Bonaire – Toucan Diving

Dive Operators

Dive into adventure with Toucan Diving Bonaire! Explore the island’s best dive sites on daily guided 2-tank and 1-tank boat trips, taking you to the best reefs around Bonaire and Klein Bonaire. Start your journey with PADI dive courses from entry level to Pro, and get hands-on with coral restoration in our very own Reef Renewal Bonaire nursery. With unlimited shore diving and expert local guides, every dive is a new discovery.

From our beautiful location at Van der Valk Plaza Resort Bonaire, you can step straight into the water and onto our spectacular house reef, “18th Palm.” This vibrant dive site shines year-round with colourful fish and healthy coral. Discover for yourself why Toucan Diving is one of the most beloved dive schools on Bonaire. Experience the thrill of Bonaire beneath the surface!

Visit Website

Courses Offered

We offer a full range of PADI core courses, from the Discover Scuba Diving experience all the way to Dive Master certification. In addition, we provide a selection of PADI Specialty Courses and PADI Tec courses.

We also offer Distinctive PADI Specialties that are unique to Bonaire:

• Reef Renewal Diver
• Lionfish Hunter
• Shorediver Specialty

Here are some of the courses that are offered:

SASY (for children between 5 and 7 years old)

The SASY program or “Supplied Air Snorkeling for Youth” is a program designed for children with an age between five and seven years old that are interested in learning basic snorkel/scuba dive skills in the pool and the ocean. Your young soon-to-be diver gets to breathe through the regulator and creating bubbles at the surface. Get to see pleny of fish while remaining safely at the top of the water.

PADI BUBBLEMAKER (for children aged 8 and 9)

The PADI Bubblemaker program is as fun as it sounds. A chance for kids to blow bubbles underwater like a real scuba diver! This program is designed for children with an age of eight or nine years old interested in learning basic snorkel/scuba dive skills in the pool and the ocean. Via this program they have a chance to breathe thru a regulator underwater and swim around in shallow water.

PADI DSD (for children aged 10+)

A DSD (Discover Scuba Diving) is a fun and easy introduction into scuba diving and what it takes to explore the underwater world. Although this is not a complete scuba certification course, you’ll learn some basic skill to become a comfortable diver. We conduct this dive just off our beach.

PADI OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE

Then the PADI Open Water Diver (OWD) course is the way to go. The Open Water Diver course consists of 3 main phases: theory, confined water training and the open water dives. In the paragraphs below it is explained which variation of the course will go through what phases. You can choose to do all of it here in Bonaire, or you might choose to do part of the course somewhere else and finish on our beautiful island! Learn More.

Photos: Conservation is key in Bonaire; learn to dive in the pool at Plaza Resort Bonaire; encounter our turtles on your dives!

Top Dive Sites

South Bay at Klein Bonaire

Category: Fringing Coral Reef
Depth: 5m to 30+m / 15 – 100 ft
What to see here: South Bay is a dive master favourite —and it’s easy to see why. The site boasts a dense cover of hard and soft corals, and even some rare Pillar Coral colonies right near the mooring! Keep your eyes peeled for Blue Parrotfish, big Green Moray Eels, and if you’re lucky, you might spot a Loggerhead Turtle cruising by. Specialty Dive.

Hilma Hooker

Category: Deep Wreck Dive
Depth: 5m to 30+m / 15 – 100 ft
What to see here: The Hilma Hooker is a famous cargo ship wreck with a colourful history—it was seized for smuggling shortly before it sank in 1984. To prevent it from sinking in the harbor, the vessel was towed to an anchorage along Bonaire’s south shore, where it now rests on its starboard side at about 100 ft, between the shallow and deep reef systems. This site is accessible from shore with a short surface swim. Divers can explore the deck and open cargo holds, which often shelter large tarpon and barracuda. Soft and hard corals cover the railings and steering hut, while the nearby shallow reef boasts dense coral growth, making it a great spot to enjoy at the end of your dive. The 100ft depth makes it an Advanced Dive.

