Diving on St. Eustatius, an unspoiled gem
St. Eustatius has no fewer than 36 unique dive sites, making the island a popular diving destination. The sea around the island belongs to a protected marine park, which ensures that the underwater world is virtually untouched. The seabed offers you a beautiful color palette of coral, fish of all shapes and sizes, rays, sharks, and turtles. The diving conditions on the island are optimal. All dive sites can be found between 5 and 20 minutes away by boat and the water is almost always calm. With water temperatures between 26 and 28 degrees Celsius, you’ll always enjoy a tropical dive.
- Diving and snorkeling
- Turtles
- Shipwrecks
- Blue Bead Hole
Diving in shipwrecks and history
On land, it’s easy to find traces of St. Eustatius’ rich history, but the historical stories also continue under water. Since St. Eustatius used to be an important trading hub, there are many 18th-century shipwrecks to discover. There are about 200 wrecks on the seabed here in total, and there are also more recent sunken wrecks on display, such as the 52-meter-long Chien Tong and the 100-meter-long Charles L. Brown. The Charles L. Brown is located at a depth of 30 meters, and less experienced divers can also admire it by diving above the top of the wreck at around 18 meters.
Blue Bead Hole dive spot
There are plenty of beautiful dive sites around the island, such as the Lost Anchor and the Grand Canyon. Each one is unique because you’ll find eight different ecosystems here. The Blue Bead diving hole is an unmissable dive. It’s not just schools of colorful fish that you’ll find here - you also have the chance to find a historic blue bead. The Dutch West India Company used these beads for the cotton, rum, tobacco, and slave trades.
There are two diving schools on the island: Scubaqua and the Golden Rock Dive Center. We work closely with both diving schools. Both can be found in Oranjestad.
Snorkeling on St. Eustatius
Discover the special underwater world of St. Eustatius by snorkeling. Thanks to the crystal-clear water you’ll be able to see far ahead, and chances are you’ll be accompanied by curious turtles. It’s possible to rent or buy snorkel sets from the two diving schools, and they’ll also be happy to inform you about the best snorkeling spots on the island. Book a guided snorkeling tour at our reception or go on a self-guided adventure off the coast of Oranjestad where the old, sunken city walls offer a beautiful snorkeling backdrop. The best snorkeling spots on the island are at Oranje Bay, Inner Jenkins Bay, and Twelve Guns.
