formations, lobsters, schooling fish overwhelm.
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Shark Caves
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Nurse sharks snooze away in the rock overhang at the island’s southeastern point. Accessibility to caves depends on sea and current conditions. This dive is recommended only for experienced divers.
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Six Sisters
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Huge rocks in the sand in 90' of water. Rocks are covered with colorful sponges. Huge barrel sponges, sea fans, stingrays resting in the sand around the rocks.
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Skalahein Reef
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One of the most beautiful reefs on Aruba. Beautiful coral formations, very colorful, lots of sponges. Magnificent deep-water gorgonians. Seahorses have been spotted hiding in the soft corals. The reef gradually slopes down to deeper water, excellent shallow dive.Reef slopes from 20 feet down to 140 feet. Lots of fish and different types of coral live there. Great for drift diving. Manta rays can be spotted there occasionally. This is a definitely a dive to be logged.
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Sonesta Reef
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Nice reef. Starts in 15 feet and goes to 80 feet. Lots of brain, coral, some orange sponges and lots of parrot fish, damsel fish, and butterfly fish.
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Spanish Lagoon Reef
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This site consists of a drop-off with huge brain and star coral leading down the slope to the bottom. Lots of seafans salute as you cruise along.
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Sponge Reef
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Aptly named! Home of the soft coral ranging from the orange elephant ear sponges to purple and yellow tube sponges. Lots of purple vase sponges and small basket sponges. Some interesting leaf and plate coral formations. Turtles often frequent this site.
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Star Gate
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Cargo ship wreck 300ft long in approx. 63ft of water. Great abundance of sea life, big spider crabs, barracuda's, large cargo spaces. Exciting dive.
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Tire Reef
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Lots of soft coral, sea whips, sea fingers, black coral and plenty of gorgonians and sea fans. Home of the green moray eel. On several occasions, we have spotted eagle rays cruising by.
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Tugboat Wreck
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Reef starts in 20-70 feet of water. Tugboat stands upright on bottom and is home to a quantify of fish including two 6' green morays. On occasion spotted eagle ray and sting rays can bee seen very close by.
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