Salt Pier

Category: Shallow Reef with Man-Made Structure
Depth: 5m to 18m / 15 – 60 ft
What to see here: Located at Bonaire’s salt flats, Salt Pier is one of the island’s most popular dive and snorkel sites. The best time to visit is early morning or late afternoon, when sunlight creates dramatic patterns between the pier’s pillars—perfect for underwater photography. Look for turtles and rays in the shallows, and check beneath the pier where schools of grunts and needlefish gather in the shade. The seafloor beneath the pier is scattered with coral, rocks, and debris, providing hiding spots for moray eels, octopus, and other marine life. Beginner to Advanced.

Contact

Visit our website

Address:  located at the Van der Valk Plaza Beach & Dive Resort, Julio Abraham Boulevard 80, Kralendijk
Phone Number:  +599 717 2500

Email:  diveshop@bonaire.valk.com
Reservations: https://toucandiving.bloowatch.com/booking 

 Facebook | Instagram

Martinique – Dive Natiyabel

Dive Operators

NATIYABEL, which means ‘Nature is Beautiful’ in Creole, is a dive and conservation center located in Sainte-Anne, in the south part of Martinique. They invite you to discover the island’s colourful, protected underwater world.

With a personalized approach, outings limited to a maximum of 8 divers on the boat plus supervision, and an experienced team, NATIYABEL guarantees safe, enriching dive experiences adapted to all levels. Whether you want to try your first dive, earn an SSI, PADI or CMAS certification, explore Diamond Rock, take part in a Reef Check, a cleanup dive, or test an underwater scooter / DPV, NATIYABEL offers full immersion in Martinique’s underwater world.

Visit Website

Courses Offered

SSI / PADI / CMAS certifications

• Discover Scuba / introductory dive, Open Water Diver, Advanced Diver, Rescue Diver, etc.
• A wide range of specialties (Perfect Buoyancy, Nitrox, DPV, Night Diving)
• Introductory and certification courses for underwater scooters / DPV: explore longer distances and enjoy a fun experience
• CMAS training: PE12, Level 1, PE40, Level 2, PA40, Level 3
• Training for children from age 8 in CMAS, and from age 10 for SSI and PADI

Organization of outings

• Morning: two-tank dives for certified divers or advanced training, with snacks served on the boat during the surface interval
• Afternoon: all levels, first dives, beginner courses, snorkeling or exploration dives
• Diamond Rock: 1 to 2 times per week depending on demand

Eco-experiences and responsible activities

• Reef Check: observation and monitoring of reefs
• Underwater cleanups: contribute to protecting the marine environment
• Awareness-raising and supervision of participants on best practices

Photos: Keep your eye out for both Hawksbill and Leatherback turtles; one of our dive boats; a beautiful stingray resting on the sea floor.

Top Dive Sites

La Caye des Boucaniers

Category: Coral plateau with drop-offs and a small barrier
Depth: Plateau 0–6 m, drop-offs down to 25 m
What to see here: A bright, colourful site, exceptional for its diversity of corals and sponges. On the plateau: fragile corals requiring a consistently horizontal position. On the drop-offs: snappers, mackerel (thazards), barracudas, tarpons, black jacks, French and queen angelfish, maniocs and rays. Crustaceans: lobsters, spider crabs and shrimps (cleaner shrimp, Yucatan, Thor shrimp). On the safety stop: moray eels, soles and reef fish. Accessible for all levels and for snorkeling.

Ti Mur

Category: Reef and small wall accessible by boat
Depth: 9–25 m
What to see here: Magnificent hard and soft corals, coral heads, gorgonians and colorful sponges. Rich tropical fish life: parrotfish, snappers, queen angelfish, mackerel, eagle rays and moray eels. Ideal for all levels from Open Water Diver upwards and for SSI/PADI training.

Ti Voilier / (Petit Voilier)

Category: Wreck + reef wall
Depth: Mooring at 13 m, gently sloping wall
What to see here: A small wreck colonized by foliose corals and sponges, offering many hiding places for marine life. Crustaceans: lobsters, spider crabs and shrimps. Pelagic fish: schools of barracudas, jacks and mackerel. Reef fish: batfish, grunt fish (gorettes), sardes. Possibility of spotting an eagle ray. Ideal for exploring the structure of the wreck while enjoying rich coral life, accessible to moderately experienced divers.

