The 5 best dive sites in Aruba according to divemasters

The 5 best dive sites in Aruba according to divemasters

From a ship sunk in World War II to a heavily guarded secret location, we share the best dive sites in Aruba selected by local divemasters

When selecting dive sites, we still have to find a perfect solution. Official rating apps are often biased towards popular spots, meaning a mediocre dive site with lots of visitors will trump a less visited but better site based on the weighting system.

Therefore, when planning the shore excursions on our 11-day cruise from Charleston, we made an effort to identify the best diving spots in Aruba and our next stops. We asked local divemasters for their recommendations and came up with a shortlist of five.

We only had one day in Aruba, so we didn't get to all five locations, but in the spirit of sharing, we're listing them below for other divers.

Antilla wreck

Type: Shipwreck Depth: 18m

alt=“The Antilla is regularly voted one of the best diving spots in Aruba”>Fair useThe Antilla is regularly voted one of the best diving spots in Aruba

The SS Antilla was a German cargo ship launched in 1939 and sunk in 1940 when the Germans invaded the Netherlands during World War II. The Dutch government ordered the confiscation of all German ships in the Netherlands Antilles and caused the crew to deliberately sink them.

At 120 m long, the Antilla is one of the largest wrecks in the Caribbean. It lies on its port side in 18 m of water and is popular not only with divers but also with snorkelers. Of course, divers have the advantage of being able to swim through the ship's large compartments.

As you will see, the Antilla is full of life. Corals and tube sponges have colonized the wreck, attracting lobsters, loggerhead turtles and countless species of fish, including moray eels and blue tang.

Jane Lake

Type: Shipwreck Depth: 24m

alt="Jane Sea has quite an eventful history">Fair useJane Sea has a colorful history

Legend has it that the Jane Sea was seized by authorities after it was used to transport cocaine between Venezuela and Aruba. The truth seems more prosaic. According to Aruba Ports Authority archives, the Jane Sea (also known as Jane C) was a cement carrier that was placed under embargo after it suffered engine failure in Barcadera Harbor and its owners failed to pay port dues. When attempts to auction the ship failed, it was scuttled south of Barcadera Harbor to form an artificial reef.

Today it offers one of the best diving in Aruba. The 75m vessel lies upright with her bow at 20m and stern at 28m. The large hold offers excellent penetration, but be briefed by your divemaster beforehand as some walls have recently collapsed.

If you're lucky, you may spot a large barracuda near the stern. Other marine life includes moray eels, silversides, coral crabs and trumpet fish, as well as loggerhead sea turtles and sometimes a cobia or spotted eagle ray.

Sonesta aircraft

Type: Aircraft wreckage Depth: 18m

The Sonesta Airplanes with SE Aruba Fly N Dive was one of the best dives we have ever done. The two planes, a Convair 240 (or a DC-3; that's debatable) and a YS-11, are off the coast of Aruba and were intentionally sunk to create an artificial reef for divers.

The Convair is split in two, with several smaller pieces of wreckage scattered across the sandy bottom of Sonesta Reef. That's an impressive site in itself, but it's the YS-11 that really took our breath away. This old passenger plane still has an intact fuselage, which we were allowed to dive through.

Swimming through the chamber, with its sharp carpet of barnacles and eerie underwater light, was possibly the best moment of our entire Caribbean cruise.

Pedernal wreck

Type: Shipwreck Depth: 10m

alt="Gruntfish duel for mates at one of Aruba's best dive sites">James Dvorak/ShutterstockGrunt fish duel for mates in the seas of Aruba

The SS Pedernales was a sea tanker that was severely damaged in a German torpedo attack while anchored in Aruba in 1942. The damaged ship was divided into three parts. The bow and stern were joined together and sailed to the United States, and the midsection was intentionally sunk as a diving site.

Today large pieces of the Pedernales lie scattered among coral formations. It's less impressive than the Antilla, but it's teeming with life and its relatively shallow depth makes for great visibility.

Expect large schools of gruntfish, silversides and snappers along with trumpetfish, angelfish, squirrelfish and grouper. There were occasional squid here and you might even see a spotted eagle ray gliding over the debris.

Serito Pinnacle

Type: Reef Depth: 18m

alt=“An image reportedly taken at Serito Pinnacle, one of the best diving spots in Aruba”>Aruba Tourism AuthorityA picture said to have been taken at Serito Pinnacle

If your divemaster seems evasive when mentioning Serito Pinnacle, it's because it's considered something of a secret in the diving community in Aruba. We could barely find out anything about it (hence the picture above, which looks like it was taken in the 1970s).

Serito Pinnacle is located on the south side of the island, southeast of Cabez Reef and is only accessible by private charter. The reef here is largely untouched and the strong current brings a variety of marine life including barracuda, manta rays and jacks.

The strong current means it is only suitable for experienced divers and as it is unlisted by most diving outfits you will most likely be the only ones there if you manage to visit it. It's not a bad way to see the best of Aruba.

Other candidates: The divemasters we interviewed also mentioned: Debbie II Wreck & Blue Reef, Arashi Reef, Garden Reef, Bali Reef, Fingers Reef, Palm Slope Reef, Barcadera Reef and Isla de Oro Reef.

The best dive sites in Aruba: the essentials

What: Dive in Aruba on an 11-day Carnival cruise from Charleston with stops in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Aruba, Bonaire, Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Princess Cays in the Bahamas.

Where: We stayed in a balcony stateroom on board the Carnival Sunshine. Our room was spacious and comfortable, and the balcony was worth checking out.

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Atlas & Boots

The ship itself is equipped with countless dining and entertainment options. For daytime dining we liked BlueIguana Cantina and Pizzeria del Capitano. For dinner, we recommend paying the small extra charge to dine at least once at each of the specialty restaurants (Steakhouse, JiJi Asian Kitchen and Cucina del Capitano).

When: The best dive sites in Aruba are accessible year-round. Visit between December and April for the best weather: hot, sunny and dry with low humidity and balmy nights.

How: We booked our dive with local experts SE Aruba Fly N Dive, who talked us through our options and helped us choose the best dive site based on our short time in Aruba. Our divemaster was knowledgeable and professional and helped make the dive one of the best we have ever done.

We booked our Caribbean cruise with Carnival. Prices start at $1,579 per person for a balcony stateroom and include accommodation, all meals, a selection of non-alcoholic beverages and entertainment.

We use our Keepgo International Wifi Hotspot to help us get online while traveling. The device generates a secure WiFi connection over local 4G mobile networks in over 120 countries. Use this referral link to get 10% off any Keepgo product.

We flew to Charleston via New York, but as of January 2020 there are direct flights from the UK. Book via Skyscanner for the best prices.

Finally, if you plan on snorkeling in Aruba (and you really should), you should pack a full-face snorkel mask. We use and recommend Aria QR+ from Ocean Reef.

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Main image: James Dvorak/Shutterstock

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