San Juan Scuba Diving & Snorkeling

Scuba Diving & Snorkeling in San Juan

One of the best and most memorable ways of enjoying the waters of Puerto Rico is to literally dive in and explore the underwater view. Scuba diving and snorkeling are two of the most popular water sports in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Caribbean waters in this area are considered a diver's paradise and have even been voted as one of the top five shore diving sites by the readers of Scuba Diving Magazine.

The Puerto Rican waters are admittedly murkier compared with other areas in the Caribbean but visibility is still a good 60 to 75 feet near the beach and 100 feet or more offshore. The average ocean temperature is 81 degrees Fahrenheit.

Diving sites in San Juan offer spectacular geographical formations consisting of lava reefs that play host to a diverse community of marine life. These ecosystems are populated with seahorses, arrow crabs, coral shrimp, copper sweepers, snappers, French angels, bluehead wasse, and batfish.

Most major hotels in San Juan offer scuba diving lessons. There are also a lot of scuba shops that provide equipment as well as diving instructions and tips on the best scuba diving and snorkeling sites in San Juan.

One of the more popular outfitters in San Juan is the Caribe Aquatic Adventures. The company operates a dive shop in the lobby of Normandie Hotel and offers diving courses with certification. The shop is open daily from 8 am to 4 pm. A 40-hour diving course costs $465 while a resort course for beginners costs $100. Caribe provides daily diving sessions in San Juan waters but also offers half-day and whole-day trips to other parts of Puerto Rico.

Snorkeling is best done in the less crowded areas of Puerto Rico rather than in urban San Juan but for vacationers who don't have time to travel to other areas, local beaches such as Luquillo and Isla Verde also have adequate visibility as well as shops that rent snorkeling equipment. Rent for snorkeling gear is usually at $15. One of the best places for snorkeling in San Juan is in the bay marina area near the Caribe Hilton.