Jardin Vert

Category: Deep coral garden / wall
Depth: 20–40 m
What to see here: A spectacular site for experienced divers and those in advanced training. A wall covered with hard and soft corals and giant sponges. Abundant marine life: parrotfish, angelfish, batfish, barracudas, stingrays, turtles, moray eels and schools of small reef fish (castagnoles, girelles). Crustaceans: shrimps, crabs and lobsters in the crevices.
Special features: ideal for deep explorations and underwater photography, a very biodiverse site suitable for certified divers and advanced training.

Trois Vallées – Natiyabel

Category: Deep reef / sandy valleys
Depth: 8–40 m
What to see here: A vast coral site formed by coral mounds separated by valleys of clear sand. Marine life: mackerel (thazards), barracudas, turtles, parrotfish, angelfish, maniocs, shrimps and crabs. Varied topography, ideal for drift dives and long explorations.
Special features: Impressive underwater panoramas; high biodiversity, ideal for photography; suitable for certified divers, accessible from 8 to 40 m

Rocher du Diamant (Diamond Rock)

Category: Iconic site, walls and reefs
Depth: Plateau 8-12 m, walls down to 40 m
What to see here: Diamond Rock offers spectacular relief and incredible biodiversity.  Two main zones can be distinguished:

The Fault (La Faille):

• A spectacular underwater passage through the rock, forming a tunnel about 30 m long and 2–3 m high (depth around 15 m)
• Walls covered in hard and soft corals, sponges and gorgonians
• Light filtering through the tunnel creates unique, photogenic effects
• You can see parrotfish, angelfish, jacks, barracudas, turtles and crustaceans (shrimps, crabs, lobsters)
• Suitable for certified divers due to the depth and tunnel

The “Pool” (La Piscine):

• A calm plateau between 8 and 12 m, ideal for safety stops or relaxed exploration
• Bordered by a vertical wall with very rich marine life: pelagic fish, turtles, stingrays, porcupinefish and colorful corals
• An ideal area for observing marine life and taking photos, more sheltered from currents

Other highlights:

• Crystal-clear water, spectacular light and play of shadows in tunnels and along the walls
• An iconic, must-do site in Martinique and across the Caribbean region

Contact

Visit our website

Address:  Rte du Club Med, Pointe Marin, Ste-Anne
Phone Number:  +596 696 366 301
Reservations: info@natiyabel.com
 

Facebook | Instagram

Curaçao – Ocean Encounters

Dive Operators

Ocean Encounters, Curaçao’s premier dive center, invites you to explore the island’s vibrant underwater world. From shallow reefs and colorful wrecks to thrilling drift dives, their expert team ensures unforgettable experiences for divers and snorkelers of all levels.

Committed to sustainability through their #OEPledge, they actively protect local reefs and marine life while offering eco-conscious adventures. Whether you’re seeking your first dive, advanced certifications, or a purpose-driven trip with Reef Renewal Curaçao, Ocean Encounters delivers safe, fun, and meaningful experiences in the heart of the Caribbean.

Visit Website

Courses Offered

Dive Courses & Certifications

• PADI & SSI certifications ranging from beginner (Open Water Diver) to Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, and Divemaster
• Discover Scuba Diving: a quick intro to diving including classroom instruction and a guided shore dive—perfect for first-timers.
• PADI Reef Renewal Specialty Course (“Dive for a Purpose”): combines interactive learning with hands-on coral restoration work, followed by certification as a Reef Renewal Curaçao volunteer

Unique Eco-Experiences

• Discover Reef Renewal Dive: a half-day dive that includes visiting coral nurseries and caring for coral, paired with a presentation and guided dive reefrenewalcuracao.org.
• Conservation-focused training & specialties: encourage environmental stewardship through fulfillment of the #OEPledge initiatives

Photos: Dolphin Open Water Dive, Reef Renewal, Tugboat Dive Site

Top 3 Dive Sites

Name: Stella Maris – House Reef (Shore Dive)
Type: Reef, shore-accessible, ideal for all levels including beginners
Depth: Plateau ~8m (25 ft), with a steep drop-off descending beyond 50 m (150 ft)
What to see here: Rich coral gardens of restored Elkhorn and Staghorn, alongside natural soft and hard coral. Marine life includes parrotfish, angelfish, snapper, stingrays, turtles, and occasional sharks, whales, and dolphins

