20 Best Dive Sites in Barbados in 2023
Barbados is a brave little island that has a lot to offer both above and below water. Barbados is a place that many scuba divers go back to year after year. It has sunken ships, warm tropical waters, exciting deep water dives in the Atlantic, and lots of turtles and barracuda.
On land, the relaxed island vibe and the many different kinds of people make for a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Plus, it has some of the most beautiful beaches in the area, so it will be hard to decide whether to stay dry or relax in the sun.
Barbados is in the Lesser Antilles. The Caribbean Sea is on the west side of the island, and the Atlantic Ocean is on the east. Most diving is done on the west side, which is more protected, but divers sometimes go to the east side to try a different body of water and get some open-ocean thrills. Want to know where to stay in Barbados? Read our guide about Sandals Royal Barbados reviews.
Diving in barbados reviews
The Sack
The Boot is a dive site on the west coast of Barbados that is right next to the well-known Sandy Beach. Because a small Coast Guard ship sank in these waters, this reef is both a reef and a wreck. The reef itself is full of life, and the coral cover is very good. The wreckage is also covered with sponges and corals. The Boot is a good dive site for all divers. It is between 12 and 24 meters (40 and 80 feet) deep and is in a protected area.
Places to go
Turtles are the most common animal here, and there are usually more than one kind. Look for trumpet fish and peacock (flowery) flounders as well.
The Town of Carlisle Bay
Carlisle Bay is a good example of why wreck diving in Barbados is some of the best in the Caribbean in terms of variety and ease of access. On the south-west coast of the island, in Carlisle, there are six ships that have sunk. The protected bay, which is part of a marine park, is the best place for new divers to start exploring wreck diving sites on Barbados.
Places to go
Aside from the turtles, divers go to Carlisle for the wrecks, with the Bajan Queen being the most popular. The French tug Berwin, which sank in 1919, is also worth a look. It is the bay’s oldest wreck. She lies down at 7.6m (25ft).
Cement Plant Pier
People don’t often get to dive among the remains of a closed cement factory, but that’s what Cement Plant Pier is all about. The chunky columns of the pier on the north coast are home to many different kinds of marine life. The site can also be reached by boat or from the shore. This is one of the most popular dives in Barbados, so talk to your dive school about setting up a time when it won’t be as busy.
Places to go
One of the Barbados scuba diving reviews is that the columns of what’s left of the pier are covered with beautiful coral. A lot of tropical fish, like the elusive frogfish, hide here. Divers should also watch out for crabs, scorpionfish, gurnard, lobster, and long-nosed seahorses.
Consett Bay
Diving in Barbados reviews are like this: When the water is calm and the weather is good, divers can leave the protected Caribbean side of Barbados and head to Consett Bay on the island’s Atlantic east coast. The waters here are full of huge coral formations, caves, and swim-throughs, which is different from the more colorful and tropical west side. Also, the Atlantic Ocean gives you the chance to see sharks, which aren’t something Barbados is known for, but they do come to the island.
Places to go
Sharks! Large pelagic fish like jacks and king trevally may also swim by you in the blue water if you’re lucky.
Maycocks Bay is a place in Australia.
Beautiful Maycocks Bay is not a good place to swim, but it is a great place to dive if you are willing to go under the water in the sometimes rough water. Once divers get below the surface, they see big pieces of reef and white sand channels that they can follow and check out.
Places to go
There are a lot of parrotfish here, and they help make the pure white sands that you can see all over Barbados. Keep an eye out for schools of Bermuda chub and lobsters hiding in the cracks of the reef. The barrel sponges also look great in pictures.
Highwire
Highwire is a dive site near Dover Beach. It gets its name from the submerged cables that hang over the reef and give it a unique look. Even though the water isn’t always calm here, it’s a great place to dive that not many people go to. Just wait for a calm day. This dive in Barbados is best for experienced divers because it is 18 to 36 meters (60 to 120 feet) deep.
Places to go
The reef itself is in good shape. Sponges and corals hide many small animals, like shrimp and nudibranchs, which is good news for people who like slugs. Macro photographers will love this site, and those who don’t have a camera can still find a lot to see.
Victor’s
One of the less popular dive sites on the island is off Fitts Village on the west coast, near the SS Stavronikita. The depths of Victor’s reef range from 15 to 37 meters (50 to 120 feet), and it has both soft and hard corals, which makes it very different from other reefs in the area. This varied landscape is home to a huge number of fish and other sea creatures.
Places to go
Victor’s is a great place to dive to see turtles, rays, and other big animals. But if you look closely at the reef, you can see soldierfish, butterflyfish, and even the hard-to-find seahorse.
The Muf
The Muff is a ridge that is 25 meters (80 feet) wide and 18 meters (60 feet) deep. It may also have the most interesting name of any dive site in Barbados. The side facing the water drops off steeply to a depth of more than 40 meters (130 feet), while the other side has a gentle slope that goes down to a depth of 30 meters (100ft). There are barrel sponges, big sea fans, coral whips, and plumes all over the reef. Locals know The Muff for its elephant ear sponges, which are bright orange and add a pop of color.
Places to go
Here, you can often see barracuda, horse-eye jacks, blackjacks, and even the rare shark. Divers can also look forward to seeing a lot of eels and rays.
Johnsons
Johnsons is one of the most popular places to dive in Barbados because it has a lot of sea life. Small creatures love the beautiful soft corals and huge tube and barrel sponges. Macro photographers should bring their cameras. Large groups of fish swim above, below, and all around the reef. When the water is calm and the depth is between 21 and 24 meters (70 to 80 feet), photographers can focus on getting the best shot.
