Is Saba really that good?

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Fellows:

I had an interesting conversation with a guy I met in the train a few day ago. I was reading a scuba magazine so we started talking and it turned out that he was a diver who had just returned from a dive trip from Thailand. Before this trip to Thailand, he had only been diving in different places in the Caribbean and Thailand was his only dive trip outside Caribbean.

He was stating the exact sentiments of most people on scubaboard that generally Thailand offers better diving than anywhere in the Caribbean.

Everywhere in the Caribbean except Saba!

This to me was surprising because just like Bonaire, Cozumel etc. have their fan following on scubaboard, I have not heard that much hum-drum about Saba. He was telling me that though his wife is a Thai and he can spend a lot of time in Thailand diving, he believes that Saba is just as great because while other places in the Caribbean tend to have less fish life and less coral diversity than Asia Pacific, Saba has not been fished as much.

For those who have done Saba, has your experience been the same? How does the diving compare to other places in the Caribbean and elsewhere? Thanks.

 

[Darnold9999]

IMHO Saba is as good as it gets in the Caribbean. Only did 9 dives there so a limited selection, but lots of life, lots of fish and variety in terms of topography. Comparable to Bloody Bay Wall in Cayman and Half Moon Bay and surroundings in Belize which I consider the best Caribbean locations I have been to. Would at least consider going back as not only is the diving pretty good the island itself is an interesting place to spend some time. Expensive, but interesting. However from the West Coast of Canada it is not easy to get to, so unlikely I will go back.

South Pacific is significantly better diving and for me easier to get to. More variety, more colour, more fish, more nudi's, more everything. the Caribbean at its best is nowhere near the diving in Raja Ampat, or Lembeh, or the GBR. If I am planning a diving only trip - the Caribbean is not really on the list any more. Saba was a side trip while on vacation to St Maartens.

It has been more than 20 years since I have been to Thailand, so perhaps it has changed but can't see going to Saba over Thailand for the diving. But that is a very old opinion so not worth much.

 

[Scuba Cat Diving]

I have worked in both Thailand and Saba so have a pretty good comparison of both. Thailand has much more diversity and in my opinion better diving, if you go to the right places.
Saba is good diving though, there is many varied marine life there and they have a great marine park in operation for more then 20 years.
The way the marine park works has been used as an example for many others trying to set them up as they work together with the local fishermen.
The deep water pinnacles they have there are unique and the shallow sites have great sponge life, but what was missing for me was the diversity of corals which you just dont have.
Viz and water temp are great though and many frog fish and seahorses. Interesting sites with geothermal hot spots that can be easily seen and you feel the temp difference....
I think Saba is less well know in the Caribbean due to the lack of beaches, there is only one for part of the year, so it doesnt fit with many peoples idea of a Caribbean island, but it does have great nature and walks.

 

[sphyrnidus]

But the Dive sites on Saba are rather limited, aren't they?

 

[KeithG]

But the Dive sites on Saba are rather limited, aren't they?

This website lists 30 sites around Saba. Saba's Diving - 30+ Dive Sites - Saba's Dive Sites

I know that weather conditions may make some off limits at times, but there are lots of sites. Some of them very distinctive and unique (like diamond rock).

 

[hroark2112]

Is it all boat diving there? One of my buddies raves about the island.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Yes. It is boat diving. It is a rocky island with steep drop offs into the ocean.

 

[Scuba Cat Diving]

There are plenty of dive sites there so you dont need to repeat any if you are there for a week. It is all boat diving, no shore entries.
Some times it is not possible to dive the windward side of the island, but I preferred the other area's anyway.

 

[Scott from LongIsland]

while i have not been to Thailand or the Pacific, I absolutely loved Saba. Both the island and the diving were wonderful. The lack of tourism makes it a real gem of an island. I found the diving to be quite diverse as you have the deeper pinnacles and the shallower reefs and also sort of "combo" dives like Diamond Rock or Man of War Shoals that are both incredible. Doing the loop around Diamond Rock is a great dive.

I spent 10 days on the island and the only sites that we repeated were by choice (3 dives a day). Since the dropoff is quite steep it is a very short boat ride to the dive sites (10mins).

I have done both a land based trip and a liveaboard in the area and I much preferred the land based trip. The liveaboard stayed at the moorings for 2 sites a day whereas the smaller dive boats based on the island would bounce from site to site. The liveaboard also only offers 2 or 3 days of diving on Saba and the rest is on St Kitts where the diving is far inferior to Saba. So basically if you are on the liveaboard you will see 4 or 8 dive sites where as the land based trip you will see many many more over the course of a week.

I used Sea Saba and they were a stellar operation. Extremely well run shop with clean and well maintained boats. After a few days with them they asked us where we wanted to dive. Extremely flexible group and very good at spotting the resident frogfish.

 

[boulderjohn]

I dived Saba for three dives on one day, so that is my total experience. It was an outstanding experience, though. The formations were excellent, and the fish life was like nothing I have seen anywhere else in the Caribbean. I don't know if it is the best diving in the Caribbean, since I haven't been anywhere, but it has to be right near the top.