Name: Mushroom Forest (Boat or Shore Dive)
Type: Reef with unique mushroom-shaped coral formations; typically accessed via boat, sometimes by shore
Depth: Max around 18m (59 ft); excellent visibility from 13 to 38 m (41-123 ft)
What to see here: Stunning star and brain corals shaped like mushrooms, teeming with eels, grouper, parrotfish, snapper, porcupine fish, turtles, and occasional nurse sharks. The nearby Blue Room cave features magical light effects and fingerling fish for added mystery

Name: Tugboat Wreck (Shallow Wreck Dive)
Type: Wreck; just off the shore, great for snorkeling and diving
Depth: Around 5–7 m (15–20 ft) over the wreck; nearby wall drops to 30 m (100 ft)
What to see here: The wreck is covered in vivid tube sponges and brain corals, inhabited by eels, turtles, trumpetfish, angelfish, and seahorses. The adjacent wall dive showcases hard and soft corals, moray eels, scorpionfish, and lobster

Contact

Visit our website

Address:  Bapor Kibra Z/N, Curaçao
Reservations: reservations@oceanencounters.com

Facebook | Instagram

St. Vincent and The Grenadines – Dive Bequia

Dive Operators

Bequia, the best kept secret of The Grenadines! In the heart of this secret you will find Dive Bequia.

Discover Bequia’s Underwater Paradise with Dive Bequia.

Dive into healthy fringing reefs teeming with life, thrilling drift dives, and a rich variety of marine creatures that will captivate divers of all levels. With Dive Bequia, you’ll have effortless access to these incredible underwater adventures and so much more. Let us guide you to the best of Bequia’s 24 dive sites, where every dive is a journey into the extraordinary. Our experienced SSI and PADI instructors can also teach beginner courses and further education classes.

Visit Website 

Courses Offered

We teach a variety of SSI and PADI courses, through both organizations we can certify beginners all the way to Divemaster level.

In addition we offer a multitude of specialties from both SSI and PADI for those looking to further their underwater skills, such as; Perfect Buoyancy, Deep, Wreck, Fish ID, Photo/Video, Navigation and Night Diving and so many more. Contact us today if you’d like to learn more!

Photos courtesy of Tamsin Eyles: Searching for seahorses at North West Point; diving at Moonhole, a popular site; one of our divers exploring the cave. Cover photo courtesy of Catharine Howard Sachs

Top 5 Dive Sites

Name: Boulders
About: A favourite site for many divers as this site can be dived at a multitude of depths along a sloping coral reef. Garden eels can be seen if you look out over the sand as well as peacock flounder and scorpionfish. The middle section of this dive is a stunning array of huge 30ft boulders that provide swim-throughs and the opportunity to find shy nurse sharks.
Type: Reef and boulder topography
Depth: 30m/100ft
What to see here: Trunkfish, eels, trumpetfish, French angels, spotted drums and barracuda.

Name: Stratmann Wreck
About: The Stratmann tug is an interesting wreck to explore for all types of divers, sunk in 1996 the dive begins or ends with the beautiful Devil’s Table reef depending on the direction of the current. The stern sits in the sand surrounded by shy garden eels and tiny yellow-headed jawfish peeking out of their holes. Divers can look into the portholes and hatches of the tug for green moray or lobster and large schools of fish congregate around the funnel.
Type: Wreck
Depth: 18m/60ft
What to see here: Squirrelfish, glasseye snapper, French grunts, lobster, shrimp, turtles.

Name: North West Point
About: A truly memorable dive for intermediate divers along a healthy, vibrant reef which starts at 7m/25ft and drops to 25m/82ft. This site is dived depending on the current. Look on the large boulders for frogfish next to the colourful sponges and fans. Keep a look out for bumblebee-like juvenile trunkfish and elegant spotted drumfish. Barracuda and cero cruise up and down the reef and maybe the odd turtle or ray.
Type: Reef
Depth: 25m/82ft
What to see here: Filefish, seahorses, trumpetfish, cowfish, eels, vase corals, barracuda.

Name: West Cay
About: The start of the dive is a dramatic swim over a shallow ledge which then descends steeply into the deep blue. At the bottom of the wall there are interesting swim-throughs. The dive usually culminates at a shallow shelf on the southernmost tip where the currents meet, but on days when no currents exist, it is possible to continue completely around the rock. Due to the conditions and depth at this site, a minimum certification level of Advanced diver is required.
Type: Wall
Depth: 40m/130ft
What to see here: Barracuda, spiny lobsters, lionfish, eels, turtles.

