BONAIRE, Tobago, Aruba, Curaçao... these are some of the Latin-American divers’ favorite paradises in the Caribbean for the sea bottom exploration. Curaçao is today a great revelation for diving practices. Tobago is the favorite island of adventurous lovers of sea currents or violent immersion. Bonaire presents the most crystalline waters while Aruba shows the best wreck diving sites.

Aruba Aruba is one of the most recommendable places for those who want to learn diving since coral reefs and the fauna from the Caribbean Sea provide beginners with unforgettable wreck scenarios: as sunken ships from the Second World War. Thanks to the Holiday Inn Hotel, I visited Aruba to immerse in its waters with Pelican Adventures. The personnel of this agency impressed me with the excellent care and professional standard. After they checked out my diver’s credentials, they asked me on the type of diving that I usually practice and the date of my last immersion. Many enterprises omit these important details but Pelican is very much concern on their customers so as to measure their underwater abilities before immersion. In the wreck of Antilla, located opposite the northeastern coast of Aruba, I jumped from the stern of our boat to the water and began diving on a limpid bluish water; the sandy bottom was of an indescribable beauty. I saw at a distance, a dark big shadow that was a giant sunken ship, Antilla, the famous largest wreck ever reported in the Caribbean. The ship lies on a side, it measures around 130 m long and at least 14 m wide. Our underwater tour differs from the regular one, instead of swimming around the coral reefs and sponges stick on the hull, we got inside the vessel, through corridors that barely allow us to pass through and also along wide lighted spaces through a soft bluish light. With the exception of the broken section, located in the middle of the boat, it is possible to dive through the interior of Antilla, though to do this, it is indispensable to be assisted by an experimented guide. This is due to the fact that the ship lies on one of its side and may confuse the divers’ route; however the situation makes this experience very amusing because when swimming near the wreck, also the water seems to be inclined. Antilla by itself is also a singular scenario for a night immersion. On sunset, a plethora of yellow and orange corals open up, while an endless number of crabs and shrimps move around .

Bonaire

The second island of the Netherlands with barely 15,000 inhabitants is aimed at being the world capital of seashore diving.

The island has 86 diving points and more than a half are accessible from the seashore. The easiest entrance are on the west coast that extends from small Kralendilj, Bonaire’s capital towards Washington Slagbaay National Park. On the north and south of this seashore section, the access to the sea is more difficult for diving practice, there are exceptions as Funchi and Boca Slagbaay beaches on the north tip of the Washington Slagbaay National Park, which spectacular diving. The waters surrounding the island were declared Sea Park in 1979 in order to preserve the coral reef as well as its fishing wealth. Diving spots are easily recognized by yellow-painted stone with the name of every place. All the area located in front of Klein Bonaire are most of the diving resorts and among them Sand Dollar Beach Resort, the Captain Don’s Habitat and the Plaza Resort Bonaire. The eastern coast characterized by a rocky and rough landscape permits divers to immerse near the shore and at the central and western section of the seashore there are soft and sandy entrances. But towards the north and the south, the experience can be more challenging with exceptions: Funchi Beach and Boca Slagbaai National Park, two peaceful and protected beaches.

Curaçao

Curaçao has an enormous wealth in its underwater landscapes. Its waters reach a visibility of 30-40 m. depth. We cannot forget such interesting attractions as the Curaçao Seaquarium with replica of the natural coral reefs can be seen.

This Dutch possession has a tropical climate all year round and the water average temperature is around 29ºC. On the island, 38 natural beaches are found, most of them ideal for these travelers who search virgin spots. The experimented Venezuelan diver, Enrique Alpenes, declared: "On the beach areas, West Punt provides the best diving in Curaçao and Habitat Curaçao Hotel located in St. Willibrordus, situated on the way to West Punt, is beyond doubt, one of the most cherished diving paradises worldwide. It is strategically located in a small bay where the bottom shows white and clean sands and a dock from where the boats of the hotel leave every day, especially designed to accommodate until 25 divers. There are two daily departures, one in the morning and another one in the afternoon, with two immersions included in each one. Over 100 diving points are located, 35 of them are less than 30-minute distance from the dock. Departures on boats from other hotels as Princess Beach and Plaza Curaçao amply meet the expectations of any diver: bays, large coral reef and other varieties of bottoms surrounded by turquoise waters and a visibility of more than 30 m. Instructors always prevent members from touching, breaking or disrupting the reef balance. Operators such as Peter Hughes and Toucan Diving from Princess Beach and Plaza Curaçao offer respectively a quality service, backed by a highly professional work team. Curaçao Seaquarium is one of the main attractions of the island with 120,000 m2 of surface and over 400 species in 46 pools filled with pumps that take the water directly from the sea. The water of the pools is not filtered and the sun provides the light. A veritable encounter of sharks, giant skates, turtles and other sea species. The Seaquarium covers an area of the beach, implementing a unique concept of direct interaction between man and fish. By the name of Animal Encounter, this area houses a large number of tropical fishes as cachamas, clowns, tarpones and a shoal of surgeon fishes and giant skates. Visitors attract these dangerous dwellers of the Animal Encounter and feed them, always following the instructions given by the guide so as not to be a part of their menu.

Trinidad y Tobago

In Tobago, equally cherished by nature lovers and divers who will find here the spirit of the West Indies lives. With an intense port and trade activity, Trinidad represents very well the ecological inventory of South America.

Tobago, found at just 5-hour ferry from Trinidad and at 55 minutes from Margarita Island is also named "Robinson Crusoe’s island", is worldwide famous by its biodiversity, thus making this island a favorite destination for divers, bird watchers and nature lovers in general. Situated opposite the coasts of Venezuela, its waters meet the wealth of the Orinoco river that attracts a varied sea life. The closest beach to Scarborough, Tobago’s capital, is Pigeon Point with soft white sands, shaded by coconut groves. From this spot, rides are organized to go to Buccoo coral reef, only compared in sea wealth to that of Australia’s Great Coral Reef and the famous "Nylon Pool". At the end of Windward Road is Speyside, a locality where is found one of the places that Jacques Cousteau himself had probably regarded as his favorite. Speyside has a beautiful bay, Batteux Bay, opposite to Goat Island and Little Tobago where is found a vast variety of big fishes as barracudas, morays and meros and the emblematic skates, also these small islands are bird sanctuaries. Here are two excellent hotels Blue Waters Inn and Manta Lodge. Each one has its own diving operator agency. Aquamarine Dive offers PADI diving classes, snorkeling and night diving. They feel very proud to state that all the preparation is included in the service. Toward the northeast of Tobago is Charlotteville, in the spectacular Man of War Bay, the largest natural port of deep waters of the Caribbean. On this bay, Admiral Villaneuve hid Lord Nelson’s French fleet. Thus the names of nearby bays are full of history: Pirates Bay, Bloody Bay.... At present Charlotteville is a fishing village with the most genuine local taste and a small hotel by the name of Man-o-War Bay Cottages.