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Diver beside a coral wall with sea fans and barrel sponges, the kind of wall Bayahibe scuba diving is known for

South-east coast

Bayahibe Scuba Diving

Bayahibe scuba diving is the heart of diving in the Dominican Republic: a small fishing village beside a national park, with Catalina Island, Saona, artificial-reef wrecks and a 17th-century pirate ship all within a short boat ride.

Why Bayahibe is the dive capital

Bayahibe sits on the Caribbean side of the island, between La Romana and the Cotubanamá National Park (still often called by its old name, Parque Nacional del Este). The park protects a long stretch of dry forest, limestone coast and reef, and Saona Island is part of it. To the west, Catalina Island is a separate protected area a short run from the village. Because the coast is sheltered, the sea here is usually flat in the morning, and dive boats leave from the beach at the end of the village street.

The village has kept a relaxed, small-town feel next to the larger Dominicus resort strip, and it is one of the few places in the country where several independent dive centers sit side by side. If diving is the main reason for your trip, staying here rather than in Punta Cana saves you long transfers. Divers staying in Punta Cana can still join a day trip; see Punta Cana scuba diving for how that works.

Catalina Island: the Wall and the Aquarium

Catalina Island is the classic two-tank day from Bayahibe and La Romana. The first dive is usually the Wall, where a sandy shelf drops steeply into deep blue water. Sea fans, barrel sponges and soft corals cover the face, and you can see turtles, moray eels, lobster and schools of creole wrasse. Depth is your choice, so it suits newer divers who stay near the lip as well as experienced divers who go deeper.

The second dive is often the Aquarium, a shallow coral garden in clear water with plenty of reef fish, good light for photography and a long, relaxed bottom time. Many trips finish with lunch on the island's beach. Catalina is also popular with snorkelers, so the boats can be busy in high season; leaving early helps.

The St. George and Atlantic Princess wrecks

The St. George is the best-known wreck in the Dominican Republic. It is a large steel cargo ship that was sunk off Bayahibe in 1999 to create an artificial reef. It sits upright on the sand at about 40 metres, with the upper structure much shallower, so most divers see it in the 25 to 30 metre range. Because of the depth, operators usually ask for an advanced certification and some deep-dive experience, and bottom time is short. The hull is covered in sponges and small corals, and schools of fish shelter around it.

The Atlantic Princess is the easy wreck: a smaller vessel in shallow water close to Bayahibe, well within the limits of an Open Water diver. It makes a good first wreck dive and a good second dive after a deeper morning. Dive centers here also visit other reef sites along the park coast, with names that change from shop to shop; ask what is running on the day you book.

Captain Kidd's shipwreck: a living museum

In 2007 a cannon-strewn wreck was found in about three metres of water off Catalina Island. Researchers identified it as the Quedagh Merchant, the ship the privateer William Kidd abandoned in the area in 1699. Rather than lift the remains, Dominican authorities and Indiana University turned the site into an underwater preserve, the Living Museum of the Sea. Cannons and an anchor lie on the bottom among coral, and replicas and signs help explain the site.

It is shallow enough for snorkelers, but visits are controlled, so go with a local operator that has permission to take groups. Never move or take anything: the site is protected.

Saona Island and the national park

Saona is the large island at the eastern end of the park, famous for its palm-lined beaches and for the shallow sandbar at Palmilla, where boats stop in waist-deep water. Most Saona trips are beach and catamaran days rather than dive trips, but some dive centers combine reef dives on the way out. Inside the park, on the mainland, is the Padre Nuestro cave, a flooded limestone system for trained cavern and cave divers. Read cave diving in the Dominican Republic before you plan it.

Park entry fees apply to Saona, Catalina and the cave. Operators usually include them in the price or collect them on the day, so ask when you book.

Planning a Bayahibe dive trip

Questions

Bayahibe scuba diving FAQ

How deep is the St. George wreck?

The sand around it is at about 40 metres and the upper structure is shallower, so most dives are planned between about 25 and 30 metres. Expect to need an advanced certification.

Is Bayahibe good for beginners?

Yes. The Aquarium at Catalina, the Atlantic Princess wreck and the shallow bays near the village are all calm, easy dives, and many dive centers in Bayahibe teach courses.

Can I dive Bayahibe from Punta Cana?

Yes. Many Punta Cana dive centers run day trips to Catalina Island and Bayahibe, with a road transfer of roughly an hour and a half each way, depending on where you stay.