Best Scuba Diving in St Thomas

March 21, 2024 5 min

Are you searching for the adventure of a lifetime? Does the idea of coming face to face with exotic marine life fill you with excitement? Do you want to challenge yourself to something new on your next Caribbean yacht charter? If the answer to all these questions is ‘yes’, we think you’ll love scuba diving in St Thomas.

St Thomas is a magical sailing destination with brilliant diving, snorkeling and swimming opportunities. Whether you’re exploring the open waters as a family, couple or with friends, there are countless treasures to discover.

In this blog, we’ll be taking you through some of the best locations for scuba diving in St Thomas, from stunning Coki Beach to the wreck of WIT Shoal. Let’s dive in…

Is scuba diving in St Thomas good?

With crystal clear waters, a low tidal range, an abundance of marine life and a fantastic diversity of diving spots, St Thomas offers some of the best scuba diving in the Caribbean and the world.

Whether you’re looking for the best scuba diving in St Thomas for beginners, or want to unleash your inner underwater explorer with exhilarating wreck diving there’s something for everyone in the USVI.
Learn more about the sailing conditions in St Thomas and the best time to sail in the Caribbean to help plan your USVI scuba diving excursions.

1. Coki Beach

The first beach on our list of the best locations for scuba diving in St Thomas is the blissful Coki Beach, on the North coast of the island. Coki Beach is one of the most popular places for scuba diving in St Thomas and also offers brilliant snorkeling opportunities.

Home to two stunning, shallow reefs, one at 40 feet and the other at 50 feet, why is Coki Beach considered one of the best scuba diving hotspots in St Thomas?

The shallow waters make Coki Beach the perfect scuba diving spot for beginners. Whether you’ve never dived before or want to hone your skills, this is a great starter dive. If this is your first time setting sail in St Thomas, read our learn to sail guide to develop your skills before you cast off.
Along with being fantastic for beginners, the shallow waters also make Coki Beach an exhilarating night diving spot.
As you can enter the dive from the beach, there’s no need for a surface swim.

As you explore the depths of Coki Beach, you can expect to find a beautiful array of marine life, including rays, barracudas and even turtles. What’s not to love?

2. Cartanza Senora

Are you on the hunt for a unique dive site in St Thomas that’s only accessible by boat? Enjoy an exclusive diving experience as you sail to Buck Island to explore the treasures of Cartanza Senora.

Why does Cartanza Senora offer some of the best scuba diving in St Thomas?

Abandoned in 1970, Cartanza Senora was originally inaccessible to divers until it was moved and re-sunk to create a diving playground.
The wreck of this ship has been split into three pieces, offering divers plenty of opportunities to explore.
Around 60 feet deep, this dive site is ideal for sailors of all experience levels.
You’ll find a variety of marine life at the wreck of Cartanza Senora, including stingrays, green sea turtles, barracudas, nurse sharks and yellowtails.

3. Cow and Calf Rocks

Is this your first-time scuba diving? The best scuba diving location in St Thomas for gaining your certifications is Cow and Calf Rocks, given this affectionate name as the rocks resemble a whale and its calf.

Its shallow waters and depths of around 40 feet make it ideal for beginner divers. Is this your first time setting sail around the Caribbean too? Take a look at our blog on learning to sail for beginners.

Cow and Calf Rocks is a very popular diving site for divers of all experience levels because of its many ledges, overhangs, canyons, arches and tunnels. Swim around the crystal clear waters of this aquatic labyrinth and make your way through the thrilling obstacle course that awaits you.

There’s nothing more beautiful than the enchanting colors of the mesmerizing coral reef at Cow and Calf Rock. The best part? You’ll come face to face with an incredible array of marine life, from safe-fish and moray eels to hawks-bill turtles and lobsters.

4. WIT Shoal

Do you want to take scuba diving in St Thomas to the next level? Whether you’re an experienced diver or simply a thrill seeker, the wreck of the WIT Shoal is a dream come true.

Universally considered the best location for scuba diving in St Thomas if you’re an adrenaline junkie, the wreck lays under the waters of the South side of St Thomas, having sank in 1984 after Hurricane Klaus ripped through parts of the Caribbean.

Why does the WIT Shoal offer some of the best scuba diving in St Thomas?

At almost 400 feet large and now sitting 90 feet below the surface, the wreck of the WIT Shoal is huge, which gives you plenty of opportunities for exploration.
With five decks, the multiple levels of the ship makes it a diver’s playground.
Plenty of exotic marine life swim around the WIT Shoal, including reef sharks and sea turtles.

Looking for other wreck diving opportunities outside of the USVI? The British Virgin Islands is home to the wreck of the RMS Rhone, one of the most popular wreck diving spots in the world. Learn more about the best scuba diving spots in the BVI.

5. Congo Cay

The final spot on our list of the best scuba diving in St Thomas goes to the sensational Congo Cay.

The main reason Congo Cay is so popular is because its diving conditions offer the best of both worlds. The Eastern side of Congo Cay has depths of up to 80 feet and enjoys currents that are suited to experienced divers, whereas the Southwestern side is perfect for beginner divers, with less of a current and depths of up to 60 feet. Whether this is your first or 50th time scuba diving in St Thomas, Congo Cay is the place to be.

Much like the other scuba diving spots, Congo Cay is home to breathtaking reefs and colorful marine life, ensuring an enchanting underwater experience like no other.

No matter which of the best locations for scuba diving in St Thomas you’re visiting, you must take care of the marine life and aquatic environment around you. As part of our OCEAN Promise, we commit to ocean and wildlife preservation. Find out more about how you can scuba dive and sail in St Thomas sustainably with our top tips for eco-friendly travel.

Experience the best scuba diving in St Thomas for yourself

So there you have it, these beautiful beaches, coves and wrecks offer some of the best scuba diving in St Thomas. All that’s left to do is book your St Thomas yacht charter and explore the depths of the USVI.

Whether you book an exhilarating bareboat charter with your family, relaxing skippered charter with friends or all-inclusive crewed charter as a couple, we know you’ll enjoy an idyllic vacation in the heart of the Caribbean.

Build a quote and book your sensational sailing charter today. If you have any questions about the best scuba diving in St Thomas, please contact us.