Places to go
Divers with sharp eyes can see a lot of small creatures that live among the corals. Some of the best things to see at Johnsons reef are parrotfish, turtles, and schools of barracuda.
Dottins
This reef dive on the west coast of Barbados is only 12 to 18 meters (40 to 60 feet) deep, so there is always a lot of light coming through. In the north, the reef is full of lush corals and sandy spots, while in the south, sponges and brightly colored corals cover the ground. Dottins is a popular place for night dives because it has a shallow depth and is easy to get to.
Places to go
Creole wrasse are everywhere on the reef, and grouper, yellowtail snapper, and grunts come by often. Watch out for stingrays and conch shells that might be hiding in the sand. Turtles that live there can often be seen swimming around to find food.
Great Rock
Even though Great Ledge is not as shallow as Dottins, there is a lot of light and color there. The reef goes down 17 to 24 meters (55 to 80 feet) and is covered with many different kinds of coral and plants. These give shelter to many large and small marine animals.
Places to go
Some of the animals that live on the Great Ledge are the Atlantic spadefish, Mackeral, lizardfish, and scrawled filefish. Spotted eels look for food by poking their heads out from among the corals, which are lower on the reef.
Bajan Queen
The Bajan Queen is one of the most popular wreck dives in Barbados. It used to be a tug boat before it was taken out of service and turned into a party venue. She was sunk on purpose in 2002, and now sits at a depth of 12 meters (40 feet) in Carlisle Bay. The old tug is so tall that she is almost above water. The Bajan Queen is now a thriving artificial reef, and it has become very popular because it is a great place for people who have never been wreck diving to start. A big engine room is easy to get into and a fun place to start looking around. Divers can also check out a small reef off the back of the boat.
Places to go
A school of glassy sweepers hangs out by a spiral staircase on the lower deck. Some of the animals that live in and around the wreck are banded coral shrimp, anemones, and bristle worms.
New Fort
With depths ranging from 9 to 28 meters (30 to 90 feet), Old Fort is a shallow dive that is great for beginners. The name of the dive site comes from the fact that the reef is near the remains of an old fort. On the sandy bottom, there are small groups of sponges and coral rocks, as well as a collection of cannonballs and old bottles. Macro life is what makes the reef at Old Fort so great for photographers.
Places to go
With their cleaner shrimp, sea anemones are good places to take pictures. Some of the other fish that live in Old Fort are grunts, yellow goatfish, spotted drum, and glassy eyes.
Ledge Bright
Bright Ledge is one of the dive sites in Barbados with the most colorful reefs. The reef starts at 15 meters (50ft) and goes down to 60 meters (200ft). It is full of colorful corals, sponges, and many different kinds of marine life.
Places to go
Barracudas, nurse sharks, and manta rays come to the reef to eat. You can also see the Hawksbill turtle, which is an endangered species. Bright Ledge is a great place to see crabs and lobsters, as well as other shellfish.
Clarke’s Bank
Clarke’s Bank is a beautiful and lively reef that is 18 to 28 meters (60 to 90 feet) deep and full of life. The dive site has both soft and hard corals, as well as big red gorgonian sea fans. This is a great place for photographers. The Atlantis Submarine, which is based in the area, goes around the reef and the divers often. It’s a must-do in Barbados to watch people who are watching you. It’s a strange feeling.
Places to go
Some of the best things about Clarke’s Bank are the horse-eye jacks, the creole wrasse, and the yellowtail snapper.
Caribbee
Caribbee is made up of a dome-shaped reef that is 18 meters (60 feet) deep and drops off to 46 meters (150 feet) on either side (150ft). Going west, the landscape is made up of a lot of purple sea fans, deep-red gorgonian fans, and sea whips that line the reef in what looks like a near-perfect line. Most divers stay above the reef to get the most time at the bottom.
Places to go
Turtles, eagle rays, and barracuda can often be seen in the area. Caribbee is a great place to dive to see the wide range of reef fish in the Caribbean.
Bell Buoy
Bell Buoy is a reef that looks like a bell, just like its name says. Because of its size, it has something for every level of diver. The huge reef is 9 to 21 meters (30 to 70 feet) below the water’s surface. It is covered with a forest of corals that are home to many different kinds of animals. When the sun shines brightly on the shallow reef, photographers can take great pictures there.
Places to go
Bell Buoy is a reef that is full of fish and other sea creatures, such as gorgonian corals, angelfish, parrotfish, and Chromises.
More on diving in Barbados
Barbados is a great place to go scuba diving because it is surrounded by barrier reefs and has many shipwrecks to explore.
It is an island in the western part of the North Atlantic. It is 62 miles east of the Caribbean Sea and is 100 kilometers away.
Diving in Barbados
Barbados is one of the best places to dive in the world because it has a long coastline and great weather and water conditions.
Barbados is a beautiful place full of marine wonders and exciting dive opportunities. It has an amazing variety of underwater species.
Coral reefs all around make for a lot of scuba diving attractions.
There are a number of dive sites between two barrier reefs that will take you to a different world.
There are a lot of shipwrecks. Some of them are in the north of Barbados and are easy for even new divers to get to.
Divers who explore the reefs near the coast of Barbados are likely to see a lot of hawksbill and leatherback turtles.
Fluorescence night diving in the Eastern Caribbean lets divers explore the calm seas around Barbados and enjoy the beauty of the underwater world whenever they want, day or night.
Divers can dive in Barbados all year long because the water is clear up to 25 meters (80 feet) deep and stays between 21 and 27°C (70 and 80°F).