Name: Moonhole Cave
About: Divers descend into 9m/30ft of blue water with a wall on one side and rolling reef meeting the sand at 15m/50ft.  The reef steeply drops to 28m/92ft with larger boulders and colourful sponges. On the ascent at around 8m/25ft, a wide cavern appears and divers can check it out and look under the boulders for nurse sharks.
Type: Reef and cave
Depth: 28m/92ft
What to see here: Creole wrasse, porcupine fish, lobster, yellowtail snapper, parrotfish.

Contact

Visit our website

Address:  Belmont Boardwalk, Port Elizabeth, Bequia, St. Vincent and The Grenadines
Phone Number:  +1 (784) 495 9929
Reservations: divebequia@gmail.com
Online Reservations:  https://www.divebequia.com/store/
Facebook | Instagram

St. Eustatius – Statia Divers

Dive Operators

Statia Divers overlooks the windward coastline, located within Golden Rock Resort. Our experienced PADI dive instructors offer valet guided dives tailored to your comfort and experience level. We offer ScubaPro rental gear and Nitrox is complimentary to all EANx certified divers.

With 36 dive sites, a protected marine park and no cruise ships, we are an undiscovered gem of the Caribbean! Experience lava formations whilst searching for blue beads in the Caribbean warmth and enjoy the luxurious side of diving.

We would be happy to answer any questions.  Drop us an email at info@statiadivers.com, we can’t wait to book your next diving holiday! .

Visit Website | Brochure

Courses Offered

We teach a variety of PADI courses from Discover Scuba Diving to Deep Specialty to Divemaster. With the largest, ocean-fed, cliff edge lagoon in the Caribbean on site that hides an American school bus at 9 m/30 ft, we can kickstart your dive adventure or continue your education in a truly spectacular and unique setting.

PADI open water – dive master available.

Photos: Encountering a stingray, Training in our manmade Lagoon, Triple Wreck Dive

Top 5 Dive Sites

Name: The Chien Tong
About: A Taiwanese fishing vessel that was sunk purposefully, a wonderful wreck site of 30m/100ft in length. Also, our night dive is nicknamed the turtle hotel for how it offers a sleeping place for the beautiful creatures!
Type: Wreck
Depth: 27m/90ft
What to see here: Turtles, macro, drum fish, sting rays, wreck life and coral

Name: The Charles Brown
About: One of the largest shipwrecks in the Caribbean and coined ‘premier wreck dive in the Caribbean’ by Sport Dive Magazine; wreck enthusiasts will love the life forming on this ship. An old AT&T line boat that laid the first Transatlantic cable, the outside of this 100m/300ft long boat is just as spectacular as the swim through.
Type: Wreck
Depth: 30m/100ft
What to see here: Sharks, snapper, barracuda

Name: Drop Off East
About: Located in the southern part of the marine reserve, this advanced wall dive is full of the best the Caribbean has to offer. From its healthy reef system to where it drops off into the deep blue where you can frequently see reef and nurse sharks. With the shallowest point at 20m, advanced certification is required.
Type: Wall
Depth: 30m+/100ft+
What to see here: Sharks, grouper

Name: Aquarium
About: A favourite of Statia Divers, the volcanic explosion that created this site and its rocks, has caused nutrient-dense reefs. As a result, divers will see turtles flying in from all directions, fish of all kinds, resident octopus and one of the best sites for macro.  This must-see site is aptly named as it really is an aquarium!
Type: Reef
Depth: 14m/46ft
What to see here: Turtles, macro, octopus

Name: Double Wreck
About: For any history buffs, this dive site really gives it all. If you are a macro lover and photographer, this is also a perfect site. With old anchors from the 1700s, this reef formed around the ballast stones. Surrounded by sand, look out for the rays and turtles!
Type: Archeological
Depth: 18m/60ft
What to see here: Turtles, rays, macro, archaeological items such as anchors.

Contact

Visit our website

Address:  Behind the Mountain #21, St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean
Phone Number:  +599 318 3348
Reservations: info@statiadivers.com

Facebook | Instagram