Best Diving in the Lesser Antilles?

[Barry Goode]

Hi,

I'm a PADI Advanced Open Water diver who has been to most of the good dive locations in the Caribbean.

However, I've never been to any of the Lesser Antilles islands. Which one has the best diving? I like good vis & large marine life.

I'll be going the beginning of April.

Thanks for the info!

Barry

 

[marcaumarc]

I can't really tell you which is best, since I haven't been to all of them, but I have been to Saba and St. Martin. Saba has some really unique diving, including some unique pinnacle diving and is probably generally considered to be one of the best places in the Lesser Antilles. St. Martin is generally not on the radar as a top location, but it has a lot of sea life and a fair amount of variety (wrecks, reefs, etc.). Since you typically fly to St. Martin to get to Saba, it's maybe not a bad two-island trip.

 

[Rhone Man]

Opinions vary wildly as to who has the best quality diving, and as to which islands constitute the Lesser Antilles.

If you use the Wikipedia definition then I would have thought Bonaire was a strong contender.

 

[midas6t6]

I'd have to second Bonaire. Great vis, abundant sea life, great shore diving. The island is geared towards divers.

 

[dvrliz1]

Bonaire has 89 sites you can dive, with over 60 as shore dives. The northern dives are on a sloping wall with hard corals more prominent. The farther southern dives feature more soft corals (lots of turtles), while the "middle" southern dives feature a great double reef system. Boat diving klein bonaire (the small island right of the west coast of Bonaire is amazing as well. Also you can dive the East Coast with East Coast Diving and see larger sea life, usually in larger schools/pods.

 

[BlueIslandBell]

Barry Goode wants large marine life. That rules out the majority of Bonaire!!!

 

[bfisher]

Barry Goode wants large marine life. That rules out the majority of Bonaire!!!

True, unless he does some dives on the east Wild) side. But as for large marine life I haven't been anywhere in the Caribbean that could qualify as a cadidate for this reuqirement.

Still, just for the rest and just shear freedom of diving your own schedule Bonaire is my top choice. I usually do Bonaire twice a year. I love some of those 1 1/2-2 hour dives I get.

 

[Barry Goode]

Thanks for the input. I've been to Bonaire which was good. However, I'd like to go somewhere new. I've never been to any of the Windward Islands.

I hear good things about Dominica but can't find a flight there that doesn't take 2 days both ways (I'm coming from Detroit). I've also heard the diving isn't bad off St. Lucia.

Any recommendations along w/ preferred Dive Ops?

thanks.

Barry

 

[dgonza]

I went diving in St Lucia last summer on a cruise. So far that is my favorite place. I havent been to Bonaire yet, but I will be going next year. Anyway for St Lucia I went with Island divers through Ty Kaye resort. I cant speak for the resort like I said as I was a cruiseship passenger. We dove at the base of the Piton mountains and did supermans flight. (highly recommended)

 

[agilis]

The ABC, including Bonaire, are not part of the Lesser Antilles, which extend down to Grenada (a really great underappreciated island, btw). The ABC are actually, like Trinidad and Tobago, detached segments of South American mainland, way down in the extreme southern Caribbean. Not that this matters, I suppose, but if you carry generalization too far, you could mention Fiji and Tahiti.