Diving St Barths
Scuba diving in St Barts may not be the first thing to spring to people’s minds when thinking about this jet-set paradise, but you’ll be surprised to learn that its home to some of the best diving in the Caribbean! Better known as a playground for the rich and famous, with high-end boutiques and mega-yacht filled harbour, St Barths boasts more than 22 dive sites that include shipwrecks, canyons and coral reefs which in-turn support a dazzling array of aquatic flora and fauna.
Under the protection of the Marine Reserve, established almost 20 years ago, all forms of fishing and anchoring are prohibited, making the crystal-clear waters around St Barths a safe haven for a great variety of marine life. Along with a multitude of colourful reef fish, divers can also expect to see turtles, sting rays, eels, nurse sharks and tarpons as well as the occasional eagle ray gliding past. Diving in the area is relatively shallow, allowing plenty of sunlight to illuminate the brightly coloured corals and sponges.
With the majority of diving taking place along the island’s leeward side, our selected diving partner – La Bulle – is perfectly situated in Gustavia harbour, with some dive sites no more than 5 minutes away from the harbour’s entrance.
La Bulle
Ranked as the #1 St Barths’ dive operator on TripAdvisor, La Bulle was the first commercial dive operation on the island. With over 50 years’ diving experience between them, co-owners and instructors Didier and David are excited to share their passion of diving in St Barths by offering a range of pleasure diving excursions as well as snorkelling trips and private dive guiding. As both a CMAS and PADI dive centre La Bulle also offers an extensive range of dive courses, from introductory dives for the complete beginner up to Divemaster certifications, as well as refresher and specialty courses.
Thinking of diving St Barts? Then check out La Bulle's special offers and discounts - available only when booking your fast ferry to St Barths with us!
From their convenient base right in Gustavia harbour they’re within easy reach of some of St Barths best dive sites – with most being less than a 20 minute ride away aboard their fully equipped dive boats. Dive site selection is made on the day and is dependent not only on sea/weather conditions but also on your dive experience and skill level. Sporting top-of-the-line equipment, La Bulle is committed to planning safe, enjoyable dives and to showing you the wonders of St Barths diving.
One of the most spectacular dive sites – Pain de Sucre – is just a 5 minute boat ride away from the harbour and gives divers a good impression of what diving in Saint Barths is all about. Other popular sites include those around Colombier Bay and Groupers – located between St Martin and St Barths, with swim-throughs, tunnels and sharks!
